Committee debates amendment to live-animal testing ban, refers ordinance to full council

A proposed amendment to an existing Everett City ordinance banning testing on animals drew disagreement in committee on Jan. 13 and was referred to the full City Council for further consideration.

Councilor Smith moved to amend the ordinance to add language that, “under no circumstances shall any testing or experimentation be conducted on dogs, cats, horses, goats, or any large vertebra species,” and said the prohibition should apply to “all research, medical, scientific, and experimental procedures.” The amendment would have limited the list of animals specifically named in the ordinance.

Councilor Rogers said he opposed the amendment and signaled he would recommend unfavorable action at the council meeting. The sponsor of the original ordinance, identified in the transcript as Councilor Marans, told the committee the original full-animal prohibition was passed by the entire council and signed by the mayor and said she wanted the ordinance to remain unchanged rather than amended to a narrower list.

The committee debated whether to consider the amendment at the committee level or leave changes to the full council; one member noted that the proposed amendment could instead be made at the full council meeting. The amendment vote did not carry. After further procedural motions, the committee referred the ordinance to the full City Council for consideration at the council’s meeting that evening. The transcript records voice votes and procedural motions but does not provide roll-call vote tallies for the amendment or the referral.

No substantive change to the ordinance was adopted in committee; the matter will be taken up by the full City Council.