The Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW) has ruled that research involving canine models conducted at four Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Centers (VAMC) is in compliance with animal welfare guidelines. VA Secretary Robert Wilkie has been supportive of this research as well.

"OLAW determined that the visited VAMCs are effectively supporting the humane programs of animal care and use at their institutions and conducting research with dogs and other vertebrate species in compliance with the PHS Policy, and all applicable rules and regulations," according to the report, which was published on Jan. 3, 2019.

The research in question has been under attack by animal rights groups like the White Coat Waste Project since 2017.