While I agree that animal research is well-regulated in the US, many of the details in your comment aren't quite right. The Animal Welfare Act specifies the mi

While I agree that animal research is well-regulated in the US, many of the details in your comment aren't quite right. The Animal Welfare Act specifies the minimum standards of care for research and exhibition of most species of mammals. Birds, rats, and mice aren't covered by the AWA, nor are "cold-blooded" animals. These are covered by other regulations from the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW; for federally-funded projects) or AAALAC (private funding). Farm animals are also not included, unless they are being exhibited or used for research. The AWA requires research institutes to form an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUCs), which includes scientists as well as clergy and members of the community. This is usually different from the Institutional Review Board (IRB), which regulates research involving human subjects. The idea is admittedly similar though. The AWA does not limit the species involved in research. In theory, you could propose to set up a grizzly bear colony or something and the University of California has (had?) a hyena colony for a while. The IACUC is responsible for making sure that animals receive the care required by the AWA, OLAW, and other standards, so they might turn you down if suitable resources are not available or other, more humane approaches could be used (e.g., use a species that is less affected by captivity).