Rand Paul wins PETA praise for ripping $4M tests on alcoholic rats Print this article People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals surprised GOP Sen. Rand Paul today with a great big hug for questioning costly and weird animal tests funded by Uncle Sam. In a letter to the Kentucky senator, the animal rights group credited him for prompting those who experiment on animals to reveal details of their secretive world. From Sen. Rand Paul's annual Festivus report on wasteful spending. (Screenshot) “We urge you to keep telling it like it is and do all you can to redirect funds from studies to superior animal-free methods,” wrote PETA Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo in the letter shared with Secrets.