More than 1,100 dogs are experimented on in government labs run by the VA and other agencies, according to a new report.

A piece slated to air during Sunday's "Full Measure" takes a look at the practice of using dogs in the lab. Host Sharyl Attkisson discovered that it sometimes involves running dogs on a treadmill for long periods and dissecting their hearts after they suffer deadly heart attacks.

The practice occurs nationwide in several government facilities. Anthony Bellotti and his group White Coast Waste Project want to see it end.

"What we found in the open, in our analysis of their paperwork, was that in 2016 the VA said they had not — were not — experimenting on any dogs. Didn't turn out to be the case," Bellotti said. "What we found was that they were indeed experimenting on these dogs. We're talking about experiments involving high levels of pain and distress, unrelieved by anesthesia or pain relief.

"We're talking about experiments in which dogs are tethered to treadmills, forced to run for periods of time to stress their hearts, they suffer spontaneous heart attacks after devices are implanted surgically. They run, they have heart attacks, they kill them, they dissect their hearts, and they look at basic curiosity driven research."

Rep. Vern Buchanan signed a letter this week that was sent to the VA Inspector General, asking the office to look into whether animals are being tested on at the expense of taxpayers.

"I don't think we need to put our animals at risk," the Florida Republican told Attkisson. "I think most people would side with me on that point."

"Full Measure" airs Sunday on Sinclair stations nationwide, and is streamed live on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. ET at fullmeasure.news.