The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) requires that minimum standards of care and treatment be provided for certain animals bred for commercial sale, used in research, transported commercially, or exhibited to the public. The AWA is enforced by the Animal Care (AC) program and Marketing and Regulatory Programs Business Services, Investigative and Enforcement Services (IES) within USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
USDA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) recently conducted a review of APHIS’ regulation of problematic dog dealers (audit report attached). To address the concerns of the audit as well as ensure the Agency enforces the AWA to the fullest extent possible, AC developed an action plan. The objective of the action plan is to improve AC’s regulation of dog dealers—particularly those who are repeat violators—and respond to the 14 OIG audit recommendations. Overall, the action plan includes: Shift from an education focus for problematic dealers to an enforcement focus, improve inspector performance, and seek legislation regarding the Internet sale of dogs.
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