Animal Welfare Act Effects

Congress passed the Animal Welfare Act in 1966. Through repeated amendments and clarifications, the AWA has undergone massive changes. Administered by the United States Department of Agriculture, or USDA, the AWA was designed to protect certain animals from industrial abuse. Industrial abuse includes the systematic and repeated infliction of pain and stress to achieve specific results, as happens in animal testing facilities. The Animal Welfare Act establishes minimum standards of care, but some critics believe its effects are not as far reaching as they could be.

  1. Exemptions

    • Snakes are not protected under the Animal Welfare Act.

      The Animal Welfare Act is the document that regulates standards of care for warm-blooded animals with the exception of cattle and other animals raised for food. Reptiles and other cold-blooded animals are not covered by the AWA. Retail shops that sell dogs are also exempt, so dogs and puppies raised in so-called puppy mills and cats and kittens are not protected.

    Research Facilities

    • Rodents are excluded from the warm-blooded animal protections under the Animal Welfare Act.

      Animal research facilities are somewhat covered in that they must keep detailed records on the animals used in experimentation. Animal husbandry practices in research facilities are also regulated, and under the act, dogs used in research facilities must be provided ample opportunities for exercise. Similarly, primates used in animal research must be given psychological enrichment such as toys, time with like animals and exercise. Animals used in experiments must also be given pain medication, but only if it does not interfere with the research being conducted, an all-too-subjective benchmark, according to critics.

    Pet Trade

    • Roosters as food animals are not covered. Roosters are protected from being used in cockfighting trials.

      In order to prevent individuals who steal pets from capitalizing on their crime, the Animal Welfare Act regulates those facilities that use animals for experimentation. Therefore, records are required for every animal acquired that details where the animal came from, the date the animal entered the facility, the price paid for the animal and the animal's disposition. This way, lost or stolen pets are not sold to research facilities.

    Animal Fighting

    • Primates in research laboratories must be exercised and given psychological enrichment.

      The AWA prohibits staged animal fighting. Under this provision, bears, roosters, dogs, racoons, hogs, horses and other animals used in staged animal fights are protected. Added in 2007 and entitled the "Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act of 2007," this provision of the act provides for fines and imprisonment for those who violate its provisions.