Animal Care Seeks Comments Regarding Proposed Changes to its Policy 3 - Veterinary Care

 

 

USDA’s Animal Care unit enforces the Animal Welfare Act – the federal law requiring that humane care and treatment be provided to certain animals that are: exhibited to the public; bred for commercial sale; used in biomedical research; or transported commercially.

 

The Animal Welfare Act’s regulations provide greater detail on how a regulated facility is to interpret the law. In addition, Animal Care has developed policies to serve as guidelines for interpreting the Animal Welfare Act regulations.

 

We are proposing changes to Policy 3 – Veterinary Care. The proposed changes will cover the following topics: expired medical materials; pharmaceutical-grade substances in research; surgery; pre- and post-procedural care; program of veterinary care; declawing and defanging practices in wild or exotic carnivores or non-human primates; health records; and euthanasia.

 

We are seeking your comments on these proposed changes. To view the changes and Policy 3, please access the following link: http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2013-0089-0001.

 

Animal Care will accept comments for two weeks; the deadline is Sept. 27, 2013.

 

At USDA Animal Care, ensuring the welfare of the animals we regulate is at the heart of everything we do.