Updated Animal Welfare Act Regulations Posted on USDA's Animal Care Website

USDA Animal Care has posted the most up-to-date version of the Animal Welfare Act regulations on its website: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_welfare/index.shtml. On this homepage, you will see the familiar “Blue Book” cover on the right side. Clicking on this image will pull up the Animal Welfare Act and its associated regulations.

The Animal Welfare Act and its regulations require that basic standards of care be provided for certain animals used in certain activities – including warm-blooded animals exhibited to the public, bred for commercial sale, used in medical research or transported commercially. We monitor the care of these animals by conducting unannounced inspections of all facilities licensed and registered under the Animal Welfare Act. When regulated facilities abide by these federal standards, we know that their animals are receiving humane care and treatment.

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