USDA Teams Up with Iowa State University to Offer Course On Requirements for Commercial Dog Breeders

USDA Teams Up with Iowa State University to Offer Course

On Requirements for Commercial Dog Breeders

 

          The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has collaborated with Iowa State University’s Center for Food Security and Public Health (CFSPH) to offer an online course that provides information on federal licensing and regulatory requirements for people who wish to become commercial dog breeders.

 

           This 11-part course describes how to obtain and maintain a USDA breeder license under the Animal Welfare Act. The course is presented as a series of PowerPoint presentations, with additional speaker notes provided for further explanation.

 

           "This course will provide all the pertinent know-how to individuals who wish to breed dogs commercially in this country,” said Dr. Nora Wineland, director of APHIS’ Center for Animal Welfare, in Kansas City, Mo. “It will put you on the path to complying with the federal regulations, and the knowledge you will obtain will go a long way to ensuring the welfare of your animals.”

 

            Course topics include: the USDA regulatory process; USDA licensing process; ways to maintain your breeder license; proper record keeping; housing requirements; husbandry standards; program of veterinary care requirements; transporting your dogs; and dog auctions. The course incorporates best practices into each subject matter area.

 

            To view the course, please go to http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/Education-Training/introductory-course-for-commercial-dog-breeders.php.

 

            APHIS’ Animal Care program enforces the Animal Welfare Act. The Act seeks to ensure the humane care and treatment of: dogs and cats bred commercially; warm-blooded animals used in biomedical research; warm-blooded animals exhibited to the public; and exotic animals bred for commercial sale; and dogs and cats bred commercially. The Act does not apply to agricultural animals used for food or fiber.

 

            USDA licensees and registrants must provide their animals with adequate housing, sanitation, nutrition, water and veterinary care, and they must protect the animals from extreme weather and temperatures.

 

            For more information on the Animal Care program and the Animal Welfare Act, please go to http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_welfare/index.shtml.