According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal Care Enforcement Summary published in October 2018, the USDA’s enforcement of animal welfare laws has drastically decreased in recent years.
In 2016, the agency issued 192 written warnings and filed 23 official complaints regarding alleged animal welfare law violations. In the first three quarters of 2018, only 39 warnings were issued and just one complaint was filed (it was subsequently settled). More than 100 inspectors employed by the animal care division of the USDA conduct surprise inspections at licensed facilities a minimum of every one to three years.
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Editor’s note: This article first appeared in Dogster magazine. Have you seen the new Dogster print magazine in stores? Or in the waiting room of your vet’s office? Subscribe now to get Dogster magazine delivered straight to you!
2 thoughts on “Animal Welfare Enforcement Down”
Garman dog…4..mantha..dog.. praise
I think there is a bit more research to be done here before we can say it’s “good” news. Are there really less violations or just less warnings / citations issued? Are the same number of inspections being done as in prior years? One only has to see a few ” licensed” facilities to know that said inspections are not very effective.
Come on Dogster – this article was phoned in with zero thought or effort. I have come to expect better from you.