USDA Proposes Updates to Animal Welfare Act Regulations f

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is announcing proposed updates to its regulations for consistence with a 2014 amendment to the Animal Welfare Act (AWA).  APHIS is proposing to exempt business activities that are de minimis – meaning they are of a sufficiently small size, maintain or infrequently exhibit a small number of certain common non-dangerous animals, or owners of household pets that are exhibited occasionally, generate less than a substantial portion of income, and reside exclusively with the owner – from federal licensure and oversight.  “The owners of very small facilities who would be affected by these changes generally provide adequate care for their animals,” said APHIS Administrator Kevin Shea. “This proposal would bring our regulations into line with current statute, and also will allow us to focus our resources where they are most needed.”