Animal Welfare Act

This pamphlet provides guidelines for dealers, exhibitors, transporters, and researchers. It lists most regulated and exempt businesses under the Animal Welfare Act.

USDA Animal Care has posted the most up-to-date version of the Animal Welfare Act and regulations.

The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) requires that minimum standards of care and treatment be provided for certain animals bred for commercial sale, used in research, transported commercially, or exhibited to the public.

Current Law and Regulations:

• Animal Welfare Act (PDF | 122 KB)
• Animal Welfare Regulations (PDF | 463 KB)

The current law revises the original law passed in 1966 by incorporating the amendments passed in 1970, 1976, 1985, 1990, 2002, 2007, and 2008.


Text of Original Law:

• Animal Welfare Act of August 24, 1966

Amendments:

• 1970
• 1976
• 1985 - Improved Standards for Laboratory Animals Act
• 1990 - Protection of Pets
• 2002
• 2007 - Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act (PDF | 32 KB)
• 2008
• 2013

Provides an overview of the Animal Welfare Act including recent amendments and introduced bills.

A selected list of final rules published in the Federal Register regarding changes to the Animal Welfare regulations.

NOTE: A listing of Animal Welfare proposed and final rules from 2000-present are available: https://www.federalregister.gov/topics/animal-welfare.

• • Final Rules: Animal Welfare; 9 CFR Parts 1, 2 and 3. Federal Register, Vol. 54, No. 168, August 31, 1989, P. 36112-36163
  • Final Rule: Animal Welfare; Standards; 9 CFR Part 3. Federal Register, Vol. 55, No. 32, February 15, 1991, P. 6426-6505
  • Final Rule: Random Source Dogs and Cats; 9 CFR Parts 1 and 2. Federal Register, Vol. 58, No. 139, July 22, 1993, P. 39124
  • Final Rule: Correction, Random Source Dogs and Cats; 9 CFR Parts 1 and 2. Federal Register, Vol. 58, No. 164, August 26, 1993, P. 45040
  • Final Rule: Animal Welfare; Solid Resting Surfaces for Dogs and Cats; 9 CFR Part 3. Federal Register, Vol. 64, No. 75, April 20, 1999, P. 19251
  • Final Rule: Field Study; Definition; 9 CFR Part 1. Federal Register, Vol. 65, No. 27, February 9, 2000, P. 6312
  • Final Rule: Animal Welfare; Definition of Animal; 9 CFR Part 1. Federal Register, Vol. 69, No. 108, June 4, 2004, P. 31513

An annotated bibliography of Federal documents related to the US Animal Welfare Act. Links to full-text documents are provided when available.

The manual gives policies issued by APHIS/Animal Care that clarify the Animal Welfare Act regulations. Originally issued in April 1997, new policies may be added at any time and included in the manual.