The Animal Welfare Act is a federal law that’s supposed to protect animals in zoos, puppy mills, circuses, and research labs. However, due to loopholes and a lack of enforcement by the US Department of Agriculture, it’s failing to prevent animals from egregious suffering.
To address key gaps in the current law, the Animal Welfare Enforcement Improvement Act (H.R. 3859) would:
- Strengthen the AWA licensing and renewal process and hold exhibitors (like zoos) and dealers who don’t follow the law accountable
- Require disclosure of key records like inspection reports of facilities to the public
- Prohibit the USDA from issuing or renewing a license if a dealer or exhibitor has violated any animal welfare law
Across the US, sick elephants suffer for years without adequate veterinary care, highly social lemurs are kept isolated, and bears are held in rusty cages. Help protect these animals by asking your US representative to cosponsor this bill.