“A bill to amend the Animal Welfare Act to establish additional requirements for dealers, and for other purposes.”
No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section establishes additional standards under the Animal Welfare Act for humane treatment of dogs by dealers (i.e., those selling dogs to brokers, research facilities, or retailers), requiring (1) adequate housing with solid flooring, sufficient indoor standing height, minimum indoor floor space of 12 square feet per dog up to 25 inches long, 20 square feet for dogs 25-35 inches long, or 30 square feet for dogs 35 inches or longer, unstacked enclosures, and temperatures of 45-85 degrees Fahrenheit; (2) food twice daily and continuous access to clean potable water; (3) daily exercise for dogs over 12 weeks old via ground-level outdoor areas or veterinarian-approved alternatives; (4) at least 30 minutes of daily socialization with humans and compatible dogs; (5) veterinary care including annual hands-on exams with dental checks, core vaccinations per American Animal Hospital Association guidelines, and preventives for parasites, heartworm, fleas, and ticks; (6) safe breeding practices prohibiting breeding of unhealthy dogs, limiting females to 2 litters in 18 months or 6 lifetime, restricting small-breed females (under 40 pounds mature) to ages 18 months-9 years and large-breed females (40 pounds or more mature) to 2-7 years, and requiring licensed veterinarians for C-sections; (7) group housing unless unsafe; and (8) reasonable efforts to place retired breeding dogs with adoptive families or rescues rather than auctions or other breeders. This section makes existing exercise standards for dogs subject to these new requirements and directs the Secretary of Agriculture to issue final implementing regulations within 18 months of enactment.