Animal Welfare Act (AWA) > Enactment

The Laboratory Animal Welfare Act was passed in 1966. It was later re-named the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). Since 1966, the AWA has had four amendments.

Congress ordered the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to create the specific rules and regulations of the Act, and to administer it. Specific administration falls to the Animal Care Program (AC), which is part of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), which is a division of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The Animal Welfare Act is found in the United States Code: Title 7 (Agriculture), Chapter 54 (Transportation, Sales, and Handling of Certain Animals), Sections 2131-2159. The section pertaining to dogs and cats only is Part 3, subpart A, pages 57-73.

• Animal Welfare - APHIS
• Animal Welfare: Publication and Reports