USDA Proposes Rule to Close Internet Loophole in Animal Welfare Act

Under the current Animal Welfare Act (AWA), which was passed over 40 years ago – long before the Internet age – pets can be sold online sight unseen, without regard to the health or humane treatment of the animals. A rule proposed by the USDA would close this loophole in the federal law.

Traditional retail pet stores are exempt from certain basic provisions of the AWA, under the premise that potential buyers would walk into the establishment and judge for themselves the health and treatment of the pets for sale. This is not an option for Internet pet sales, and in fact, many consumers have received sick puppies and kittens as a result of their online purchases. The USDA proposes changing the definition of the term “retail pet store” in order to address this problem.

The USDA states in its recent news release that the proposed rule will be published in the Federal Register within a week. Our Federal Administrative Law research guide gives you several options for accessing the Federal Register online. The USDA has also already posted the text of the proposed rule to their website.

Shout out to the Companion Animal Law Blog for the tip.

Photo URL: momaya.com