SELECTED FEDERAL ISSUES Material on this page © The Animal Council 2006, 2007, 2008
Legislative Information Site U. S. House of Representatives U.S. Senate
Reference NEW - AWIC Resource Series No. 41 September 2007, history of the Animal Welfare Act and
annotated bibliography of related Federal documents.
Pet Animal Welfare Act of 2005 "PAWS" Discussion Draft text integrated with original bill and existing Animal
Welfare Act.
Legislation
NEW 12/4/07 Senate Floor amendment to the massive Farm Bill, passed by the House and now in the Senate, would
return to the "PAWS" provisions with "Regulation of the Pet Industry" provisions limited to one new section plus
the ongoing proposals regarding temporary license suspensions and injunctions. AWA integrated document with
proposed amendments shown in context of Animal Welfare Act. Congressional Record, November 15, 2007
Active Legislation 110th Congress (2007-2008)
New 12/9/07 follow developments on the 2007 Farm Bill Blog of Phil Fraas, a Washington agricultural attorney and
veteran of six previous Farm Bills.
NEW 12/17/07 On Friday, December 14, 2007, the Senate version of the 2007 Farm Bill passed, NOT including the
above amendment, but with a scaled back version, SEC. 32. IMPORTATION OF LIVE DOGS; and 2 other provisions:
SEC. 11072. PROHIBITIONS ON DOG FIGHTING VENTURES (See 7/29/07 item below); and
SEC. 11072. PROTECTION OF PETS. The House bill does not have these provisions, so these will be re-considered
by a conference committee in January 2008.
New 7/29/07 In response to a highly publicized dog fighting case, Senator John Kerry (D-MA) is introducing an
amendment to the Animal Welfare Act to enhance federal criminal dogfighting offenses and penalty.
New 5/19/07 H.R. 659 Canine Detection Team Improvement Act of 2007 (Introduced in House, 1/24/07)
Canine Detection Team Improvement Act of 2007 - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the
Secretary of Homeland Security to: (1) fully coordinate Department of Homeland Security (DHS) canine training
programs; (2) ensure that DHS is maximizing its use of existing training facilities and resources to train canines
throughout the year; (3) make it a priority to increase the number of domestically bred canines used by DHS to
assist its counterterrorism mission; (4) increase the utilization of domestically bred canines from universities and
private and nonprofit sources; and (5) consult with other federal, state, and local agencies, nonprofit organizations,
universities, and private entities that use detection canines, as well as the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB), to encourage domestic breeding of canines and to consolidate canine procurement across the federal
government.
Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish a competitive grant program for domestic breeders of canines; (2) establish
a Homeland Security Canine Detection Accreditation Board; and (3) prohibit the use of grant funds to acquire a
canine detection team that is not certified, except under special circumstances.
Rep. Mike D. Rogers, Republican (Alabama-3) 11 co-sponsors
Regulatory Federal Register
New 2/22/08 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, APHIS-2006-0150-0001, would make acclimation certificates for live
animals, including cats and dogs, other than marine mammals unnecessary. Comments due 3/3/08.
New 9/5/07 An Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) (document from our files) from the Department of Health
and Human Services, Center for Disease Control published in the Federal Register on July 31, 1007 at Vol 72, No.
146 starting at page 41676 calls for information on many possible new regulations to cover importation of dogs,
cats, ferrets and other animals with respect to quarantine issues involving human zoonotic diseases. These could
affect individuals traveling outside the US with pets as well as other importers for all purposes. Comments should
be submitted on or before October 1, 2007, and this can now be done electronically through the CDC page for
this. For more information, see the CDC Division of Global Migration and Quarantine 10/1/07 Comment period has
been extended.
5/26/07 A Petition for Publication of a Federal Register Notice Soliciting Comments on the Need to Modify the
Designations Untilized to Describe Categories of Licensees in 9 CFR Section 1.1 was submitted to APHIS on behalf
of The Hunte Corporation, a USDA Class B Dealer Licensee by its attorney Laurence J. Lasoff of the Washington D.
C. office of Kelley Drye Collier Shannon. The Notice of Petition to Amend the Definition of Class B Dealer was
published as Federal Register Number E7-06701 on April 10, 2007 with comments due by July 9, 2007. To submit
comments online, see Federal eRulemaking Portal, select Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service from the
agency drop-down menu, then click Submit. In the Docket ID column, select APHIS-2006-0158
Federal Register: March 10, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 47)
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 12302-12305]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
9 CFR Part 2
[Docket No. APHIS-2006-0012]
Animal Welfare; Animal Identification Standards
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking and request for comments,
notice of meeting.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Conference Committee Report accompanying the Agriculture,
Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
Appropriations Act, 2006 (Pub. L. 109-97), directed the Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to develop appropriate
regulations that allow for an open radio frequency identification
technology microchip system that would enable a scanner to read all
microchips used for the identification of pets. In addition, APHIS has
received a petition from the Coalition for Reuniting Pets and Families
requesting that we consider establishing a national identification
standard for pets and publish a notice soliciting comments on the need
for the adoption of ISO 11784 and 11785 as the national radio frequency
technology standard for pets. We are currently considering the
direction given in the congressional report and the petitioners'
request. This notice solicits public comment on potential changes to
our regulations that would address the use of microchips for
identifying animals covered under the Animal Welfare Act and advises
the public that APHIS is hosting a series of informational meetings on
that subject and the issues raised in the conference committee report
and the petition.
11/6/07 USDA determined it lacks the regulatory authority under the Animal Welfare Act to mandate a national
standard for microchips or microchip scanners for privately owned pets.
For more information APHIS
Legislative Information Site U. S. House of Representatives U.S. Senate
Reference NEW - AWIC Resource Series No. 41 September 2007, history of the Animal Welfare Act and
annotated bibliography of related Federal documents.
Pet Animal Welfare Act of 2005 "PAWS" Discussion Draft text integrated with original bill and existing Animal
Welfare Act.
Legislation
NEW 12/4/07 Senate Floor amendment to the massive Farm Bill, passed by the House and now in the Senate, would
return to the "PAWS" provisions with "Regulation of the Pet Industry" provisions limited to one new section plus
the ongoing proposals regarding temporary license suspensions and injunctions. AWA integrated document with
proposed amendments shown in context of Animal Welfare Act. Congressional Record, November 15, 2007
Active Legislation 110th Congress (2007-2008)
New 12/9/07 follow developments on the 2007 Farm Bill Blog of Phil Fraas, a Washington agricultural attorney and
veteran of six previous Farm Bills.
NEW 12/17/07 On Friday, December 14, 2007, the Senate version of the 2007 Farm Bill passed, NOT including the
above amendment, but with a scaled back version, SEC. 32. IMPORTATION OF LIVE DOGS; and 2 other provisions:
SEC. 11072. PROHIBITIONS ON DOG FIGHTING VENTURES (See 7/29/07 item below); and
SEC. 11072. PROTECTION OF PETS. The House bill does not have these provisions, so these will be re-considered
by a conference committee in January 2008.
New 7/29/07 In response to a highly publicized dog fighting case, Senator John Kerry (D-MA) is introducing an
amendment to the Animal Welfare Act to enhance federal criminal dogfighting offenses and penalty.
New 5/19/07 H.R. 659 Canine Detection Team Improvement Act of 2007 (Introduced in House, 1/24/07)
Canine Detection Team Improvement Act of 2007 - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the
Secretary of Homeland Security to: (1) fully coordinate Department of Homeland Security (DHS) canine training
programs; (2) ensure that DHS is maximizing its use of existing training facilities and resources to train canines
throughout the year; (3) make it a priority to increase the number of domestically bred canines used by DHS to
assist its counterterrorism mission; (4) increase the utilization of domestically bred canines from universities and
private and nonprofit sources; and (5) consult with other federal, state, and local agencies, nonprofit organizations,
universities, and private entities that use detection canines, as well as the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB), to encourage domestic breeding of canines and to consolidate canine procurement across the federal
government.
Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish a competitive grant program for domestic breeders of canines; (2) establish
a Homeland Security Canine Detection Accreditation Board; and (3) prohibit the use of grant funds to acquire a
canine detection team that is not certified, except under special circumstances.
Rep. Mike D. Rogers, Republican (Alabama-3) 11 co-sponsors
Regulatory Federal Register
New 2/22/08 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, APHIS-2006-0150-0001, would make acclimation certificates for live
animals, including cats and dogs, other than marine mammals unnecessary. Comments due 3/3/08.
New 9/5/07 An Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) (document from our files) from the Department of Health
and Human Services, Center for Disease Control published in the Federal Register on July 31, 1007 at Vol 72, No.
146 starting at page 41676 calls for information on many possible new regulations to cover importation of dogs,
cats, ferrets and other animals with respect to quarantine issues involving human zoonotic diseases. These could
affect individuals traveling outside the US with pets as well as other importers for all purposes. Comments should
be submitted on or before October 1, 2007, and this can now be done electronically through the CDC page for
this. For more information, see the CDC Division of Global Migration and Quarantine 10/1/07 Comment period has
been extended.
5/26/07 A Petition for Publication of a Federal Register Notice Soliciting Comments on the Need to Modify the
Designations Untilized to Describe Categories of Licensees in 9 CFR Section 1.1 was submitted to APHIS on behalf
of The Hunte Corporation, a USDA Class B Dealer Licensee by its attorney Laurence J. Lasoff of the Washington D.
C. office of Kelley Drye Collier Shannon. The Notice of Petition to Amend the Definition of Class B Dealer was
published as Federal Register Number E7-06701 on April 10, 2007 with comments due by July 9, 2007. To submit
comments online, see Federal eRulemaking Portal, select Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service from the
agency drop-down menu, then click Submit. In the Docket ID column, select APHIS-2006-0158
Federal Register: March 10, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 47)
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 12302-12305]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
9 CFR Part 2
[Docket No. APHIS-2006-0012]
Animal Welfare; Animal Identification Standards
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking and request for comments,
notice of meeting.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Conference Committee Report accompanying the Agriculture,
Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
Appropriations Act, 2006 (Pub. L. 109-97), directed the Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to develop appropriate
regulations that allow for an open radio frequency identification
technology microchip system that would enable a scanner to read all
microchips used for the identification of pets. In addition, APHIS has
received a petition from the Coalition for Reuniting Pets and Families
requesting that we consider establishing a national identification
standard for pets and publish a notice soliciting comments on the need
for the adoption of ISO 11784 and 11785 as the national radio frequency
technology standard for pets. We are currently considering the
direction given in the congressional report and the petitioners'
request. This notice solicits public comment on potential changes to
our regulations that would address the use of microchips for
identifying animals covered under the Animal Welfare Act and advises
the public that APHIS is hosting a series of informational meetings on
that subject and the issues raised in the conference committee report
and the petition.
11/6/07 USDA determined it lacks the regulatory authority under the Animal Welfare Act to mandate a national
standard for microchips or microchip scanners for privately owned pets.
For more information APHIS
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