The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversees the care of certain animals that have been granted protection under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). The AWA defines the base level of care required by law.
Critical Animal Welfare Violations in New Hampshire
NHARL monitors inspection and annual reports for all USDA licensees and registrants in New Hampshire.
When we learn of serious animal welfare violations, we try to respond with action alerts, protests, letters to the editor, and social media publicity.
| Date | Violation |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Squam Lakes Natural Science Center (licensed Exhibitor) — During a 2023 inspection, this facility in Holderness, NH received a critical citation for an owl that suffered a leg wound due to an overly tight anklet, which ultimately resulted in the loss of a talon. |
| 2023 | UNH (licensed Researcher) — During a review of UNH’s 2023 Annual Report, a USDA inspector cited two violations related to drowning animals. View our Action Alert |
| 2022 | Dartmouth College (licensed Researcher) — 3 voles died after being left without food and water in a cage that had been moved to an unattended area. |
| 2021 | Squam Lakes Natural Science Center (licensed Exhibitor) — As a result of poor facility maintenance, a wild opossum entered the fox enclosure. Five days later, the fox died from an untreated bite wound that went unnoticed by staff. |
| 2020 | Living Shores Aquarium (licensed Exhibitor) — During a 2020 inspection, this aquarium in Glen, NH received two citations, the more serious of which resulted in an otter needing an injured limb amputated. Read our letter to the Conway Daily Sun |
| 2020 | Wildlife Encounters (licensed Exhibitor) — In March of 2020, an arctic fox, one of approximately 50 regulated animals kept at the Barrington facility, escaped his unsound enclosure (licensee had been told to fix) and exited the grounds through a gap in the perimeter fence. The fox was never recovered. |
| 2017 | Dartmouth College (licensed Researcher) — In March of 2016, 7 voles died and an 8th was euthanized due to poor health after they were left without water for 2 days, despite daily checks. |
| ___ | Inspection reports from before 2014 are no longer available |
Animal CARE REQUIREMENTS
The level of care required under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) is shockingly low — allowing, for example, animals to be caged 24/7 for their entire lives.
On top of that, enforcement is highly unreliable. Countless documented cases reveal welfare violations that have gone unaddressed and unpunished.
Animals protected under the AWA include those used in the following regulated activities, with exceptions.
Regulated Activities
- Exhibiting animals to the public
- Dealing animals for use as pets (breeders not retailers)
- Using animals in research
- Transporting animals commercially
Broadly, the AWA covers all warm-blooded animals and birds (added in 2023), with the following exceptions:
Animals Not Covered by the Animal Welfare Act
- Farm animals used for food, fur, or fiber
- Horses used in biomedical research
- Rats and mice bred for research*
Exempt animals are not granted even a basic standard of care.
* Estimates suggest that rats and mice account for 95-99% of all laboratory animals, yet they are not covered by the AWA.
Public Access to Animal Care Records
The list of all animal exhibitors, dealers, researchers, and transporters licensed or regulated by the USDA is publicly available on the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) page.
Inspection Reports
Government inspectors visit the premises of licensed and regulated exhibitors, dealers, researchers, and transporters to check for compliance with AWA standards. In most cases, inspections occur just once a year, leaving millions of animals vulnerable to unchecked neglect.
Inspection reports are accessible via the APHIS site.
Annual Reports
Along with being inspected, research institutes are also required to submit annual reports that include:
- Number and types of animals used
- Number of animals subjected to painful procedures who received anesthesia or pain relief
- Number of animals subjected to painful procedures who did not receive anesthesia or pain relief (and the justification for this decision)
Annual reports are accessible via the APHIS site.
Filing an animal welfare complaint
Anyone with concerns about the care of an animal protected under the Animal Welfare Act may file an animal welfare complaint on the USDA web site.