Congress is considering legislation that would amend the current animal welfare act to ensure that all cats and dogs used in research facilities are obtained legally.
The legislation, commonly known as the 2007 Pet Safety and Protection Act, was introduced in the Senate Feb. 28 by Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI) and in the House March 1 by Rep. Mike Doyle (D-PA).
The legislation would protect pets from unscrupulous dealers and “bunchers” who obtain unclaimed animals from animal shelters, newspaper ads or through illegal means and sell them to test labs.
The 2007 Pet Safety and Protection Act would:
- Prohibit “random source” Class B animal dealers and unlicensed individuals from selling cats and dogs to laboratories
- Prevent stray animals, which could be lost pets, from being sold to laboratories
- Permit breeders (Class A dealers) to supply animals to laboratories
- Permit research facilities that breed animals to supply them to other research facilities
- Permit registered public pounds that receive animals turned in by their owners to provide these animals to research facilities
- Permit individuals to donate their own animals to laboratories for research purposes
The new regulations would take effect 90 days after signed into law. Anyone found breaking the law would be subject to a $1,000 fine per violation. No votes on the legislation have been scheduled for either chamber of Congress yet.