Artifact #8: THE ANIMAL WELFARE ACT

THE ANIMAL WELFARE ACT (AWA)
HSUS. http://www.hsus.org/animals_in_research/general_information_on_animal_research/laws_protecting_animals_in_research/the_animal_welfare_act.html

• Tells minimum standards of care and treatment required for animals in research
• Enacted in 1966, only to dealers. Amended in 1970 to research: birds, rats, and mice were not included (85% used in labs)
• "The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the agency responsible for establishing these minimum standards of care and enforcing them through inspections."
• By 2004 the act was changed to all animals
• "The Animal Welfare Act also requires that any institution conducting research on USDA-regulated species have an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), which oversees and provides final approval of experiments. This committee must ensure that any pain and distress caused by experiments be minimized, and that investigators consider any alternatives that are available to them (including non-animal alternatives). "
• 3 Parts: Facilities and Operating Standards, Animal Health and Husbandry Standards, and Transportation Standards