The AWA, passed in 1966, was intended to stop the sale of family pets for experimentation. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is charged with enforcement of the federal law. However, nearly 50 years later, illegally acquired dogs and cats continue to be bought and sold by Class B dealers. The animal victims tend to be hauled across at least one state line, making it nearly impossible for their families to find them. Dealer records are often incomplete or falsified to keep the true origin of the animals unknown.
Pets Sold to Research Labs for Experimentation
http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/july/pets-sold-to-research-labs-for-profit
Class B dealers are licensed by the USDA to buy, house, and sell "random source" dogs to labs for animal research. What is a "random source" dog? It could be one that's bought from an animal shelter (a practice called pound seizure) or obtained from a newspaper ad. Or it could be any dog that goes missing, even your dog. There are ten Class B dealers operating today 2013 in Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina . Congress is considering legislation that could shut them all down
Class ' B' Dealers Sell 'Lost Pets' To Research Labs
http://voices.yahoo.com/class-b-dealers-sell-lost-pets-medical-research-345066.html
S.1834 - Pet Safety & Protection Act of 2009
A bill to amend the Animal Welfare Act to ensure that all dogs and cats used by research facilities are obtained legally.
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-s1834/show
According to the USDA, of the approximately 90,000 dogs and cats used for research each year, about 3,200 come from Class B dealers; the vast majority come from breeders (Class A dealers); and a small number come directly from municipal pounds. Many research facilities have adopted policies against the acquisition of random source dogs and cats from Class B dealers. A minority of facilities continue to use them and merely ignore the dealers' misdeeds.
Humane Society Pushes to Ban Pets Sold to Labs
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/18662520/ns/health-pet_health/t/humane-society-pushes-ban-pet-sales-labs/
Class B dealers collect dogs and cats from a variety of sources to sell to researchers. Some of these animals are acquired through fraud or deception and even steal them from people's yards and trap cats. Lost companion animals whose families are searching for them may wind up being used in experiments.
Class B dealers routinely violate the Animal Welfare Act. They are required to keep records to show that they acquired the animals legally, but many falsify those records to hide the true sources of the dogs and cats they sell. The conditions under which these animals are kept are horrendous. The dealers fail to provide adequate food, water, veterinary care, and shelter.
The Pet Safety and Protection Act (H.R. 3907) will end this abuse-ridden system and give families peace of mind that their dogs and cats will not wind up in research.
We The Undersigned Support
S.1834 - Pet Safety & Protection Act of 2009
Thank You For Your Attention In This Matter.
