Ch. 13— Federal Regulation of Animal Use • 281 
culture is directed to "consult with the Secretary 
of Health and Human Services prior to the issu- 
ance of regulations” under the act. 
The statute requires the Secretary of Agricul- 
ture to issue minimum standards for all aspects 
of the veterinary care of animals, including stand- 
ards for the exercise of dogs and a physical envi- 
ronment adequate to promote the psychological 
well-being of primates. The Secretary shall require 
that no animal be used in more than one major 
operative experiment from which it is allowed to 
recover, except in cases of scientific necessity or 
by determination of the Secretary. 
Each research facility covered by the Animal 
Welfare Act— including Federal facilities— is re- 
quired to appoint an institutional animal commit- 
tee that includes at least one doctor of veterinary 
medicine and one member not affiliated with the 
facility. The latter is intended "to provide repre- 
sentation for general community interests in the 
proper care and treatment of animals." Any mem- 
ber of the committee revealing confidential infor- 
mation is subject to a fine of up to $10,000 and 
three years’ imprisonment. The committee must 
inspect all animal study areas at least twice a year . 
USDA shall inspect each facility at least once a year, 
and each facility is required to report at least an- 
nually to USDA that the provisions of the act are 
being followed. (Committees in Federal facilities 
will report not to USDA, but to the head of the 
Federal entity.) 
This provision for institutional animal com- 
mittees, taken in concert with similar provi- 
sions in the Health Research Extension Act of 
1985 (Public Law 99-158) and the policy of the 
Public Health Service (see app. C), brings the 
overwhelming majority of experimental- ani- 
mal users in the United States under the over- 
sight of a structured, local review committee. 
USDA is directed to establish an information serv- 
ice at the National Agricultural Library (NAL). The 
service, in cooperation with the National Library 
of Medicine, shall provide information that could 
prevent the unintended duplication of animal ex- 
perimentation, reduce or replace animal use, min- 
imize animal pain or distress, and aid in the train- 
ing of personnel involved with animals. 
The law requires research facilities to provide 
for scientists, animal technicians, and other per- 
sonnel involved with animal care and treatment 
training on: 
• the humane practice of animal maintenance 
and experimentation; 
• methods that minimize or eliminate the use 
of animals or limit animal pain or distress; 
• the utilization of the NAL information serv- 
ice; and 
• the way to report deficiencies in animal care. 
Current Provisions Governing Research 
In addition to the provisions of the 1985 amend- 
ments, there are 14 key provisions 1 of the Animal 
Welfare Act, as amended, that affect research fa- 
cilities: 
• Definition of "Research Facility.” The act 
defines "research facility” to cover any indi- 
vidual, institution, organization, or postsec- 
ondary school that uses or intends to use live 
animals in research, tests, or experiments and 
that purchases or transports live animals in 
commerce or receives Federal funds for re- 
search, tests, or experiments. Exemptions may 
be granted where dogs or cats are not used, 
except where the Secretary determines that 
substantial numbers of other types of warm- 
blooded animals are used and the principal 
purpose of the entity covered is biomedical 
research or testing [7 U.S.C.A. 2132(e)]. For 
these to be a violation under this provision, 
it must be established that Federal jurisdic- 
tion extends to the particular facility— either 
that some connection exists between animals 
acquired or used and interstate commerce, 
or that Federal funding support is received 
for the contemplated research. Research facil- 
ities that receive no Federal support for experi- 
mental work and that either purchase animals 
‘Pertinent provisions of the act are discussed in the order they 
appear in the U.S. Code, with cross-references where appropriate. 
All parenthetical references in this section are to current provisions 
of chapter 54 of Title 7 of the Code, which can be found in Title 
7, "Agriculture,” U.S. Code Annotated, §§ 2131-2152 (St. Paul, MX: 
West Publishing Co ), 1973 Edition (126-139) and 1984 Supplement 
(126-139). 
38-750 O 
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