Who enforces the Animal Welfare Act (AWA)?

• A. American Society for Laboratory Animal Welfare
• B. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
• C. United States Fish and Wildlife Service
• D. Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), a division within the USDA

Answer: (D)

The enforcement comes from a federal agency under the USDA. The Animal Welfare Act is administered by the Animal Care program within APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service). This program licenses and registers facilities that handle animals, conducts inspections to ensure compliance with standards for housing, care, handling, and veterinary oversight, and can take enforcement actions if violations are found. The American Society for Laboratory Animal Welfare is a professional organization and does not enforce laws. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service enforces wildlife and endangered species laws, not the AWA. Therefore, the body responsible for enforcing the AWA is APHIS, a division within the USDA.