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AWA Conclusions
Animal dealers are subject
to the jurisdiction of the USDA under
the AWA. Originally designed to regulate
research facilities in 1966, the AWA
has been amended in 1970, 1976, 1985,
and 2002. On each occasion, the amendment
brought greater restrictions - not fewer.
In none of the amendments, however,
was the term "dealer" held
to mean anything other than a wholesale
distributor of animals. It was not meant,
nor did Congress assert that it meant,
retail sellers of animals, much less
hobby breeders selling dogs out of their
own homes.
Contrary to the implication
made by Dr. Holt that hobby breeders
are safer under an environment wherein
they have a limited exemption codified
in the Animal Welfare Act itself rather
than under the USDA regulations, we
can see from the fact that the AWA has
been amended on four occasions that
this implication is false.
We will now look at the
regulations that are applicable to animal
dealers as that term is currently defined
in the AWA.
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