Federal Bill to Stop "Pet Theft" for Illegal Trade in Animals Sold for Research

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Federal: Stop "Pet Theft" for Illegal Trade in Animals Sold for Research
Bill Details

Name: Pet Safety and Protection Act of 2007
Numbers: S. 714 and H.R. 1280
Call for Action: Contact your U.S. Senators and Representative and ask them to support S. 714/H.R. 1280 by joining as a cosponsor and voting to outlaw the use of random source animals for research.
Summary of bill

A federal bill to prohibit research facilities from using animals obtained from random source, or “Class B” animal dealers would eliminate animal dealers that obtain their animals from “random sources,” including through small breeders, owner sales, and other sources. The Pet Safety and Protection Act of 2007, S. 714 and H.R. 1280, would amend the Animal Welfare Act to ensure that all dogs and cats used by research facilities are obtained legally.

The problem with federally licensed “Class B” dealers is that recording keeping for each animal sold by these dealers has never been adequately addressed. While under federal law, the source of all animals must be accounted for at the time of sale, records are frequently missing, or cannot be substantiated when inspected. At the same time, there are enough verified reports of stolen animals turning up in research facilities that were traced back to such dealers.

Random source dealers sell animals that are obtained from owners who no longer want them, but these owners are often misled that the animals are going to a “good home,” not to be sold into research. Ads in newspapers that read “free to a good home,” may attract the agent of such a dealer, who represents that they are taking the puppies or kittens for their family pets. Unprotected animals left out in an easily accessible yard may also be targets for theft, with the animals being turned over to the Class B dealer for resale.

Under this bill, research facilities would be required to get their animals from only specified sources:

A licensed dealer who has bred and raised the dog or cat;
A publicly owned and operated pound or shelter that obtained the dog or cat from its legal owner, other than another pound or shelter; is registered with the Secretary and is in compliance with applicable regulations for dealer;
A person that is donating the dog or cat who bred and raised the dog or cat, or owned the dog or cat for not less than 1 year before making the donation;
A research facility licensed by the Secretary; and
A Federal research facility licensed by the Secretary
These bills specifically state that no animal shelter or pound would be required to provide animals to a research facility upon demand (pound seizure).

The Pet Safety and Protection Act is a measure that has been introduced in three successive sessions of Congress, yet has failed to pass each year. Let’s make the 110th Congress the one that will succeed in protecting one-time pets from ending up as specimens in a research laboratory

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