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ExpectMore.govExpectMore.gov home pageEXPECT FEDERAL PROGRAMS TO PERFORM WELL, AND BETTER EVERY YEAR.
 
Program Assessment

Program

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Animal Welfare

This USDA program works to ensure the humane care and treatment of many animals that are used for research or exhibition, such as for circuses and aquariums, sold as pets, or transported in commerce. Facilities are periodically inspected, and follow up action required if necessary. Guidance is issued on humane treatment.

Rating

What This Rating Means

PERFORMING
Moderately Effective

In general, a program rated Moderately Effective has set ambitious goals and is well-managed. Moderately Effective programs likely need to improve their efficiency or address other problems in the programs' design or management in order to achieve better results.
  • The program has a clearly stated purpose, which is to protect and promote the welfare of animals covered by the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) and the Horse Protection Act (HPA). It is also the only program that has authority over the interstate movement of animals that are subject to the AWA.
  • The program is instituting several new performance measures, but currently does not have baseline data for those measures. These measures are include the percentage of licensees with repeat violations of the AWA, the percentage and the average cost of issuing AWA licenses and registrations.
  • The program issues regulations that include impact and cost benefit analyses, as well as discussions of alternative approaches.

Improvement Plan

About Improvement Plans

We are taking the following actions to improve the performance of the program:

  • Collecting baseline data for new performance measures, and adjusting targets if appropriate.
  • Customizing outreach activities provided to licensees and registrants to support the goal of ensuring the humane care and use of animals protected by the Animal Welfare Act.

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