This site has been provided as a convenience to assist with issues related to companion animals. Please note that the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) and its regulations do not apply to many companion animal problems.
Wholesale breeders, dealers, exhibitors and research labs are covered but not small retail breeders and pet shops selling only domestic pet animals. These are usually covered by local (state, county) anti-cruelty laws. If you have concerns about a facility covered under the Act, contact APHIS Animal Care.
Companion Animals
| Spotlights |
Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters (PDF | 494 KB)
Association of Shelter Veterinarians.
The Guidelines are intended as a tool for shelters and communities to review animal care, identify areas that need improvement, allocate resources and implement solutions so animal welfare is optimized.
Online Pet Pharmacies - Protect Yourself and Your Pet: Be Online Pet Pharmacy A.W.A.R.E.
FDA. Center for Veterinary Medicine.
A brochure about what to be aware of when purchasing pet prescription medicine online.
Pet Food Regulation
US Food and Drug Administration.
The FDA regulates the can of cat food, bag of dog food, or box of dog treats or snacks in your pantry. Learn about recalls and how to report a complaint.
Pet Food Task Force
USDA. Agricultural Marketing Service.
Information from the Pet Food Task Force, established in 2004 by the National Organic Standards Board to develop labeling standards for organic pet food.
Spaying and Neutering Cats, Dogs and Related Wildlife, 2009
USDA. NAL. Animal Welfare Information Center.
Provides a comprehensive view of the literature published on the broad topic of spaying and neutering cats and dogs.
Veterinary History Resources at the National Agricultural Library
USDA. NAL. Animal Welfare Information Center.
A bibliography of works on the history, derivation, and development of the veterinary profession.
GAO Report: USDA's Oversight of Dealers of Random Source Dogs and Cats
Government Accountability Office.
The September 2010 results and recommendations from a GAO study of USDA's oversight of Class B dealers, suggesting that the oversight would benefit from additional management information and analysis.
Information Resources on Human-Animal Relationships Past and Present
USDA. NAL. Animal Welfare Information Center.
A bibliography of current, historical, and very early works on animals.
West Nile Virus, 2007
USDA. NAL. Animal Welfare Information Center.
A bibliography and Web site resources related to the West Nile virus.
Animal Welfare Policy Statements
American Veterinary Medical Association.
Position statements covering recommendations on antimicrobial use, euthanasia, abuse, pain, and other important animal welfare concerns.
The Merck Veterinary Manual
Merck & Co., Inc.
A comprehensive electronic reference for animal care information that includes over 12,000 indexed topics and over 1200 illustrations. Rapidly searchable by topic, species, specialty, disease, and keyword.
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