In response to removal of key documents regarding enforcement and oversight from the USDA’s website, Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) joined with many of his House colleagues in sending a bipartisan letter to President Trump, asking that the information be made available as quickly as possible. These documents, containing information on which organizations do not meet Animal Welfare Act (AWA) standards, are used by public citizens, advocacy groups, law enforcement and state governments.

     “When Congress passed the Animal Welfare Act, we did so to ensure that the public knows what groups and entities subject animals to abuse—and those that fail to meet even the most basic welfare standards,” said Smith, member of the Congressional Animal Welfare Caucus. “This information is critical in the fight against animal abuse—puppy mills, roadside zoos, horse soring and starvation.” Click Here to read the Letter.

     This USDA program, part of their Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service division and supported by tens of millions of dollars provided through the Congressional appropriations process, annually inspects about 9,000 licensed facilities across the country. Seven states, including New Jersey, prohibit the sale of dogs from breeding operations with a history of AWA violations, often known as ‘puppy mills.’ Without access to these inspection reports law enforcement efforts will be severely impeded in their search for these animal abusers.

     The Trump Administration has been in the process of updating the websites of the entire Executive Branch, resulting in several websites being taken down—at least temporarily. With only just over three weeks having passed since the inauguration, it is unclear which websites will be updated and brought back online, and which will be removed permanently.

     “With the amount of information provided online by a Presidential Administration in 2017, the transfer of websites from one Administration to another is a massive undertaking,” said Smith. “Despite the large lift, we urge the Trump Administration to provide all the resources needed to get the AWA information back up as quickly as possible.”

     Last Congress, Smith was a co-sponsor on several legislative measures designed to ensure that pets, livestock and other animals are treated appropriately. These co-sponsorships included the “Pet Safety and Protection Act” which would prohibit animal dealers who have failed to meet basic AWA standards from selling dogs and cats to researchers nationwide.

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