Representative Betty McCollum (MN) has reintroduced a bill titled “To amend the Animal Welfare Act to include cold-blooded species as animals, and for other purposes.” This bill, adds reptiles, amphibians, fish, and cephalopods as “animals” under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), meaning the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) must develop new regulations. Basically, the USDA would now be required to license and inspect facilities and breeders with these animals. Businesses would need to comply with the new USDA regulations. These regulations will be as broad as possible, not taking into account individual care requirements for different species. The USDA began inspecting and licensing aviculturists (bird breeders) in 2024 (for new licensees). In the short time that aviculturists have been required to be license and comply with regulations, there have already been documented instances in which the regulatory requirements have been detrimental to welfare of the birds. With the diversity of fish and aquatic animals being many times that of birds, this issue would be even worse with the passage of this bill. The bill has been assigned to the House Agriculture Committee. You can find the bill text here.
ALERT: Cold-blooded Animal Research and Exhibition Act
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