10/02/2026
"If you follow animal news, you no doubt heard the September 21st announcement of the USDA Animal Welfare Strike Force. It is a cooperative, multi-agency effort tied to the regulation, oversight, and enforcement of numerous animal welfare issues. There are several aspects of the task force where NAIA is in agreement, notably dog fighting and its association with other criminal activities, the illegal importation of dogs, the substandard and illegal breeding of dogs and other animals, and the importance of enforcing the law – regulations without enforcement are doomed!
However, we also have several concerns. For one, the composition of the task force was noticeably devoid of stakeholders. Rescues, enforcement officials, and animal activists were well represented, but licensed operators like breeders, researchers – i.e., the people who would be most affected by regulation, oversight, and enforcement – were absent. Along those same lines, while it is essential that licensed operators are inspected, the vast majority of these people are already in compliance, while today's major busts and violations overwhelmingly come from unlicensed, underground operations. This must be addressed. There are also hundreds of thousands of dogs and cats moved throughout the country each year by rescues that have long avoided regulation by merit of the “halo effect” that the word rescue confers. These operations are in desperate need of oversight due to animal welfare, consumer protection, and public health and safety concerns.
Overall, we recognize and appreciate the focus on regulation and enforcement, though going forward, we hope the USDA hears the voices of the regulated community – we share many of the same goals and are made up of countless hands-on animal experts with unique insights. We have a lot to offer. Read our full letter regarding the Animal Welfare Strike Force Announcement below."
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