Animal dealers would need yearly licenses and regular inspections

The Agriculture Secretary would publish inspection, investigation, and enforcement records, along with animal inventories, on a searchable public website. The records would cover investigations and inspections under section 16, including reports of every observed failure to follow the Animal Welfare Act. The bill would direct the Secretary to issue regulations within 90 days after enactment.

The Agriculture Secretary would issue licenses to dealers and exhibitors who apply with an inventory of all animals at their facilities and pay the required fee. These licensing rules cover animal dealers and exhibitors. The Secretary could not license a dealer or exhibitor found to have violated federal, state, or local animal laws, or if the license would help evade state or local limits on private ownership of certain animals. A previously licensed applicant would need at least one full, unannounced annual inspection showing compliance and no more than one documented failure during inspections in the previous two calendar years. A first-time applicant could receive no more than two inspections within 90 days after the Secretary receives the application. If the second inspection finds a failure to meet any standard, the Secretary would deny the application, and the applicant could not apply again for one year. A dealer or exhibitor would not need a license if the Secretary determines the business is de minimis, meaning too small to count under the Secretary’s determination. A license could last no more than one calendar year, and a new application would be due each calendar year before the current license expires.

Animal care standards would require regular veterinarian visits and exams, plus vaccinations, parasite care, and other preventive treatment. The standards would apply to animals kept at dealer and exhibitor premises. The attending veterinarian would approve care schedules based on the species kept. Animal health or safety could require a different schedule for physical exams. Veterinarian visits and exams would occur at least once every 12 months, unless animal health or safety requires a different exam schedule.

For a violation the Secretary finds risks animal welfare, the Secretary would temporarily suspend the license for up to 21 days and permanently revoke it if specified findings are made. These rules cover people whose licenses are suspended or revoked, and family or household members and entities in which they have a substantial interest. Permanent revocation would follow notice and an opportunity for an informal hearing. The Secretary would have to find that the violation occurred, presented a risk to animal welfare, and either continued past the temporary suspension or that the person committed one or more other such violations. During suspension, the person could not be licensed or registered, and neither could a family or household member or an entity in which the person has a substantial interest. After revocation, those people and entities could not be licensed or registered at any time. During suspension or revocation, the person could not buy, sell, transport, exhibit, or handle any animal, or work in any capacity involving an animal. The temporary suspension could last no more than 21 days. The licensing ban would last while a suspension order is in effect; revocation would bar licensing at any time.