Fact Check: Does the Animal Welfare Act Protect All Research Animals?
“One important change that could be made to the Animal Welfare Act is expanding its coverage to include all species used in research, especially rats, mice, and birds. These animals make up over 90% of animals used in U.S. research labs, but they are not protected under the AWA’s current definition of “animal.” Because of this exclusion, facilities using these species are not required to follow the same federal standards for housing, handling, or reporting. Updating the definition would close a major gap in the law and ensure that the majority of research animals receive basic protections. The effect of this change would be significant. If rats, mice, and birds were included under the AWA, research facilities would have to meet federal standards for humane care, undergo inspections, and report how many animals they use. This would increase transparency and improve welfare conditions, since facilities would be held accountable for proper housing, veterinary care, and handling practices. It would also give the public a clearer understanding of how animals are treated in research settings, which could strengthen trust in scientific institutions. To make this change official, the Animal Welfare Act would need to be amended by updating the legal definition of “animal” in 7 U.S.C. § 2132(g). The amendment should clearly state that rats of the genus Rattus, mice of the genus Mus, and birds bred for research are included under the Act’s protections. It should also require the USDA to create species‑specific care standards, since these animals have different needs than dogs, cats, or primates. Adding reporting requirements and regular inspections for facilities using these species would make enforcement more consistent and effective. There should be changes like this because the current Animal Welfare Act does not fully reflect modern scientific practices or public expectations for animal care. When the law was first passed in 1966, rats and mice were not widely used in research, but today they are the most commonly used species. Leaving them unprotected creates a major inconsistency in federal animal welfare policy. Updating the Act would make it more accurate, more humane, and more aligned with current scientific and ethical standards.”
Summary
Rats, mice, and birds bred for research are currently excluded from the Animal Welfare Act’s definition of “animal,” and they constitute roughly 85‑95 % of laboratory animals in the United States. Expanding the Act to cover these species would indeed require USDA‑issued care standards, regular inspections, and mandatory reporting, thereby increasing transparency and welfare protections. No recent amendment has been enacted to include them, so the proposal remains a suggested change.
Sources 99 searched
- Federal Register :: Animal Welfare; Regulations and Standards for Birds, Rats, and Mice
The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 amended the definition of animal in the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) by specifically excluding birds, rats of the genus Rattus, and mice of the genus Mus, bred for use in research.
- Regulation of Animal Research - Science, Medicine, and Animals - NCBI Bookshelf
In passing the AWA, Congress left ... the AWA to include rats, mice, and birds, an amendment was recently passed by Congress to permanently exclude rats, mice, and birds used in research from coverage by the Animal Welfare Act....
- Patterns of Animal Use - Use of Laboratory Animals in Biomedical and Behavioral Research - NCBI Bookshelf
Between 17 million and 22 million animals are estimated to be used annually in the United States in research, education, and testing. About 85 percent of these are rats and mice, and less than 2 percent are cats, dogs, and nonhuman primates (Office of Technology Assessment, 1986).
- Executive Summary - Use of Laboratory Animals in Biomedical and Behavioral Research - NCBI Bookshelf
At present, this includes dogs, cats, nonhuman primates, rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, and marine mammals, but not rats, mice, birds, and farm animals used in biomedical research—although rats and mice account for about 85 percent of the animals used in research, education, and testing.
- The Animal Welfare Act: Background and Selected Issues | Congress.gov | Library of Congress
USDA expects to publish a final rule in 2023 establishing regulatory standards to cover birds not used in research.10 The AWA's statutory definition of animal excludes birds, rats, and mice bred for research; horses not used for research; and ...
- Commonly Used Animal Models - PMC
Summary of the Various Categories of Mouse Types That Are Available for Use in Research ... Mice and rats make up approximately 95% of all laboratory animals, with mice the most commonly used animal in biomedical research.
- Rats, Mice, and Birds to be Included in the Animal Welfare ...
A. USDA anticipates that incorporating covered rats ... Q. How can I help? A. The best way to help is to stay informed on the ... The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination · in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national
- Tierschutzrechtliche Vorgaben für die Haustierhaltung
Internetseite des Deutschen Bundestages: Informationen über das Parlament und die Abgeordneten, Tagesordnungen, Livestreams und Service-Angebote.
- Arrêté du 19 juin 2025 fixant les règles sanitaires et de protection animale auxquelles doivent satisfaire les activités liées aux animaux de compagnie d'espèces domestiques - Légifrance
Cet arrêté s'applique pour les espèces suivantes : les chiens, chats, furets, lapins, rongeurs, oiseaux et poissons d'espèces domestiques mentionnées à l'Prévisualiser : Arrêté du 11 août 2006arrêté du 11 août 2006 susvisé.
- Chapitre IV : La protection des animaux. (Articles L214-1 à L214-23) - Légifrance
Conformément au II de l'article 1er de la loi n° 2021-1539 du 30 novembre 2021, le premier alinéa du V du présent article est applicable à toute personne physique qui acquiert pour la première fois depuis la promulgation de la présente loi un animal de l'espèce concernée.
- LOI n° 2021-1539 du 30 novembre 2021 visant à lutter contre la maltraitance animale et conforter le lien entre les animaux et les hommes (1) - Légifrance
Cette enquête se fonde sur des données scientifiques disponibles récentes présentant des garanties de fiabilité. « III.-Toute personne physique ou morale peut demander la mise à l'étude de l'inscription d'une espèce d'animal non domestique à la liste mentionnée au I ou le retrait d'une espèce d'animal non domestique de cette même liste.
- The injustice of excluding laboratory rats, mice, and birds from the Animal Welfare Act - PubMed
A major shortcoming of the Animal Welfare Act is its exclusion of the species most-used in experimentation -- rats, mice, and birds. Considerations of justice dictate that extension of the law to these three species is the morally right thing to do.
- Rats, mice and birds excluded from Animal Welfare Act
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