What are the laws that regulate the care and use of laboratory animals?
The use of laboratory animals is one of the most regulated uses of animals in the United States, and other countries as well. In the US, the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA) and the Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (PHS Policy) regulate the use of laboratory animals. Some states and two US cities also have animal welfare laws that include laboratory animals. The AWA has been in effect since 1966, and has been amended four times since its enactment (to provide additional coverage for animal care and use). The AWA is enforced by representatives of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The AWA covers many of the common laboratory species. The institution must register with the USDA, and may be inspected at any time, without prior notification. The University renewed its registration with the USDA in 1996. The PHS Policy has been law since 1985, and is enforced by the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW) of the National Institute
