Latest Administration Bright Idea: Let Private Companies Oversee Aninmal Treatment

Trump’s Department of Agriculture, which took down online inspection reports about puppy mills last year and blocked a rule to reduce abuse of horses, is now looking to farm out animal inspections to organizations that could financially profit from writing mostly good reviews.

The agency, headed by former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue, who once worked as a veterinarian, wants more inspections by third parties, not trained inspectors, at the agency’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

“The USDA is likely to team up with industry groups or associations that have a financial interest in the regulated business themselves,” said Kathleen Summers who works with the puppy mill campaign at the Humane Society of the United States.

The agency contends that having other organizations do more inspections will free up USDA inspectors to spend more time at problem zoos, breeders and labs. The USDA already looks at inspections by other government agencies and the Association of Zoos & Aquariums when scheduling how often federal inspections are done.

“USDA is not looking to abdicate its inspection responsibilities under the Animal Welfare Act in any way,” said Bernadette Juarez, deputy administrator of the USDA’s animal care program.


https://www.dcreport.org/2018/03/15/latest-administration-bright-idea-let-private-companies-oversee-aninmal-treatment/