USDA announces new initiatives for companion animal welfare

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a series of actions aimed at enhancing oversight and welfare for companion animals. During a Strikeforce roundtable involving the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ), Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins outlined plans to implement new standards, deploy additional training and staff for facility monitoring, and increase public awareness regarding animal protection.

In conjunction with these efforts, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. announced a shift toward human-based research, noting more than 20 actions intended to advance scientific methods and reduce unnecessary animal testing.

As part of these initiatives, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is working to strengthen welfare for dogs, horses, and other companion animals. This includes a planned regulatory proposal in 2027 to update standards of care, which will be informed by thousands of public comments supporting stronger protections for dogs under the Animal Welfare Act.