The United States Department of Agriculture

The Animal Welfare Act is administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), specifically, the Sector Veterinary component of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service-Veterinary Services (APHIS-VS). Research facilities are subject to unannounced inspections by USDA veterinarians. They are also required to furnish annual reports that include, in addition to other information and assurances, the common names and number of animals used, listed by procedures involving:

1. No pain or distress
2. Pain or distress for which appropriate anesthetic, analgesic, or tranquilizing drugs were used
3. Pain or distress for which the use of appropriate drugs would have adversely affected the procedures, results, or interpretation of the research.

The report must certify that:

• Anesthetic, analgesic, and tranquilizing drugs were used appropriately during research and testing
• The principal investigator (PI) considered alternatives to painful procedures

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