Tell Legislators Why We Need Animal Welfare Records

The USDA last week removed from its website much of the information it used to make publicly available regarding animal welfare, including inspection records for zoos, laboratories and commercial breeders.

The agency said it’s the result of a year-long review and that the action was intended to protect certain personal information, according to the Huffington Post.

“Going forward, APHIS [the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service] will remove from its website inspection reports, regulatory correspondence, research facility annual reports, and enforcement records that have not received final adjudication,” it said.

It’s as though the USDA forgot that it operates in a democracy that’s upheld by transparency and public records.

Here’s a list of things you can do personally to help protect animals in the wake of this decision. It’s particularly important to let legislators know that the USDA’s action needs to be reversed.

Please contact lawmakers who represent you (find Senators here and representatives here) and members of the House Committee on Agriculture.

Here are a few numbers I’ve kept handy lately:

Sen. Patty Murray: 202-224-2621

Sen. Maria Cantwell: 202-224-3441

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (for Seattle): 202-225-3106