APHIS is committed to ensuring the welfare of regulated animals and continues to carry out the critical day-to-day work of ensuring the humane treatment of vulnerable animals through unannounced inspections, pre-compliance visits, horse protection inspections, and other activities.

APHIS, during the past year, has conducted a comprehensive review of the information it posts on its website for the general public to view. To conduct the review, the entire agency search tool database, along with additional documents, was taken off line. As a result of this review, APHIS has removed certain personal information from APHIS’ website involving the Horse Protection Act and the Animal Welfare Act.  APHIS recently reposted certain inspection reports and research facility annual reports that were determined to be appropriate for reposting.  Once a month, we also publicly post a list of our licensees/registrants that are regulated under the Animal Welfare Act. Here is the link: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalwelfare/SA_Regulated_Businesses.  On that webpage, please click on List of Persons Licensed or Registered under the AWA to see the up-to-date list.   Finally, some enforcement records (such as initial decision and orders, default decisions, and consent decisions) continue to be available on the USDA’s Office of Administrative Law Judge’s website. 

The agency will continue to review records and determine which information is appropriate for reposting. Those seeking information from APHIS regarding inspection reports not currently posted to the website, regulatory correspondence, and enforcement related matters may submit Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for that information. FOIA requests can be submitted here:  https://efoia-pal.usda.gov/. Records will be released when authorized and in a manner consistent with the FOIA and Privacy Act. Also, consistent with recent amendments to the FOIA, if the same records are frequently requested records under the FOIA, and are subject to release under the FOIA and Privacy Act, APHIS will post the appropriately redacted versions to its website.