Enhancement of pet protections

(a) Report Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act (or later, if the Secretary determines appropriate after taking into consideration any ongoing programmatic review of the Animal Care program of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate a report with respect to companion animals that— (1) evaluates the enforcement of standards under, and requirements of, the Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. 2131 et seq.) by the Secretary for both effectiveness and efficiency; (2) evaluates the efforts by the Secretary to educate and advise dealers of all standards under, and requirements of, such Act; (3) evaluates the capacity of the Secretary to enforce the standards established by such Act; (4) makes recommendations for the improvement of— (A) all standards (including animal welfare standards) under, and requirements of, such Act; and (B) education efforts of the Secretary with respect to such standards and requirements; and (5) considers the impact and associated costs of any recommended improvements or amendments to the standards under, and requirements of, such Act. (b) Veterinary care (1) In general Section 13(a)(2)(A) of the Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. 2143(a)(2)(A)) is amended by inserting (which shall include visual dental examinations, whenever practicable) after adequate veterinary care. (2) Technical amendment Section 13 of the Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. 2143) is amended by redesignating the second subsection (f) (prohibiting delivery of certain animals without certificate of inspection), subsection (g), and subsection (h) as subsections (g) through (i), respectively. (c) Confiscation for unrelieved suffering (1) In general Section 13 of the Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. 2143) is amended by adding at the end the following: (i) The Secretary shall promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary to, during the inspection process under section 16— (1) provide for the notification of law enforcement officials of appropriate jurisdiction (including local law enforcement) or the State animal health official (or designee of such official); or (2) consider immediate confiscation or destruction of a dog, in the event that such dog is determined to be in a state of unrelieved suffering.. (2) Definition Section 2 of the Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. 2132) is amended by adding at the end the following: (p) The term unrelieved suffering means, with respect to a dog, a state in which the dog is forced to endure conditions, arising out of a dealer’s failure to comply with the provisions of this Act, which cause severe pain or distress or severe discomfort, or which could directly and negatively impact the health and well-being of the dog if immediate actions are not taken to remedy the situation..

(a) Report Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act (or later, if the Secretary determines appropriate after taking into consideration any ongoing programmatic review of the Animal Care program of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate a report with respect to companion animals that— (1) evaluates the enforcement of standards under, and requirements of, the Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. 2131 et seq.) by the Secretary for both effectiveness and efficiency; (2) evaluates the efforts by the Secretary to educate and advise dealers of all standards under, and requirements of, such Act; (3) evaluates the capacity of the Secretary to enforce the standards established by such Act; (4) makes recommendations for the improvement of— (A) all standards (including animal welfare standards) under, and requirements of, such Act; and (B) education efforts of the Secretary with respect to such standards and requirements; and (5) considers the impact and associated costs of any recommended improvements or amendments to the standards under, and requirements of, such Act. (b) Veterinary care (1) In general Section 13(a)(2)(A) of the Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. 2143(a)(2)(A)) is amended by inserting (which shall include visual dental examinations, whenever practicable) after adequate veterinary care. (2) Technical amendment Section 13 of the Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. 2143) is amended by redesignating the second subsection (f) (prohibiting delivery of certain animals without certificate of inspection), subsection (g), and subsection (h) as subsections (g) through (i), respectively.