USDA APHIS Animal Care’s main mission is to ensure the welfare of animals. We do this by performing unannounced inspections. You may be nervous about having a government agency do a surprise visit and inspect your business. What will they say and do? What questions will they ask? How will they act? Here are some things you can expect during an inspection.
When the Inspector Arrives
They will try to reach you or your designated facility representative using the contact information or other instructions you have provided. Facility representatives are people who can do the inspection without you, like a spouse or family member, neighbor, employee, or other business contact. Inspectors should always have their official government ID, and you are welcome to ask for it to verify they are representative(s) of USDA. Inspectors will not enter any building on your property without a responsible adult present.
Inspection Equipment
These items are government-issued for inspectors to use:
The inspector will wear protective shoe covers before entering any animal area. They will wear gloves when touching any animals and change them between touching animals in different enclosures. Inspecting the Facility
Your “facility” includes all areas where animals live, exercise, receive grooming or medical care, or go for any reason. This may include multiple buildings, rooms, or yards, and maybe even your home. You must allow the inspector to check these areas for compliance with the regulations and standards.
The main questions they are looking to answer have to do with its construction and cleaning. Is the area safe and comfortable for animals to be in? Is there anything posing a risk of illness or injury to them? Is it being kept clean enough? The inspector must also check other areas as they relate to your animals. This includes heating and cooling systems, running water supply, waste disposal methods, storage areas for food, bedding, grooming and medical supplies, cleaning equipment, and other tools you use to keep your animals healthy, safe, and comfortable. They may ask how you use certain items, especially specialized veterinary equipment, so they understand the impact it has on your animals. Inspecting the Animals
Inspectors visually observe every animal and count them to report on your inspection report inventory. If they see any signs of disease or injury, they may do a more thorough check using their (gloved) hands. They might ask you for help catching or holding the animal for a closer look. If they see an animal in need of veterinary care, they may take a photo or video. If they use photos or videos on the inspection report, you can ask for copies. Even if all animals appear healthy, inspectors will still check some dogs more closely at every inspection. They also verify identification of dogs, especially if they’re mentioned on the inspection report. If your dogs have microchips, the inspector needs to use your scanner to read the chip numbers.
Contacting Your Veterinarian
Sometimes the inspector needs to talk with your vet. They might verify the information in your Program of Veterinary Care or ask questions about a specific animal’s condition. It’s no secret vets are busy, and the inspector may not get in touch with them immediately. When this happens, they delay finalizing the inspection until they’ve talked with them or after 48 hours with no response. Inspecting the Paperwork
As a USDA license holder, you must keep a lot of records, especially with dogs. Your inspector will review all records to make sure they are complete, up to date, and show compliance with the regulations and your Program of Veterinary Care. The list can include:
After the inspection, the inspector has an exit briefing with you. This can be before or after they’ve written your report, so it may be a few days before they schedule this talk with you, and it could be over the phone. They will tell you what they cited in the inspection report as noncompliant and ask if you understand what you need to do to fix things. You have the chance to provide any additional information that might change what they wrote. If they don’t change it, you can submit an appeal of your inspection report in writing within 21 days of receiving your report. They’ll give you the finalized inspection report in person, by email or regular mail. If you don’t get a copy of an inspection report, or if you have any other questions or concerns, please call our office at 970-494-7478, email AnimalCare@ usda.gov, or write to us at
If you have a USDA License, you need to understand that things continue to change with how they are enforcing
the Animal Welfare Act. I want to introduce myself and my reasons for writing this article and some future articles about the USDA.
The times are changing. USDA Animal Care, a unit within the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, administers the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). This federal law establishes requirements concerning the transportation, sale, and handling of certain animals. To enforce this law USDA Animal Care uses Inspectors throughout the country providing unannounced inspections. These inspections are regularly posted on the web for the world to see.
The Dog Journal USDA Today As a USDA Compliance Coach, my first priority is to make sure that you understand the rules and regulations and
