USDA considers defining "distress" in the context of the Animal Welfare Act regulations

Topic:  In the Animal Welfare Act regulations, a ``painful procedure'' is defined as any procedure that would reasonably be expected to cause more than slight or momentary pain or distress in a human being to which that procedure was applied. The word ``distress'' is also used elsewhere in the regulations, but it is undefined. The USDA published a notice on 10 July 2000, proposing to amend the Animal Welfare Act regulations. The notice stated the USDA was considering adding such a definition because of requests from the biomedical research community and animal advocacy groups. These parties have asked USDA to provide guidance on what is considered to be distress in a procedure involving research animals in order to improve recognition of animal distress, to classify and report it more accurately, and to create a heightened awareness of the regulations' requirement to minimize animal distress and pain.

Update 17 January 2005: The USDA has taken no further action on this matter.

USDA Notice (.pdf document)

OC Comments (.pdf document)
 

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