Tell the USDA to Punish Cruelty Not Excuse It

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Sponsor: The Animal Rescue Site

When the law meant to protect animals becomes a shield for their abusers, compassion must rise louder than bureaucracy.

Tell the USDA to Punish Cruelty Not Excuse It

Across the United States, animals are suffering without accountability. The law meant to protect them, the Animal Welfare Act, has become weak and unevenly enforced. Inspectors document pain and neglect, yet most violations now result in nothing more than an “official warning.”1 The result is a system that protects abusers instead of animals—and the cruelty continues unchecked.

Under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), enforcement actions against animal cruelty have fallen to record lows. The number of fines issued for confirmed violations dropped from 63 in one 14-month period to just five after a Supreme Court ruling made agencies hesitant to act.2 Instead of penalties or license suspensions, offenders walk away with warnings that carry no real consequence. Dogs in puppy mills, primates in labs, and animals in roadside zoos remain trapped in misery while those responsible face no punishment.

A Law With Loopholes and No Teeth

The Animal Welfare Act excludes billions of farm animals and nearly all lab species, protecting less than 0.01% of animals used by U.S. businesses.1 Even within that narrow scope, oversight is collapsing. With only 77 inspectors responsible for more than 17,000 facilities, the USDA cannot possibly investigate every complaint or ensure proper care.3 Inspectors report that violations are ignored, and morale is low because cruelty goes unaddressed.

The weakening of enforcement began years ago but deepened during the Trump administration, when animal welfare records were deleted from public databases, hiding decades of abuse from view.4 Though public outcry forced a partial restoration, transparency and accountability have never fully recovered. When cruelty becomes invisible, it becomes easier to ignore.

Compassion Demands Action

Real compassion means real enforcement. The USDA must restore meaningful fines for animal cruelty, fully reopen public records, and rebuild inspection staff to meet the scale of the problem5. Abusers should not be allowed to treat animals as disposable property and pay nothing for their suffering. Every act of neglect and every life lost in silence is a failure of justice.

It is time for the USDA and the Secretary of Agriculture to act. By signing the petition below, you can demand that the United States enforce the Animal Welfare Act with integrity and compassion—and ensure that cruelty once again carries consequences. Together, we can protect vulnerable animals and build a future rooted in accountability and care.

Sign the petition now to restore animal protections and demand justice for the voiceless.

More on this issue:

  1. Kenny Torrella, Vox (8 October 2025), "Animal abusers are getting let off the hook now more than ever."
  2. Joe Dodson, Courthouse News (8 October 2025), "Study says Supreme Court ruling led to less Animal Welfare Act enforcement."
  3. Terry Gerton, Federal News Network (7 October 2025), "Staffing cuts and legal setbacks limit USDA’s ability to ensure animal welfare."
  4. Natasha Daly, National Geographic (6 February 2017), "U.S. animal abuse records deleted—what we stand to lose."
  5. James Carter, Archyde (8 October 2025), "Animal Abuse: USDA & Trump Era Weakening Protections."

The Petition

To the United States Secretary of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture,

Animals across the United States are suffering in plain sight while accountability collapses. The system designed to protect them—the Animal Welfare Act and its enforcement under the USDA—has become a shell of its intent. Inspections too often end in “official warnings” with no real penalty, and abusers walk away without consequence. This failure leaves countless dogs, cats, primates, rabbits, and other animals trapped in cycles of pain and neglect, while the public is left in the dark.

We, the undersigned, call on the United States Secretary of Agriculture and the USDA to restore and strengthen animal welfare enforcement immediately. The Animal Welfare Act must be upheld with integrity and purpose—not reduced to empty paperwork. Facilities that breed, sell, experiment on, or display animals must face tangible consequences when they violate humane standards.

The USDA must reinstate meaningful fines and penalties for cruelty violations. Official warnings, without follow-up or accountability, are not enough. Fines should be substantial enough to deter abuse, not absorbed as a cost of doing business. Inspectors must be empowered and adequately funded to carry out frequent, unannounced inspections, and the USDA’s public database of welfare reports must remain fully accessible so that citizens, journalists, and advocacy groups can hold violators accountable. Transparency is essential for trust.

Compassion and enforcement are not opposing ideals—they are partners in justice. True compassion for animals means ensuring that the laws meant to protect them are enforced with strength and consistency. Every animal, whether in a lab, kennel, zoo, or breeding facility, deserves freedom from suffering. Without enforcement, compassion is only a word.

We urge the USDA to reestablish a system of accountability that values life over convenience and ensures that cruelty carries consequences. The American public overwhelmingly supports strong protections for animals. It is time for the USDA to reflect that will through decisive action.

By restoring enforcement authority, reinvesting in oversight staff, and committing to transparency, the USDA can help build a system rooted in both compassion and justice. Doing so will not only protect the animals who depend on us—it will reaffirm our nation’s moral responsibility and ensure a kinder, safer future for all living beings.

Sincerely,

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