The animal welfare information center - a brief overview

The Animal Welfare Information Center (AWIC) of USDA's National Agricultura l Library was established by a mandate of the U.S. Congress in the 1985 Ame ndments of the Animal Welfare Act. The Act regulates how warm-blooded anima ls are treated as they ave in biomedical research, for toxicity testing, as specimens in higher education, or exhibited in circuses, zoos and aquaria. Large volume dog dealers also come under the Act. In the 1985 Amendments, the U.S. Congress instructs the Center fa provide i nformation on topics such as: alternatives to painful procedures, anestheti cs, analgesics, tranquilizers, improved methodologies, training materials f or those who use animals, environmental enrichment for primates, and exerci se for dogs. This overview of the AWIC program discusses the historical asp ects of the Center, and will illustrate how the U.S. Congressional mandate is currently carried out via the Center's national and international activi ties, services, publications, and outreach to U.S. regulated community. Som e data regarding the use of the Center's products and services is presented .