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
.