APPEALING USDA ANIMAL CARE INSPECTION REPORTS
August 25, 2026
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If you are a regulated facility or operator and are registered under the Animal Welfare Act (“AWA”), USDA Animal Care conducts inspections to determine whether such entities are compliant with AWA regulations and standards. To ensure fairness and accuracy in inspection reports, USDA Animal Care allows such entities to submit appeals on any inspection report before it becomes final. At the end of every inspection, the USDA Animal Care inspector will review results in an exit briefing with the facility. You may submit additional information beyond what is required to be available during an inspection, within 48 hours of the exit briefing. If concerns about the inspection report remain, meaning you believe the inspection report is incorrect, incomplete, or inconsistent with the AWA regulations, you may submit an appeal. You have 21 days from receipt of the report for routine, focused, and attempted inspections, and seven (7) days from receipt of the report for licensing inspections to submit your appeal. Once an appeal is submitted, USDA Animal Care will usually respond to routine inspection appeals within 30 days and to licensing inspection appeals within seven (7) days. USDA Animal Care’s appeal decisions are final.
This Aviation Regulatory Update is intended to keep readers current on developments in the law. It is not intended to be legal advice. If you have any questions or require additional information, please contact Evelyn D. Sahr at 202.659.6622 or esahr@eckertseamans.com; Drew M. Derco at 202.659.6665 or dderco@eckertseamans.com; Tyler R. Myers at 202.659.6642 or trmyers@eckertseamans.com; Xander B. Silva at 412.566.6069 or xsilva@eckertseamans.com, or any other attorney at Eckert Seamans with whom you have been working.
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