The USDA does not always uphold the Animal Welfare Act and its laws it is supposed to enforce. A former USDA inspector sites that the USDA inspection system is made up of a good old boy network that defies federal animal welfare laws. Unfortunately, even if these laws were enforced they would still be ineffective in protecting the animals the laws were enacted to protect.
One USDA inspector said her supervisor told her to only report up to 25% of all animal welfare violators she comes across during her inspections. Consequently, some of the USDA’s own inspectors contend that the inspection system is not set up to protect the animals but instead possibly protect the financial interests of commercial enterprises which use animals, like research labs, animal dealers and so on.
SUPPLEMENTAL SOURCES: INTERNATIONAL PRIMATE PROTECTION LEAGUE (IPPL) AUGUST 2001 & ANIMAL GUARDIAN MAGAZINE FALL 2001