Rep. Dina Titus Introduces Legislation to Protect Farm Animals During Transport

Rep. Dina Titus Introduces Legislation to Protect Farm Animals During Transport

Congresswoman Dina Titus introduced bipartisan legislation today to protect farm animals from disease and inhumane treatment when they are transported over long distances in the United States.

"For far too long, federal regulations requiring humane treatment of transported farm animals have not been enforced," Congresswoman Titus said. "The Humane Transport of Farmed Animals Act would stop this lax regulation that has resulted in many animals being injured or succumbing to disease during transport."

The Humane Transport of Farmed Animals Act would require the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to develop a mechanism to monitor compliance with the Twenty-Eight Hour Law, which requires animals to be offloaded for food, water, and rest if they have travelled for 28 hours or more. While U.S. regulations on international animal exports guarantee livestock are healthy and fit to travel, interstate transportation lacks similar requirements. Without these guidelines, sickly and newborn animals are permitted to be transported over long distances, contributing to the spread of pathogens like the recent Bird Flu outbreak. To remedy this, the bill would also prohibit the interstate transport of livestock deemed unfit for travel due to sickness, injury, or other conditions.

"The worst abuses in farmed animal transport occur when animals are hauled extremely long distances or when they are ill, disabled, or otherwise in such poor condition that they can't withstand the journey," said Adrienne Craig, senior policy associate and staff attorney for the Animal Welfare Institute's Farmed Animal Program. "The millions of animals carried on our roads every year should be entitled to protection under our nation's oldest animal welfare law-the Twenty-Eight Hour Law-but that's not possible without a clear mechanism for enforcement and cooperation among agencies. We applaud Congresswoman Titus for introducing the Humane Transport of Farmed Animals Act to prohibit interstate transport of livestock considered unfit for travel (in accordance with internationally recognized fitness standards), and to develop a process for enforcement of violations."

"Although the federal 'Twenty-Eight Hour Law' was original passed in 1873, it has not been meaningfully updated for over three decades, while nearly every aspect of agriculture, animal care, and interstate commerce has evolved during this time," said Sara Amundson, president of the Humane World Action Fund. "Outdated transportation practices not only cause unnecessary stress to animals but also heighten the risk of spreading disease when sick and young animals are moved across state lines over long periods of time confined with the most minimal of care. Modernizing this law is a simple way to protect animals, strengthen safety standards, and protect public health."

The Humane Transport of Farmed Animals Act has been endorsed by the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), Humane World Action Fund, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), and Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF).

Representatives King-Hinds, Holmes Norton, Cohen, and Tlaib also signed onto the Humane Transport of Farmed Animals Act as original cosponsors.