The Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) team responsible for ensuring the welfare of animals at research facilities has been inspecting buildings that have housed no animals for years, according to a new audit by the Office of Inspector General (OIG).
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) Animal Care (AC) unit inspects all facilities that use, sell, or transport animals. A "conservative" estimate of the unit’s unnecessary inspections indicates that at least $115,000 of taxpayer money has been wasted.
"Since fiscal year (FY) 2001, APHIS’ Animal Care (AC) unit conducted at least 500 inspections at 107 research facilities that had not used, handled, or transported any regulated animals for more than 2 years," the audit said. "As a result, AC did not make the best use of its limited resources, which could have been assigned to inspect other more problematic facilities, including breeders, dealers, and exhibitors."
The inspections ought to be conducted in facilities that house dogs, cats, primates, guinea pigs, hamsters, and rabbits that are being used for research, testing, "experimentation," or exhibition.
Fourteen of the facilities had not housed animals for as many as 13 years. "This occurred because AC’s policy required that the agency conduct the same full inspections at all active facilities, even when no animals were present or used," the OIG said.
"Using a conservative estimate of an 8-hour day for each inspection, we calculated the total cost of these inspections to be at least $115,000 (excluding travel expenses and employee benefits)," the audit said.
"Considering the fiscal challenges experienced government-wide, we believe that AC could more efficiently operate its inspection process," they added.
USDA officials "agreed it would be beneficial to spend fewer resources at facilities that are not using animals."
The audit also found that the inspectors are being lenient on companies responsible for animals’ deaths, having only given "official warning letters" to some violators.
In one case, an Oregon research facility euthanized a perfectly healthy rabbit, after mistaking it for a different rabbit.
"A research facility in Oregon found two rabbits with broken legs after allowing the animals exercise time," the audit said. "One rabbit was deemed to be healthy and allowed to heal on its own, while the facility's veterinarian decided that the other rabbit should be euthanized. However, the facility brought in the wrong rabbit to be euthanized and, therefore, killed a healthy animal."
Worse things have happened to rabbits on the USDA’s watch.
In another case, "an exhibitor in Texas did not adequately maintain the zoo premises that housed certain animals, allowing a pack of dogs to enter the deer enclosure and kill four deer."
In all, the audit found 59 cases where animals died and the companies only received a warning.