Celebrating 60 Years of the Animal Welfare Act
 President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the (Laboratory) Animal Welfare Act. Photo courtesy of Lyndon B. Johnson Library, image by Mike Geissinger.
This August includes a remarkable milestone: 60 years since the passage of the (Laboratory) Animal Welfare Act (AWA)! Originally, the Act was established to prevent pets from being stolen and sold into research. It also protected certain animals (dogs, cats, nonhuman primates, guinea pigs, hamsters, and rabbits) prior to entering research by regulating the transport, sale, and handling of those animals.
Over the decades, the AWA has evolved through numerous amendments, expanding its reach to safeguard other animals and oversee their use in research, teaching, testing, and exhibition (e.g., carnivals, circuses, zoos).
As we celebrate this anniversary, the National Agricultural Library's Animal Welfare Information Center (AWIC) invites you to explore the history, impact, and present state of the AWA through our interactive timeline and AWA webpage. If you have any questions, please contact us.
Trainings and Conferences
Self-paced and available year-round
November 2, 4, 10, & 11, 2026
Check out AWIC's 3Rs webpage for 3Rs and animal welfare related funding opportunities!
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