Pet Safety and Protection Act of 2001

The Pet Safety and Protection Act of 2001 (S. 668) aims to protect pet owners and their animals by tightening regulations on how research facilities acquire dogs and cats. The bill would amend the Animal Welfare Act to restrict these facilities to obtaining animals only from specific, verified sources, such as licensed dealers who bred the animals themselves or public shelters that meet strict notification requirements. By establishing significant monetary penalties for violations, the legislation seeks to prevent the illegal sale of stolen or lost family pets into the research supply chain.