WASHINGTON D.C. – Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced new initiatives aimed at improving oversight of companion animals during a Strikeforce roundtable involving federal agency partners, including the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ).

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Rollins emphasized the administration's commitment to animal welfare, stating, "In the Trump Administration, animals deserve to be treated with respect and cared for properly. Today's announcement will lay out new standards to improve animal welfare, deploy new training and staff to continuously monitor facilities under our care, and build further public awareness to protect our companion animals."

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. reinforced this message, highlighting the moral responsibility to protect animal and human health and the ongoing efforts to enhance oversight and enforce laws against animal mistreatment. He noted that HHS is also taking steps to promote human-based research to reduce unnecessary animal testing.

The administration has outlined several key actions to bolster animal welfare, including:

1. **Updating Standards of Care**: In 2027, the USDA plans to propose regulatory changes based on 7,522 comments received from the public, aimed at strengthening the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) standards for dogs.

2. **Issuing Breeder Refresher Notices**: The USDA will send over 2,000 refresher notices to dog breeding facilities to clarify legal requirements for humane care, thereby enhancing compliance.

3. **Deploying Welfare Oversight Teams**: A new unit, the Animal Protection Bureau (APB), has been established to improve nationwide oversight and enforce humane treatment of animals. This team will conduct compliance reviews and collaborate with inspectors and legal partners to address risks to companion animals.

4. **Increasing Inspector General Staffing**: The USDA Office of Inspector General will increase its special agent staff by 20% to address animal fighting and other issues, further supporting APHIS investigations.

5. **Focusing on Compliance**: In 2026, USDA removed several licenses from repeat offenders and plans to intensify efforts in 2027 to identify dog breeders who evade AWA compliance.

Throughout the Trump Administration, numerous actions have been taken to enhance animal welfare, including significant training and the implementation of clearer inspection guidelines. These initiatives reflect a commitment to holding bad actors accountable while promoting humane care standards.