AAALAC Restructures Its Executive Office

The Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC) is restructuring its Executive Office. Effective summer 2004, AAALAC Senior Director Kathryn A. Bayne, MS, PhD, DVM will relocate to Hawaii to assume the duties of Director of Pacific Rim Activities and Associate Director for Accreditation.

This expansion complements the recent formation of a European Section of the Council on Accreditation and Egil Berge's ongoing efforts as Assistant Director for European Activities in broadening AAALAC's services to the international community3.

Senator Akaka Reintroduces the “Pet Safety and Protection Act of 2004”

On 26 April, Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI) reintroduced the “Pet Safety and Protection Act of 2004,” S 2346 (ref. 4), which is now before the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. Contributing to the stricter regulation of Class B animal vendors, S 2346 would:

  • Ban research facilities from obtaining dogs or cats from dealers who do not breed and raise the animals themselves;

  • Require animal pounds to be registered by the USDA in order to provide animals for research;

  • Prohibit private shelters from voluntarily choosing to make animals available for research;

  • Permit individuals to donate dogs or cats to research facilities only if they breed and raise, and own them for more than one year; and,

  • Assess $1,000 fines for each violation of the above items.

Bioterrorism Prevention Act Introduced

On 20 May, HR 4454, the “Ecoterrorism Prevention Act of 2004” was introduced by Rep George R. Nethercutt, Jr. (R-WA) and referred to the House Subcommittee on Research. HR 4454 would “amend title 18, United States Code, to protect and promote the public safety and interstate commerce by establishing Federal criminal penalties and civil remedies for certain violent, threatening, obstructive, and destructive conduct that is intended to injure, intimidate, or interfere with plant or animal enterprises, and for other purposes5.”