Summary

Changes the Animal Welfare Act definition of “animal” to expressly include cold-blooded animals — reptiles, amphibians, cephalopods, and fish — and clarifies that all dogs (including hunting, security, and breeding dogs) are covered. It keeps most existing statutory exclusions (birds; laboratory rats and mice bred for research; horses not used for research; and farmed animals used or intended for use as food, fiber, or to improve animal production or nutrition).

• Expands the Animal Welfare Act's statutory definition of “animal” to expressly include cold-blooded taxa: reptiles, amphibians, cephalopods, and fish.
• Clarifies that all dogs — including hunting, security, and breeding dogs — are covered under the AWA.
• Maintains existing exclusions for birds; lab-bred rats and mice used in research; horses not used for research; and farm animals used for food/fiber or production improvement.
• Brings additional facilities and activities (research, exhibition, dealers, breeders, transporters) involving newly covered species under AWA licensing, inspection, and care standards.
• Does not appropriate funds or create new programs; implementation would rely on USDA/APHIS rulemaking and enforcement capacity.
• Could increase compliance costs and administrative work for universities, zoos/aquaria, private exhibitors, and parts of the pet trade.
• May prompt legal and regulatory clarification about which specific species and uses are covered in practice.
• Focuses solely on who is covered by the statute rather than altering substantive AWA standards or penalties.