Help Pass Goldie’s Act to Hold Animal Welfare Act Violators Accountable

The Animal Welfare Act (AWA), passed in 1966, is the primary U.S. law governing the living conditions of a variety of animals. It sets minimum standards for their care, treatment, and housing in research, exhibitions, transport, and commercial breeding. The law requires covered animals to receive adequate food, water, shelter, and veterinary care, while establishing guidelines for humane handling and transportation. Facilities under the AWA must be licensed or registered and subject to inspections to ensure compliance.

While the law had good intentions, the AWA is now significantly outdated and has been weakly enforced, with infrequent inspections and minimal penalties for violations, allowing repeat offenders to go unpunished. This lack of meaningful consequences enables ongoing neglect and abuse, as facilities can repeatedly fail to meet basic standards without serious repercussions. Additionally, outdated provisions fail to provide proper oversight, leaving vulnerable animals without the protection they need. Strengthening enforcement and increasing penalties are critical to holding violators accountable and preventing further suffering.

Thankfully, a bipartisan bill aimed at increasing enforcement and penalties for AWA violations has been reintroduced. Goldie’s Act, initially introduced in 2021, was named after a golden retriever who suffered at the hands of Iowa puppy mill breeder Daniel Gingerich. 

Gingerich accumulated 190 AWA violations in just two years, yet the USDA failed to act effectively. One of his victims, a golden retriever known only as #142, was found emaciated and in need of urgent care during a USDA inspection in April 2021. Despite this, she was left behind to suffer, and when investigators returned in July, she was in such poor condition that euthanasia was the only option.

Following a DOJ lawsuit, Gingerich's USDA license was revoked, and over 500 dogs were rescued from his mill, but it was too late for #142. The case highlighted serious gaps in AWA enforcement and underscored the law’s limitations in saving animals from abuse. After this tragedy, a bipartisan group of lawmakers gave #142 the honorary name “Goldie” and introduced Goldie’s Act to prevent similar cases in the future.

Goldie’s Act (H.R.349) mandates more frequent inspections of research facilities, dealers, and exhibitors. It requires inspectors to confiscate or humanely euthanize animals found to be suffering due to non-compliance and mandates the Secretary of Agriculture to share violation records with local animal control and law enforcement within 24 hours. It also increases civil penalties, up to $10,000 per violation, and establishes a hearing process involving veterinarians and animal care specialists.

Goldie should never have been left to suffer and die at the hands of a repeat violator. If this law passes, animals like Goldie will finally get the second chance they deserve.

The bill garnered 115 bipartisan cosponsors in the 118th Congress but fell short of passing. We can ensure this important law finally gets across the finish line. If you live in the U.S., please reach out to your representative and ask them to cosponsor Goldie’s Act.

This is the list of original cosponsors for the current bill: Reps. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY-11), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-8), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1), Mike Quigley (D-IL-5), Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ-4), and Zachary Nunn (R-IA-3). If your representative is on this list, the form will allow you to send a message thanking them for supporting this compassionate legislation.

If you don’t live in the United States you can help raise awareness for this important bill by sharing this petition on social media.