Which animals were excluded from the definition of 'animal' in the 2002 amendment?

Which animals were excluded from the definition of 'animal' in the 2002 amendment?

• A. Birds, rats & mice
• B. Dogs
• C. Cats
• D. Nonhuman primates

Answer: (A)

Understanding how laws regulate animal use starts with how “animal” is defined. The 2002 amendment makes it clear that birds, rats, and mice are not included in that definition, so they fall outside the Animal Welfare Act’s oversight. This means those species aren’t subject to AWA requirements like USDA registration or IACUC review under the Act. Of course, other rules or funder policies might still apply in certain contexts, but within the AWA framework they are not regulated as “animals”. In contrast, dogs, cats, and nonhuman primates are covered by the AWA, so they remain within its regulatory scope.

Understanding how laws regulate animal use starts with how “animal” is defined. The 2002 amendment makes it clear that birds, rats, and mice are not included in that definition, so they fall outside the Animal Welfare Act’s oversight. This means those species aren’t subject to AWA requirements like USDA registration or IACUC review under the Act. Of course, other rules or funder policies might still apply in certain contexts, but within the AWA framework they are not regulated as “animals”. In contrast, dogs, cats, and nonhuman primates are covered by the AWA, so they remain within its regulatory scope.