As required for enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act, veterinary medical officers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture regularly conduct unannounced inspections of facilities that house animals for research. In July 2024, USDA inspectors conducted a review of animals, facilities and associated records on the UW–Madison campus.
After completing their review, USDA inspectors issued two citations. In each case, USDA’s inspection report notes that UW–Madison’s staff discovered and reported the incidents to federal agencies and/or appropriate oversight committees and had provided prompt veterinary care to injured animals.
1.9 C.F.R. § 2.38(f)(1)
In April of 2022, incorrect use of equipment used to move nonhuman primates within a facility allowed an animal to get loose in a closed room within the building and injure the tongue of another nonhuman primate. The animal received veterinary care for its injury, and staff were retained on proper use of transport equipment. UW–Madison’s largest nonhuman primate facility conducts tens of thousands of transfers of animals from one enclosure to another every year, and incidents that result in injuries are quite rare. Still, the university’s animal researchers and care staff work diligently to identify problems so that the rate to incidents can be as close to zero as possible.
1.9 C.F.R. § 3.80(a)(2)(iii)
In June of 2022, a pair of nonhuman primates apparently forced open the door of an enclosure in a closed room inside a facility and interacted with other nonhuman primates. One animal’s tongue was injured and received veterinary care. USDA required the university to maintain secure enclosures. UW–Madison staff review each incident involving equipment failure to diagnose the fault and improve the facility and procedures to prevent the reoccurrence of similar problems.