In 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) 

published the 2020 Licensing Rule. It amended the 

Animal Welfare Act and added several veterinary care 

requirements for dogs. These additional requirements 

strengthen safeguards and help to ensure humane care 

for dogs covered under the Act.

Veterinary Care Requirements 

The following requirements continue to apply to all animals:

 All licensees and registered research facilities must 

employ an attending veterinarian. 

 Part-time or consulting attending veterinarians must 

develop a written program of veterinary care and 

make regularly scheduled visits to the facility. 

 Licensees and registered facilities must give the 

attending veterinarian appropriate authority to ensure 

adequate veterinary care is provided to all animals 

at the facility. That means the attending veterinarian 

directs or approves all protocols and decisions on 

preventive, diagnostic, and treatment plans, and 

animal caretakers must follow this guidance. 

 Facilities must provide adequate care as directed by 

the attending veterinarian, including daily observation of 

animals and having direct and frequent communication 

with the attending veterinarian when there are signs of 

health or behavioral problems.

Veterinary Care Requirements

for Dogs Added in 2020 

The 2020 Licensing Rule expands requirements for the 

written program of veterinary care and medical records for 

dogs. Section 3.13 of the Animal Welfare Act contains the new 

requirements. These additional requirements do not change, 

supersede, or nullify any of the requirements listed above.

Program of Veterinary Care for Dogs

One significant change established by the 2020 Licensing 

Rule is that all facilities with dogs, even those with a fulltime attending veterinarian on staff, must develop a written 

program of veterinary care that includes the following:

 Regularly scheduled visits by the attending veterinarian 

to assess the facility and its care and use of dogs at 

least once every 12 months 

 Head-to-tail physical examinations of each dog by 

the attending veterinarian or designated consulting 

veterinarian at least once every 12 months

 A vaccination schedule* for contagious and/or deadly 

diseases of dogs (including rabies, parvovirus, 

and distemper)

 A schedule* for the sampling and treatment of parasites 

and other pests, including fleas, worms, coccidia, 

giardia, and heartworm 

 A preventative care plan to ensure dogs have healthy, 

unmatted coats; properly trimmed nails; and clean and 

healthy eyes, ears, skin, and teeth 

* Research facilities may exempt specific dogs from these schedules if 

 required by a research protocol that the facility’s Institutional Animal Care 

 and Use Committee has approved.

Veterinary Care Changes Under the 2020 Licensing Rule

Animal Care Tech Note
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. www.aphis.usda.gov/animal-welfare AC-22-002 | Issued March 2022

Medical Records for Dogs

Section 3.13(b) of the Animal Welfare Act also requires all 

facilities to keep copies of medical records for dogs and 

have them available during inspections. Medical records 

must include the following: 

 The dog’s identity, including tag, tattoo, or microchip 

number; identifying marks; breed; sex; and age*

 The date and description of any problem identified, 

examination and test results, plan for treatment and 

care, and procedures performed, when appropriate

 Names of all vaccines and other treatments

administered and the dates given

 Dates and results of all screening, including routine 

or recommended testing (such as for heartworms 

and intestinal parasites)

* Routine husbandry, such as vaccines, preventive medical procedures, 

 or parasite prevention or treatments, performed on all animals in a group 

 or herd may be kept in a group or kennel record (but must identify each 

 individual dog if not all animals in the group are treated).

Licensed facilities must keep medical records for at least 

1 year after the euthanasia, death, or disposition of a dog. 

Research facilities must keep medical records for the 

duration of the research activity and for 3 additional years. 

APHIS may extend these recordkeeping requirements, 

if needed, to comply with any applicable Federal, State, 

or local law or as notified in writing by the APHIS 

Administrator (such as in the event of an investigation). 

Written Program of Veterinary Care 

and Medical Records 

There is no required form for the written program of 

veterinary care; however, facilities and attending 

veterinarians can use APHIS Form 7002A, Program 

of Veterinary Care for Dogs. It contains sections for all 

required information listed above. You can download this 

form as a fillable PDF from the APHIS website and complete 

it with your attending veterinarian. Go to www.aphis.usda.gov 

and search for “Form 7002A.” Be sure to download and save 

the document before filling it out. You and your attending 

veterinarian can use this form or another method that 

meets the requirements.

Similarly, there is no specific form required for medical 

records, as long as the records include the information 

listed in section 3.13(b) of the Animal Welfare Act. Both 

the written program of veterinary care and medical records 

should be easy to read and understand, and copies must 

be made available during all APHIS inspections (including 

when exhibitors are traveling with regulated animals).

For More Information

Visit APHIS’ website (www.aphis.usda.gov) and search for 

“2020 Licensing Rule.” You can also download a copy of 

the rule at www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-05-13/

pdf/2020-07837.pdf. 

If you have questions, contact us:

Animal Care

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

U.S. Department of Agriculture

2150 Centre Avenue, Building B, Mailstop #3W11

Fort Collins, CO 80526-8117

(970) 494-7478

animalcare@usda.gov