PR Newswire: ASPCA Files Federal Lawsuit Against USDA for Suppressing Critical Animal Welfare Records (PRESS RELEASE)

PR Newswire: ASPCA Files Federal Lawsuit Against USDA for Suppressing Critical Animal Welfare Records (PRESS RELEASE). “The ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), with the assistance of Cooley LLP, today filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for refusing to release critical animal welfare records requested under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). In February 2017, the USDA abruptly removed thousands of documents related to the inspection of facilities licensed under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), including zoos and commercial dog breeders. These inspection and enforcement records had been available to the public in a searchable online database for years, and their removal made it impossible for the public to know which facilities were operating in violation of federal animal protection laws.”