English: Animal welfare act.
As a breeder, dealer, or exhibitor licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), you are required to identify and keep records of all dogs and cats in your possession.
Dogs and Cats: You must identify all dogs and cats 16 weeks of age or older, including those held temporarily for breeding, personal pets used for breeding or housed with breeding animals, spayed/neutered dogs and cats housed in the kennel/cattery, and exhibited dogs and cats. You must use one of three acceptable forms of official ID: tag affixed to an appropriate collar, tattoo, or microchip.
Tags and Plastic Puppy Collars:
- Must be legible and made of durable metal or plastic (see U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, Title 9, Section 2.51 for acceptable dimensions and materials).
- Must contain the letters “USDA,” your USDA license number (e.g., 48-A-0000), and the animal’s individual number (e.g., 1, 27, 32, etc.).