ASPCA official urges Congress to pass Goldie’s Act

Perry calls for congressional action

ASPCA senior vice president Nancy Perry is urging Congress to pass Goldie’s Act, arguing that the Department of Agriculture has chronically failed to enforce the Animal Welfare Act. In an argument published by The Hill, Perry says that enforcement failures have left dogs exposed to systemic abuse even as the federal law reaches its 60th year.

Perry’s case focuses on how the existing law is carried out. The Animal Welfare Act already gives the federal government a framework for protecting animals, but Perry argues that the USDA’s record shows the framework has not been enforced effectively enough to protect dogs from suffering.

Goldie’s Act is Perry’s proposed response to that enforcement problem. She is asking lawmakers to act rather than rely on the USDA’s administration of the current law alone.

The issue before Congress

Congress must decide whether to pass Goldie’s Act as a further response to abuse covered by the Animal Welfare Act. Perry presents the proposal as necessary because she views the USDA’s enforcement problems as chronic, not isolated.

The debate separates the existence of a federal animal welfare law from its practical effect. Perry’s argument is that a law cannot protect dogs when the agency responsible for enforcing it repeatedly fails to stop systemic abuse.

The next steps depend on congressional action on Goldie’s Act. The measure would need to move through the legislative process before it could become law, placing responsibility on lawmakers to decide whether the current federal approach requires additional action.