Title 7 — AgricultureRelease 119-73
§2142 Humane standards and recordkeeping requirements at auction sales
Title 7 › Chapter CHAPTER 54— - TRANSPORTATION, SALE, AND HANDLING OF CERTAIN ANIMALS › § 2142
Summary
The Secretary can make humane care and record‑keeping rules for animals sold at auctions and can require auction operators who sell dogs or cats to be licensed and pay a fee under section 2153.
Full Legal Text
Title 7, §2142
Agriculture — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
The Secretary is authorized to promulgate humane standards and recordkeeping requirements governing the purchase, handling, or sale of animals, in commerce, by dealers, research facilities, and exhibitors at auction sales and by the operators of such auction sales. The Secretary is also authorized to require the licensing of operators of auction sales where any dogs or cats are sold, in commerce, under such conditions as he may prescribe, and upon payment of such fee as prescribed by the Secretary under section 2153 of this title.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1976—Pub. L. 94–279 substituted “in commerce” for “affecting commerce” in two places. 1970—Pub. L. 91–579 extended requirements for recordkeeping and humane standards to exhibitors and operators of auction sales, with such requirements to apply to animals as defined instead of only to cats and dogs when transactions in auction sales are affecting commerce, and required operators of auction sales to obtain a license when he sells cats or dogs and such transactions are affecting commerce, upon payment of fee prescribed by the Secretary.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 1970 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 91–579 effective one year after Dec. 24, 1970, see section 23 of Pub. L. 91–579, set out as a note under section 2131 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
7 U.S.C. § 2142
Title 7 — Agriculture
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73