USDA Violation Types
Every documented animal welfare violation across licensed facilities
What Are USDA Animal Welfare Violations?
Understanding what inspectors look for and what citations mean
Every USDA-licensed animal facility in the United States is subject to unannounced inspections by federal veterinary medical officers and animal care inspectors employed by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). These inspections are mandated by the Animal Welfare Act, first signed into law in 1966 and amended multiple times since. Inspectors evaluate dozens of specific standards covering housing, feeding, watering, sanitation, veterinary care, ventilation, lighting, temperature control, structural integrity of enclosures, and the handling and transportation of animals.
When an inspector finds a condition that does not meet the minimum federal standard, they issue a citation — commonly called a violation. Each violation is assigned a specific regulatory code (such as 3.1(a) for housing standards or 2.40(b)(2) for veterinary care) and categorized by severity. The three severity levels are Critical, Direct, and Non-Critical, each carrying different implications for animal welfare and different urgency for corrective action.
The table below shows the most frequently cited violation codes across all USDA-inspected facilities in our database. Understanding which violations occur most often helps buyers and advocates identify systemic issues in the commercial breeding industry rather than isolated incidents at individual facilities. Some codes appear thousands of times across hundreds of breeders, pointing to industry-wide challenges in meeting basic animal welfare standards.
Most Common Violations
Top 100 violation codes ranked by how often they appear in USDA inspection reports
| # | Code | Description | Severity | Occurrences | Repeat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2.126(b) | ACCESS AND INSPECTION OF RECORDS AND PROPERTY; SUBMISSION OF ITINERARIES. | Non-Critical | 7,104 | 1,327 |
| 2 | 3.125(a) | FACILITIES, GENERAL. | Non-Critical | 2,445 | 817 |
| 3 | 2.40(b)(2) | ATTENDING VETERINARIAN AND ADEQUATE VETERINARY CARE (DEALERS AND EXHIBITORS). | Non-Critical | 2,043 | 571 |
| 4 | 2.75(b)(1) | RECORDS: DEALERS AND EXHIBITORS. | Non-Critical | 1,109 | 262 |
| 5 | 2.40(a)(1) | Attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care (dealers and exhibitors). | Non-Critical | 959 | 164 |
| 6 | 2.40(b)(2) | ATTENDING VETERINARIAN AND ADEQUATE VETERINARY CARE (DEALERS AND EXHIBITORS). | Direct | 876 | 376 |
| 7 | 3.131(c) | SANITATION. | Non-Critical | 861 | 231 |
| 8 | 3.127(d) | FACILITIES, OUTDOOR. | Non-Critical | 847 | 242 |
| 9 | 3.131(a) | Sanitation. | Non-Critical | 696 | 211 |
| 10 | 3.131(d) | SANITATION. | Non-Critical | 595 | 138 |
| 11 | 2.40(b)(3) | ATTENDING VETERINARIAN AND ADEQUATE VETERINARY CARE (DEALERS AND EXHIBITORS). | Non-Critical | 552 | 100 |
| 12 | 3.130 | WATERING. | Non-Critical | 492 | 108 |
| 13 | 3.1(c)(3) | HOUSING FACILITIES, GENERAL. | Non-Critical | 439 | 107 |
| 14 | 2.75(a)(1) | RECORDS: DEALERS AND EXHIBITORS. | Non-Critical | 420 | 85 |
| 15 | 2.131(c)(1) | Handling of animals. | Non-Critical | 412 | 87 |
| 16 | 3.1(a) | HOUSING FACILITIES, GENERAL. | Non-Critical | 398 | 77 |
| 17 | 3.154 | Environment enhancement to promote psychological well-being. | Non-Critical | 396 | 41 |
| 18 | 3.11(a) | CLEANING, SANITIZATION, HOUSEKEEPING, AND PEST CONTROL. | Non-Critical | 392 | 75 |
| 19 | 3.125(c) | Facilities, general. | Non-Critical | 357 | 65 |
| 20 | 3.13(a)(3) | Veterinary care for dogs. | Non-Critical | 318 | 28 |
| 21 | 2.40(b)(3) | Attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care (dealers and exhibitors). | Direct | 313 | 101 |
| 22 | 3.1(c)(2) | HOUSING FACILITIES, GENERAL. | Non-Critical | 303 | 65 |
| 23 | 3.11(b)(2) | CLEANING, SANITIZATION, HOUSEKEEPING, AND PEST CONTROL. | Non-Critical | 297 | 65 |
| 24 | 2.126(a)(2) | Access and inspection of records and property; submission of itineraries. | Non-Critical | 289 | 26 |
| 25 | 2.31(c)(3) | Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). | Non-Critical | 285 | 41 |
| 26 | 3.127(b) | Facilities, outdoor. | Non-Critical | 281 | 60 |
| 27 | 2.1(a)(1) | REQUIREMENTS AND APPLICATION. | Non-Critical | 275 | 34 |
| 28 | 3.11(c) | CLEANING, SANITIZATION, HOUSEKEEPING, AND PEST CONTROL. | Non-Critical | 264 | 48 |
| 29 | 2.38(b) | MISCELLANEOUS. | Non-Critical | 263 | 24 |
| 30 | 3.129(a) | FEEDING. | Non-Critical | 257 | 51 |
| 31 | 3.127(c) | FACILITIES, OUTDOOR. | Non-Critical | 256 | 46 |
| 32 | 3.31(a)(1) | SANITATION. | Non-Critical | 248 | 67 |
| 33 | 3.11(d) | CLEANING, SANITIZATION, HOUSEKEEPING, AND PEST CONTROL. | Non-Critical | 247 | 49 |
| 34 | 3.81 | ENVIRONMENT ENHANCEMENT TO PROMOTE PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING. | Non-Critical | 244 | 50 |
| 35 | 2.131(d)(2) | Handling of animals. | Non-Critical | 241 | 79 |
| 36 | 2.134(a) | Contingency planning. | Non-Critical | 236 | 11 |
| 37 | 2.50(a)(1) | TIME AND METHOD OF IDENTIFICATION. | Non-Critical | 224 | 46 |
| 38 | 3.1(e) | HOUSING FACILITIES, GENERAL. | Non-Critical | 223 | 23 |
| 39 | 3.31(b) | SANITATION. | Non-Critical | 220 | 48 |
| 40 | 3.125(a) | Facilities, general. | Critical | 192 | 44 |
| 41 | 3.75(a) | HOUSING FACILITIES, GENERAL. | Non-Critical | 180 | 21 |
| 42 | 2.131(b)(1) | HANDLING OF ANIMALS. | Non-Critical | 171 | 15 |
| 43 | 2.33(b)(2) | ATTENDING VETERINARIAN AND ADEQUATE VETERINARY CARE. | Non-Critical | 170 | 27 |
| 44 | 2.31(c)(7) | Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). | Non-Critical | 168 | 26 |
| 45 | 2.40(a)(2) | ATTENDING VETERINARIAN AND ADEQUATE VETERINARY CARE (DEALERS AND EXHIBITORS). | Non-Critical | 168 | 21 |
| 46 | 3.129(b) | FEEDING. | Non-Critical | 158 | 34 |
| 47 | 2.131(b)(1) | HANDLING OF ANIMALS. | Critical | 157 | 5 |
| 48 | 3.128 | SPACE REQUIREMENTS. | Non-Critical | 156 | 25 |
| 49 | 3.1(f) | HOUSING FACILITIES, GENERAL. | Non-Critical | 155 | 24 |
| 50 | 3.84(d) | Cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. | Non-Critical | 154 | 32 |
| 51 | 2.50(a)(2) | TIME AND METHOD OF IDENTIFICATION. | Non-Critical | 151 | 20 |
| 52 | 3.4(b) | OUTDOOR HOUSING FACILITIES. | Non-Critical | 150 | 16 |
| 53 | 3.56(a)(1) | SANITATION. | Non-Critical | 148 | 21 |
| 54 | 3.28(a)(1) | Primary enclosures. | Non-Critical | 146 | 35 |
| 55 | 3.53(a)(1) | PRIMARY ENCLOSURES. | Non-Critical | 145 | 25 |
| 56 | 3.13(a) | Veterinary care for dogs. | Non-Critical | 143 | 5 |
| 57 | 3.125(d) | FACILITIES, GENERAL. | Non-Critical | 139 | 41 |
| 58 | 2.38(f)(1) | MISCELLANEOUS. | Critical | 135 | 22 |
| 59 | 3.132 | EMPLOYEES. | Non-Critical | 133 | 53 |
| 60 | 2.126(c) | ACCESS AND INSPECTION OF RECORDS AND PROPERTY; SUBMISSION OF ITINERARIES. | Non-Critical | 132 | 35 |
| 61 | 2.75(a)(2) | Records: Dealers and exhibitors. | Non-Critical | 132 | 15 |
| 62 | 2.31(e)(3) | INSTITUTIONAL ANIMAL CARE AND USE COMMITTEE (IACUC). | Non-Critical | 129 | 12 |
| 63 | 3.75(c)(3) | HOUSING FACILITIES, GENERAL. | Non-Critical | 128 | 39 |
| 64 | 3.84(c) | Cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. | Non-Critical | 125 | 17 |
| 65 | 2.31(c)(2) | INSTITUTIONAL ANIMAL CARE AND USE COMMITTEE (IACUC). | Non-Critical | 125 | 9 |
| 66 | 2.31(c)(1) | INSTITUTIONAL ANIMAL CARE AND USE COMMITTEE (IACUC). | Non-Critical | 125 | 17 |
| 67 | 3.1(c)(1)(1) | HOUSING FACILITIES, GENERAL. | Non-Critical | 123 | 32 |
| 68 | 3.25(a) | FACILITIES, GENERAL. | Non-Critical | 121 | 44 |
| 69 | 3.13(b)(3) | Veterinary care for dogs. | Non-Critical | 118 | 9 |
| 70 | 3.6(a)(2)(1) | PRIMARY ENCLOSURES. | Non-Critical | 117 | 26 |
| 71 | 3.8 | Exercise for dogs. | Non-Critical | 117 | 8 |
| 72 | 3.127(a) | FACILITIES, OUTDOOR. | Non-Critical | 115 | 16 |
| 73 | 3.84(a) | Cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. | Non-Critical | 114 | 30 |
| 74 | 3.30 | WATERING. | Non-Critical | 114 | 23 |
| 75 | 3.9(b) | FEEDING. | Non-Critical | 112 | 24 |
| 76 | 3.4(b)(3) | OUTDOOR HOUSING FACILITIES. | Non-Critical | 110 | 24 |
| 77 | 2.33(b)(3) | Attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care. | Non-Critical | 108 | 12 |
| 78 | 3.1(b) | HOUSING FACILITIES, GENERAL. | Non-Critical | 108 | 29 |
| 79 | 3.75(e) | Housing facilities, general. | Non-Critical | 108 | 11 |
| 80 | 3.75(c)(1) | HOUSING FACILITIES, GENERAL. | Non-Critical | 108 | 23 |
| 81 | 3.6(a)(2)(i) | PRIMARY ENCLOSURES. | Non-Critical | 103 | 10 |
| 82 | 3.1(c)(1) | HOUSING FACILITIES, GENERAL. | Non-Critical | 102 | 14 |
| 83 | 2.31(e)(2) | Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). | Non-Critical | 101 | 8 |
| 84 | 2.134 | Contingency planning. | Non-Critical | 100 | 10 |
| 85 | 2.134(b) | Contingency planning. | Non-Critical | 99 | 1 |
| 86 | 3.4(b)(4) | OUTDOOR HOUSING FACILITIES. | Non-Critical | 98 | 13 |
| 87 | 3.4(c) | OUTDOOR HOUSING FACILITIES. | Non-Critical | 96 | 20 |
| 88 | 3.13(a)(4) | Veterinary care for dogs. | Non-Critical | 96 | 4 |
| 89 | 2.40(b)(3) | Attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care (dealers and exhibitors). | Critical | 93 | 18 |
| 90 | 3.1(c)(1)(i) | Housing facilities, general. | Non-Critical | 92 | 16 |
| 91 | 3.6(a)(1) | PRIMARY ENCLOSURES. | Non-Critical | 92 | 10 |
| 92 | 3.50(a) | FACILITIES, GENERAL. | Non-Critical | 91 | 14 |
| 93 | 2.131(c)(1) | Handling of animals. | Critical | 91 | 15 |
| 94 | 2.40(b)(1) | Attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care (dealers and exhibitors). | Non-Critical | 91 | 7 |
| 95 | 3.130 | Watering. | Direct | 91 | 30 |
| 96 | 2.38(f)(1) | MISCELLANEOUS. | Non-Critical | 90 | 11 |
| 97 | 3.75(c)(2) | Housing facilities, general. | Non-Critical | 89 | 15 |
| 98 | 2.1(b)(1) | Requirements and application | Non-Critical | 88 | 14 |
| 99 | 3.6(a)(2)(10) | PRIMARY ENCLOSURES. | Non-Critical | 88 | 13 |
| 100 | 3.56(c) | SANITATION. | Non-Critical | 86 | 10 |
Understanding Violation Severity
USDA classifies violations into three severity levels
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Critical
A violation that poses a serious or imminent threat to the health, safety, or well-being of an animal. These require immediate corrective action and carry the heaviest penalties.
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Direct
A violation that is directly related to animal welfare but does not pose an immediate threat. These indicate conditions that could become harmful if not corrected in a timely manner.
i
Non-Critical
A violation related to record-keeping, documentation, or facility maintenance that does not directly impact animal welfare. Still important for overall compliance and accountability.
Frequently Asked Questions About Violations
The number varies widely depending on how long a facility has been licensed and how many inspections it has undergone. A breeder that has operated for ten years may have accumulated a dozen non-critical citations while maintaining generally good conditions, whereas a newer facility might receive multiple critical violations on its very first inspection. On average, USDA-licensed breeders in our database have between two and five documented violations. However, averages can be misleading — a small number of chronic offenders with dozens or even hundreds of violations pull the average up significantly. What matters most is the severity and recency of violations, not just the count. A single critical violation from last month is far more concerning than five non-critical citations from a decade ago.
Yes, but it rarely happens quickly. The USDA enforcement process typically begins with written warnings, followed by stipulation agreements that may include fines and mandated corrective action plans. If a facility continues to violate standards after these steps, USDA can pursue a formal administrative complaint, which goes before an administrative law judge. Only after this process can a license be permanently revoked. In practice, many chronically non-compliant breeders choose to surrender their license voluntarily before formal revocation. The entire process from first serious citation to license action can take years. Animal welfare advocates have long criticized this timeline as too slow to protect animals from ongoing harm at the worst facilities.
A repeat violation occurs when an inspector documents the same type of violation at a facility that was cited for the identical issue on a previous inspection. For example, if a breeder receives a citation for inadequate veterinary care in January and the same problem is found during a follow-up inspection in June, the second citation is flagged as a repeat. Repeat violations are particularly important because they indicate that the breeder was aware of a problem, was given time to correct it, and either chose not to or failed to do so. On BreederCheck, repeat violations carry an extra penalty in our grading algorithm because they reflect a pattern of negligence rather than a one-time oversight. When researching a breeder, pay close attention to whether their violations include repeat offenses.
The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) is a federal law that sets minimum standards for the care of animals at licensed commercial facilities. It is enforced by the USDA and applies uniformly across all states. However, individual states can and do pass their own animal welfare laws that may exceed federal standards. For instance, some states require breeders to be licensed at the state level even if they fall below the USDA threshold for federal licensing. Other states have enacted laws limiting the number of breeding animals a single facility can house, requiring annual veterinary examinations, or mandating exercise standards that go beyond what the AWA requires. The data on BreederCheck reflects only federal USDA inspections and violations — state-level enforcement actions are handled by different agencies and are not included in our database.
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