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The Israel-Doyle Amendment would do little to protect pets. However, it would have a significant negative impact on medical research
Pet theft is already illegal. Researchers support USDA enforcement of laws that require Class “B” dealers to treat dogs and cats humanely and to purchase animals legally.
USDA has the responsibility to enforce Animal Welfare Act requirements that Class “B” dealers purchase dogs and cats legally and treat them humanely.

Dogs and cats are needed for research on human and animal health problems because their physiologies are similar to humans. These animals play an important role in the search for cures for cardiovascular, digestive, and musculoskeletal diseases.
Dogs and cats are also needed to study diseases that affect companion animals.
Purpose-bred dogs and cats are typically young and genetically homogeneous. They are suitable for certain kinds of research studies, but not for others.
Translational and pre-clinical research often needs to reintroduce variability with regard to genetics, age, and health, in order to better mirror the human patient population.
Older animals are needed for research into human health problems related to aging.
Animals of different ages and breeds are also needed to develop treatments for diseases that affect companion animals.

The Israel-Doyle Amendment would not stop pet theft because it fails to tackle the real problem: illegal dog fighting.
According to the Humane Society of the U.S., dog fighting is the driving force behind most instances of pet theft. HSUS says that dogs are trained to fight by attacking other dogs and the victims are usually stolen pets.

The Israel-Doyle Amendment would hamper medical research by making it difficult or impossible to obtain older or genetically diverse dogs and cats.
Because the of laws in fourteen states and a number of municipalities that prohibit pounds and shelters from providing unwanted dogs and cats for research, Class “B” dealers are the only source of non-purpose bred animals in those places.
The Israel-Doyle Amendment would eliminate Class “B” dealers without providing an alternative source of older and genetically diverse dogs and cats.
The Israel-Doyle Amendment would also require pounds and shelters to register with USDA and meet certain Animal Welfare Act provisions in order to provide dogs and cats for research. These rules would not apply to pounds and shelters that simply euthanize animals.
Unwanted dogs and cats would still be euthanized, but research would be stymied. (Animal People estimates that about 4.3 million unwanted dogs and cats are euthanized annually.)

Animals in research should be obtained legally and treated humanely.
Existing laws prohibit pet theft and mandate humane treatment.
Congress should provide the USDA with the resources it needs and insist that it do its job to sustain rigorous enforcement of existing animal welfare and pet safety laws.
Non-purpose bred dogs and cats play a small but vital role in medical research.