This week, the Senate passed a bill that would have funded the federal agencies whose budgets are not yet resolved (including the USDA and Department of Interior) through February 8th. But disagreements with the President and some members of Congress produced no path forward, and now, unless the full Congress and the White House reach a new agreement to fund federal operations, a partial government shutdown is set to begin at midnight tonight.
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During a shutdown, “non-essential” federal workers are furloughed (placed on temporary leave) while some “essential” operations continue. Because many federal agencies run programs that directly affect animals, a shutdown can have varied effects. This last happened in 2013 and then as now, there were both positive and negative results for our work. Here’s an overview from our perspective:
National Parks
If you’re planning a trip over the coming holidays to see wildlife in one our nation’s amazing national parks, you may want to reschedule. While some national parks are set to remain open, the National Park Service (NPS) will not be able to provide visitor services—including maintaining visitor centers, restrooms, and garbage cleanup. NPS has noted, however, that if access becomes a safety or resource protection issue that endangers humans or wildlife, the area of the park in question must be closed during the shutdown.
Wild horses and burros
The Bureau of Land Management considers employees who manage wild horses and burros at government holding facilities essential, so plans are in place to feed and care for the more than 50,000 wild horses and burros in short and long-term holding facilities. Scheduled removals of wild horses and burros currently on our public rangelands will likely not proceed until the shutdown has ended, a win for animals since those “gathers” are cruel and land them in long-term holding pens.
National Wildlife Refuges
National Wildlife Refuges will likely close throughout the shutdown. However, it’s good to know that the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) considers law enforcement staff members at refuges “essential” employees. In its contingency plans, FWS states that in the event of a shutdown, all federal wildlife officers of the National Wildlife Refuge System will be essential, as will conservation officers and wildlife inspectors.
Animals in research facilities, puppy mills, zoos, and circuses
USDA’s Animal Care division is charged with ensuring that minimum standards of care and treatment are provided by entities regulated under the Animal Welfare Act, including research facilities, commercial dog breeders and dealers, and exhibitors of exotic animals. Without federal government funding, USDA will not be able to inspect these facilities or bring enforcement actions in the case of facilities that are violating the Act. This means that puppy mills, laboratories, roadside zoos, and others could use the shutdown period to cut corners without fear of getting caught. Fortunately, some Animal Care employees will be placed “on call” to review complaints and to determine if a response is warranted during the shutdown.
Tennessee Walking Horses
USDA’s Animal Care division is also responsible for promoting fair competition at events covered by the Horse Protection Act to ensure that Tennessee Walking Horses and related breeds are not subjected to the abusive practice of soring. While USDA’s contingency plans do not directly address activities under the Horse Protection Act, it is likely that federal inspections will not be conducted at horse shows, giving sorers essentially free reign.
Wildlife Services
During the shutdown, the majority of USDA’s Wildlife Services staff would be furloughed, which would provide a brief reprieve for the thousands of animals killed yearly by the program. However, some Wildlife Services employees funded by cooperative agreements with private entities and state governments will continue to work.
The Wildlife Services program focuses on addressing conflicts with wild animals that cause economic harm or threaten human or animal health and safety. For decades, this program has relied on lethal control. It has provided a hefty federal subsidy for livestock owners and ranchers by relentlessly killing animals such as coyotes, wolves, bears, and mountain lions using cruel methods. One concern, which our organization expressed during the 2013 government shutdown, was the potential for prolonged suffering by those animals caught in traps that may not be checked by furloughed employees.
Wildlife Services also provides services to airports throughout the country to control wildlife populations that may impact airline travel. The USDA contingency plans state that employees who are engaged in transportation safety functions are exempted from the shutdown, so these programs will continue.
Humane slaughter
According to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Program’s contingency plans, employees who inspect meat, poultry, and egg products are essential employees and will work throughout the shutdown. Employees who manage these programs at FSIS headquarters will be furloughed, though they will be on call to support the inspection program. The contingency plans do not appear to consider how humane handling violations will be addressed if they occur. As a result, a shutdown could mean that humane slaughter violations go unaddressed, leading to unrelieved suffering.
While there are a few bright spots for animals from a shutdown, having the agencies described here largely out of commission will generally mean even weaker oversight. This is already a serious problem at USDA. We hope that the shutdown, if there is one, is short, and that the federal government gets back to work again soon.
