Winter 2021

Chinchillas, with their large ears and similar hearing to humans, are often used for research on ear diseases. Moulton Chinchilla Ranch in Minnesota has long been a primary supplier of chinchillas for this purpose. That appears poised to end. AWI has repeatedly called out the US Department of Agriculture for failing to enforce the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) against Moulton—who, since 2014, has amassed more direct citations than any other entity regulated under the law. In October, at long last, an administrative law judge revoked owner Daniel Moulton’s dealer license, citing a long and horrific pattern of AWA violations.