Standards for the Care of Breeding Female Dogs and Exercise and Socialization of Dogs

---
identifier: "/us/fr/2026-05684"
source: "fr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "Standards for the Care of Breeding Female Dogs and Exercise and Socialization of Dogs"
title_number: 0
title_name: "Federal Register"
section_number: "2026-05684"
section_name: "Standards for the Care of Breeding Female Dogs and Exercise and Socialization of Dogs"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
agency: "Agriculture Department"
document_number: "2026-05684"
document_type: "proposed_rule"
publication_date: "2026-03-24"
agencies:
  - "Agriculture Department"
  - "Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service"
cfr_references:
  - "9 CFR Part 3"
fr_citation: "91 FR 13978"
fr_volume: 91
docket_ids:
  - "Docket No. APHIS-2025-1000"
effective_date: "2026-02-17"
comments_close_date: "2026-04-20"
fr_action: "Request for information; reopening of comment period."
---


#  Standards for the Care of Breeding Female Dogs and Exercise and Socialization of Dogs

**AGENCY:**

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

**ACTION:**

Request for information; reopening of comment period.

**SUMMARY:**

We are reopening the comment period for a request for information soliciting comments regarding appropriate standards for the care of breeding female dogs at dog breeding facilities and exercise and socialization of dogs subject to the Animal Welfare Act. This action will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments.

**DATES:**

The comment period for the request for information published on February 17, 2026 (91 FR 7162-7163) is reopened. We will consider all comments that we receive on or before April 20, 2026.

**ADDRESSES:**

You may submit comments by either of the following methods:

• *Federal eRulemaking Portal:* Go to *www.regulations.gov.* Enter APHIS-2025-1000 in the Search field. Select the Documents tab, then select the Comment button in the list of documents.

• *Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery:* Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2025-1000, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, 5601 Sunnyside Ave., #AP760, Beltsville, MD 20705.

Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may be viewed at *Regulations.gov* or in our reading room, which is located in room 1620 of the USDA South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, please call (202) 799-7039 before coming.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:**

Ms. Christine Jones, Acting Animal Care Chief of Staff, 2150 Centre Ave. Bldg. B,  Mailstop 3W11, Fort Collins, CO 80526; (970) 494-7478.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:**

On February 17, 2026, we published in the *Federal Register* a request for information (91 FR 7162-7163, Docket No. APHIS-2025-1000) soliciting comments regarding appropriate standards for the care of breeding female dogs at dog breeding facilities and exercise and socialization of dogs subject to the Animal Welfare Act.

Comments on the request for information were initially required to be received on or before March 19, 2026. We are reopening the comment period on Docket No. APHIS-2025-1000 until April 20, 2026. We will also consider all comments received between March 20, 2026 (the day after the close of the original comment period) and the date of this notice.

This action will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments.

**Authority:**

7 U.S.C. 2131-2159; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.7.

Done in Washington, DC, this 19th day of March 2026.

Kelly Moore,

Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.