United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office Resources, Community, and Economic Development Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1995-10-30 monographic deposited born digital 23 p. GA 1.13:RCED-96-3 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-RCED-96-3 P0b002ee1803a411b f:rc96003 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-RCED-96-3 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-RCED-96-3 RCED-96-3 Domestic animals Agricultural programs Animal husbandry Losses Wildlife management Agricultural policies Endangered animals USDA Animal Damage Control Program California Nevada Texas Wyoming Letter Report RCED

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal Damage Control (ADC) Program, focusing on the extent to which ADC field personnel use nonlethal methods to control livestock predators.<p/>GAO found that: (1) ADC field personnel in 4 western states use lethal methods to control livestock predators despite written USDA policies and procedures giving preference to the use of nonlethal control methods where practical and effective; (2) ADC officials believe that the written guidance does not apply to controlling livestock predators, since nonlethal methods such as fencing and guard dogs are more appropriately used by livestock operators, have limited effectiveness, and are not practical for field personnel to use; and (3) although most of the operators requesting ADC assistance have already implemented nonlethal control methods, they are still losing livestock. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-RCED-96-3/html/GAOREPORTS-RCED-96-3.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-RCED-96-3/pdf/GAOREPORTS-RCED-96-3.pdf GAO/RCED-96-3 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-RCED-96-3 Letter Report GAO/RCED-96-3; Animal Damage Control Program: Efforts to Protect Livestock from Predators; Domestic animals Agricultural programs Animal husbandry Losses Wildlife management Agricultural policies Endangered animals USDA Animal Damage Control Program California Nevada Texas Wyoming Title 7 Section 426-426c 7 U.S.C. 426-426c