An executive experienced in the senior living sector, Klaus Axen serves as CEO of Innovate Senior Living, Inc. When not growing his company, Klaus Axen supports good causes by donating to nonprofits like the Humane Society, a group committed to animal welfare issues.
In the United States, animals are protected by a federal law called the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). First passed in the mid-1960s, the act regulates animal treatment in many settings, including research, retail sales, and transport. Since its initial passage, the act has been amended by Congress numerous times, most recently in 2013.
The history of the AWA is one of gradual expansion to provide greater protection for a larger variety of species. In its original form, the act protected nonhuman primates and such animals that humans regard as pets, including dogs, cats, and hamsters.
Later, amendments broadened the AWA to cover warm-blooded animals used in research that were not classified as farm animals. In 2007, Congress added a provision to the law specifically to combat animal fighting rings notorious for abusing birds. Five years earlier, Congress had amended the AWA to outlaw the transport of animals for use in fighting ventures.
