When an inspector walks through your door — unannounced — these are the records they will ask to see first. A practical checklist drawn from 9 CFR and years of inspection experience.
An unannounced inspection does not give you time to assemble your records. By the time the inspector identifies themselves, the clock is running — and the quality, completeness, and organization of your documentation is being assessed in real time. The single most effective thing a licensed facility can do to improve inspection outcomes is to maintain, at all times, the records that an inspector will ask to see first.
Drawn from 9 CFR Parts 2 and 3 and from years of inspection experience, here are the twelve records every licensed facility should have ready and organized before any inspection begins.
1. Program of Veterinary Care — Your written agreement with your attending veterinarian, including the schedule of visits, must be current and signed. An expired or unsigned program is one of the most common and most avoidable citations.
2. Animal Inventory Records — A current, accurate count of every animal on the premises, by species, with acquisition and disposition dates. The inspector will reconcile this against the animals physically present.
3. Acquisition Records — For every animal, documentation of how and when it was acquired, from whom, and the transportation records if applicable.
4. Disposition Records — For every animal that has left the facility, documentation of to whom, when, and the transportation records if applicable.
5. Veterinary Treatment Records — Every instance of veterinary care, including routine, preventive, and emergency treatment, with dates, diagnoses, treatments, and outcomes.
6. Environmental Enhancement Plan (for dogs) — The written plan for providing exercise and enrichment, as required under 9 CFR §3.8, including documentation of implementation.
7. Environmental Enhancement Plan (for nonhuman primates) — The written plan as required under 9 CFR §3.81, addressing the psychological well-being of primates.
8. Exercise Plan Documentation — For dogs, records demonstrating that each dog receives the required exercise, including methods and frequency.
9. Transport Records — All records related to the transport of animals, including containers, temperature logs, and timing documentation.
10. Facilities Maintenance Records — Documentation of cleaning schedules, sanitation, structural maintenance, and any repairs.
11. Training Records — For personnel handling animals, documentation of training in animal care and handling procedures.
12. Previous Inspection Reports and Corrections — Not just the reports themselves, but documented evidence that any previously cited noncompliances have been corrected. An inspector will check whether prior findings have been addressed.
The common thread across all twelve: these records must exist before the inspection, not during it. An inspector can distinguish between records maintained contemporaneously and records assembled retrospectively. The goal is not to have records that technically exist — it is to have records that demonstrate ongoing, continuous compliance. That distinction is what separates a clean inspection from a citation.