USDA inspection reports provide an important window into the treatment and oversight of animals exhibited to the public, but understanding what those records actually mean often requires looking beyond a single citation or inspection. This section examines inspection reports, documented violations and enforcement records involving facilities regulated under the federal Animal Welfare Act. Drawing upon years of advocacy, regulatory research and communication with government agencies, the goal is to place those records into meaningful context—identifying recurring concerns, tracking patterns over time and explaining the standards facilities are expected to meet. A citation does not tell the entire story, nor does a clean inspection necessarily answer every welfare question. The records are a starting point: evidence that allows us to ask better questions, follow patterns and encourage meaningful accountability for the animals these laws were created to protect.