Excerpt from the report Foreword: This report—a national overview of domestic animal health in the United States for 2004—is a direct result of an external review of the Nation’s animal health safeguarding system. The Animal Health Safeguarding Review assessed the performance, processes, and procedures used to ensure the success of the mission of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)–Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) Veterinary Services (VS) program: to protect and to improve the health, quality, and marketability of our Nation’s animals, animal products, and veterinary biologics.