In response to the questions posed in this scenario, the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Animal Care (USDA, APHIS, AC) and the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW) offer the following clarification and guidance:

Abuse of a privately owned animal by the owner is outside the jurisdiction of USDA and of OLAW, even if the animal is on a PHS-supported study. The institution is obligated to report the abuse to the proper local or state authorities, and there are ethical and scientific reasons for removing the dog from the study.

Since the institution's Assurance covered all species used for research, OLAW would expect the IACUC to review the trial. USDA would expect likewise, if the clinical trial was conducted under funding from a Federal agency.