Urge the USDA-APHIS to Regulate Bird Care, Handling, and Transportation
Do your part to influence new regulations and standards
under the Animal Welfare Act to ensure that parrots and other birds in
commercial facilities, as well as some rats and mice, are afforded humane
standards of care, handling and transportation. The U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
is accepting
public comments on the proposed rule-making through November 1, 2004.
Talking Points to Emphasize in Your Comments to the USDA-APHIS
The new regulations covering certain birds, rats, and mice
under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) should, at a minimum, accomplish the
following:
•
Extend enforcement of the AWA to
all animals not specifically excluded by Congress in 2002, in all
categories: use in research/testing/teaching, and for breeding,
wholesale pet sales, exhibition, and in transportation.
•
Require environmental enrichment
for all these animals, in every covered circumstance. Achieving
the AWA's goal of ensuring "humane care and treatment"
for animals used in research, entertainment, and as pets requires
that the species-specific physical and psychological needs of the
animal be met whatever the setting.
•
Require health certificates for
all animals and mandatory testing of birds being transported to
prevent the transmission of disease and to provide a further barrier
to the illegal trade in wild-caught birds.
•
Prohibit the transport and sale
of unweaned baby birds in commerce. These young, fragile birds are
at a great risk of succumbing to disease, mishandling, and the extreme
hazards of transport.
•
Regulate retail pet stores that
sell the larger species of birds, such as parrots, including conures,
macaws, and cockatoos. Retail sales of other wild and exotic animals
are regulated; these regulations should include birds because captive-bred
birds are still wild by nature and have not been "domesticated."
The minimum protections afforded under the AWA have been
denied to these species far too long; the Department should propose new
regulations quickly.
Take Action!
Use the above Talking Points to send comments to the USDA-APHIS.
Be sure to include your name and address and "Docket No. 98-106-4."
Submit comments using one of the following four methods:
USDA-APHIS E-Comments Online Form (Preferred Method)
regulations@aphis.usda.gov.
Your comments must be contained in the body of the e-mail; do not send
an attachment. Put "Docket No. 98-106-4" in the Subject line.
I fully support the inclusion of birds, rats,
and mice under the Animal Welfare Act and I appreciate the opportunity
to offer these comments for the proposed rulemaking on regulations
and standards to cover these animals.
Please consider the following recommendations:
1) Extend enforcement of the AWA to all animals
not specifically excluded by Congress in 2002, in all categories:
use in research/testing/teaching, and for breeding, wholesale pet
sales, exhibition, and in transportation.
2) Require environmental enrichment for all
these animals, in every covered circumstance. Achieving the AWA's
goal of ensuring "humane care and treatment" for animals
used in research, entertainment, and as pets requires that the species-specific
physical and psychological needs of the animal be met whatever the
setting.
3) Require health certificates for all animals
and mandatory testing of birds being transported to prevent the
transmission of disease and to provide a further barrier to the
illegal trade in wild-caught birds.
4) Prohibit the transport and sale of unweaned
baby birds in commerce. These young, fragile birds are at a great
risk of succumbing to disease, mishandling, and the extreme hazards
of transport.
5) Regulate retail pet stores that sell the
larger species of birds, such as parrots, including conures, macaws,
and cockatoos. Retail sales of other wild and exotic animals are
regulated; this should include birds because captive-bred birds
are still wild by nature and have not been "domesticated."
Finally, I urge the Department to propose new
regulations as soon as possible. The minimum protections afforded
under the AWA have been denied to these species far too long.
