The Bird Clubs Of New Jersey
WASHINGTON, Aug. 19, 1996--The U.S. Department of Agriculture is
proposing several changes to regulations for importing pet birds into the
United States.
The proposed rule would lift requirements for veterinary inspection
at ports of entry for all pet birds imported from Canada. Pet birds of
Canadian origin, however, would need to be accompanied by a
veterinary health certificate issued by Agriculture Canada.
"No communicable disease of poultry has ever been detected in pet
birds imported from Canada," said Joan M. Arnoldi, deputy administrator
of veterinary services with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service, a part of USDA's marketing and regulatory programs mission
area. "For this reason, we believe lifting import requirements for these
birds would not pose any significant risk of introducing a poultry disease
into the United States."
The proposal would also allow pet birds imported from countries
other than Canada to be maintained under home quarantine for 30 days.
Currently, birds are quarantined for 30 days at a APHIS-operated facility.
In addition, the rule would allow microchip implants as a form of
permanent identification of U.S. pet birds.
"These actions will facilitate the importation of pet birds, while
continuing to provide protection against the introduction of poultry
diseases into our country," said Arnoldi.
For further information contact: Tracye Butler, Staff Veterinarian,
National Center for Import and Export, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit
39, Riverdale, Md. 20737-1231, (301) 734-5097.
Notice of this action was published in the Aug. 21 Federal Register.
Consideration will be given to comments on the proposed rule
received on or before Oct. 21. Comments may be received as paper
copies or by electronic mail. If you submit paper copies, an original and
three copies should be sent to Docket No. 95-057-1, Regulatory Analysis
and Development, PPD, APHIS, Suite 3C03, Unit 118, Riverdale, Md.
20737-1238.
The e-mail address for comments on this proposed rule is
95-057-1@aphis.usda.gov. Please be sure to include your full name and
organization in any comments you submit electronically. If your e-mail
comment is a duplicate of a paper copy you have submitted, please state
this in the first line of your e-mail message.
Both paper and e-mail comments may be reviewed at USDA,
Room 1141 South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue, S.W.,
Washington, D.C., between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday,
excluding holidays. Persons wishing to review comments are requested
to call ahead at (202) 690-2817 to facilitate entry into the comment
reading room.
NOTE: USDA news releases, program announcements, and media
advisories are available on the Internet. Access the APHIS Home Page
by pointing your Web browser to
http://www.aphis.usda.gov and clicking on "APHIS Press Releases."
Also, anyone with an e-mail address can sign up to receive APHIS press
releases au;tomatically. Send an e-mail message to
majordomo@info.aphis.usda.gov
and leave the subject blank. In the message, type
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The Bird Clubs Of New Jersey