[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 62 (Wednesday, April 1, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15826-15827]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-8536]
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Notices
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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Federal Register/Vol. 63, No. 62/Wednesday, April 1, 1998/Notices
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 98-007-1]
Animal Welfare; Veterinary Care for Elephants
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Policy statement.
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SUMMARY: Regulations promulgated under the Animal Welfare Act require
animal dealers and exhibitors to establish and use appropriate methods
to prevent, control, diagnose, and treat diseases in animals covered by
the Act. This document gives notice that, for elephant dealers and
exhibitors, appropriate methods must include periodic testing of their
elephants for tuberculosis and, if necessary, treating them for
tuberculosis and/or quarantining them. In addition, to protect the
health of elephants that have not been exposed to the disease, all
attendants, handlers, and trainees who have direct contact with
elephants must be tested for tuberculosis on at least an annual basis.
We are taking this action because several cases of tuberculosis, a
potentially fatal disease affecting humans and many species of animals,
have been diagnosed in the United States among elephants, which are
regulated under the Animal Welfare Act.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Bettye K. Walters, Staff
Veterinarian, Animal Care, APHIS, USDA, 4700 River Road Unit 84,
Riverdale, MD 20737-1234, (301) 734-7833.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) (7 U.S.C. 2131
et seq.) authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to promulgate
standards and other requirements governing the humane handling,
housing, care, treatment, and transportation of certain animals by
dealers, exhibitors, and other regulated entities. The Secretary of
Agriculture has delegated the responsibility for enforcing the AWA to
the Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
(APHIS). Regulations established under the AWA are contained in 9 CFR
parts 1, 2, and 3. The APHIS Animal Care program ensures compliance
with the AWA regulations by conducting inspections of premises with
regulated animals.
Subpart D of 9 CFR part 2 consists of Sec. 2.40, ``Attending
veterinarian and adequate veterinary care (dealers and exhibitors).''
Paragraph (b) of Sec. 2.40 requires each dealer and exhibitor to
establish and maintain programs of adequate veterinary care, and
paragraph (b)(2) requires, specifically, ``the use of appropriate
methods to prevent, control, diagnose, and treat diseases and injuries
* * *'' of regulated animals.
We have determined that, to comply with Sec. 2.40, dealers and
exhibitors of elephants must take specific actions to prevent, control,
diagnose, and treat tuberculosis, a contagious disease affecting many
species of animals, including elephants, and humans. If left untreated
or if treated improperly, tuberculosis can cause death. Recently,
several elephants owned by AWA-licensed exhibitors have tested culture
positive for tuberculosis, and a few elephants have died from this
disease. Elephants with tuberculosis can transmit the disease to other
elephants, other animals, and, potentially, to humans.
In response to concerns about the incidence of tuberculosis among
several species of animals, the Tuberculosis Committee of the U.S.
Animal Health Association recently formed the National Tuberculosis
Working Group for Zoo and Wildlife Species. This working group, with
broad participation from several organizations, including the American
Association of Zoo Veterinarians and the American Zoo and Aquarium
Association, developed guidelines, completed in November 1997, for the
control of tuberculosis in elephants. The guidelines specify criteria
for the testing, surveillance, and treatment of elephants for
tuberculosis and establish travel restrictions and quarantines for
elephants that fall into certain categories. Because the possibility
exists that humans could transmit the disease to elephants, the
guidelines also require that all persons such as attendants, handlers,
and trainees that have direct contact with elephants be tested for
tuberculosis on at least an annual basis.
We are giving notice that dealers and exhibitors of elephants must
either follow the guidelines developed by the National Tuberculosis
Working Group for Zoo and Wildlife Species or provide a comparable
testing and monitoring protocol that meets our goals of ensuring the
welfare of elephants and minimizing the potential spread of
tuberculosis. Dealers and exhibitors who wish to use a protocol other
than the recommended guidelines must have the protocol reviewed and
approved by APHIS prior to implementation. To request a copy of the
guidelines or to request review of an alternate protocol, contact one
of our Animal Care regional offices:
Eastern Regional Office, Annapolis, MD, (410) 571-8692;
Central Regional Office, Ft. Worth, TX, (817) 885-6923;
Western Regional Office, Sacramento, CA, (916) 857-6205.
In addition, a copy of the guidelines is available for review in
the APHIS reading room at USDA, room 1141, South Building, 14th Street
and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC, between 8 a.m. and 4:30
p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. Persons wishing to gain
access to the reading room are requested to call ahead on (202) 690-
2817 to facilitate entry. The guidelines are also available on the
Internet at www.aphis.usda.gov/ac.
Notice of this policy change was given in January 1998 to all AWA-
licensed dealers and exhibitors of elephants. This policy change is in
effect, and dealers and exhibitors are expected to be in compliance.
Dealers and exhibitors must maintain documentation that elephants are
being cared for in accordance with the recommended guidelines or an
APHIS-approved protocol, and APHIS inspectors will review such
documentation during routine inspections. The information collection
requirements associated with programs of adequate veterinary care have
been approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control
number 0579-0036.
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Done in Washington, DC, this 24th day of March 1998.
Terry L. Medley,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 98-8536 Filed 3-31-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P