[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 245 (Friday, December 19, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77591-77592]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-30213]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 245 / Friday, December 19, 2008 / 
Notices  

[[Page 77591]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2008-0135]


Notice of Request for Revision and Extension of Approval of an 
Information Collection; Animal Welfare

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Revision and extension of approval of an information 
collection; comment request.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's 
intention to request approval of a revision and extension of an 
information collection associated with Animal Welfare Act regulations 
for the humane handling, care, treatment, and transportation of certain 
animals by dealers, research facilities, exhibitors, carriers, and 
intermediate handlers.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
February 17, 2009.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2008-0135 to submit or view comments and 
to view supporting and related materials available electronically.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send two copies of 
your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2008-0135, Regulatory Analysis and 
Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, 
Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that your comment refers to 
Docket No. APHIS-2008-0135.
    Reading Room: You may read any comments that we receive on this 
docket in our reading room. The reading room is located in room 1141 of 
the USDA South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is there to 
help you, please call (202) 690-2817 before coming.
    Other Information: Additional information about APHIS and its 
programs is available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the Animal Welfare 
Act regulations, contact Dr. Barbara Kohn, Senior Staff Veterinarian, 
Animal Care, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 84, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 
734-7833. For copies of more detailed information on the information 
collection, contact Mrs. Celeste Sickles, APHIS' Information Collection 
Coordinator, at (301) 851-2908.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Animal Welfare.
    OMB Number: 0579-0036.
    Type of Request: Revision and extension of approval of an 
information collection.
    Abstract: Under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA or Act) (7 U.S.C. 2131 
et seq.), the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to promulgate 
standards and other requirements governing the humane handling, 
housing, care, treatment, and transportation of certain animals by 
dealers, research facilities, exhibitors, carriers, and intermediate 
handlers. The Secretary of Agriculture has delegated the authority for 
enforcement of the AWA to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service (APHIS).
    The regulations in 9 CFR parts 1 through 3 were promulgated under 
the AWA to ensure the humane handling, care, treatment, and 
transportation of regulated animals under the Act. The regulations in 9 
CFR part 2 require documentation of specified information by dealers, 
research institutions, exhibitors, carriers (including foreign air 
carriers), and intermediate handlers. The regulations in 9 CFR part 2 
also require that facilities that use animals for regulated purposes 
obtain a license or register with the U.S. Department of Agriculture 
(USDA). Before being issued a USDA license, individuals are required to 
undergo prelicense inspections; once licensed, a licensee must 
periodically renew the license.
    To help ensure compliance with the AWA regulations, APHIS performs 
unannounced inspections of regulated facilities. A significant 
component of the inspection process is review of records that must be 
established and maintained by regulated facilities. The information 
contained in these records is used by APHIS inspectors to ensure that 
dealers, research facilities, exhibitors, intermediate handlers, and 
carriers comply with the Act and regulations.
    Facilities must make and maintain records that contain official 
identification for all dogs and cats and certification of those animals 
received from pounds, shelters, and private individuals. These records 
are used to ensure that stolen pets are not used for regulated 
activities. Dealers, exhibitors, and research facilities that acquire 
animals from nonlicensed persons are required to have the owners of the 
animals sign a certification statement verifying the owner's exemption 
from licensing under the Act. Records must also be maintained for 
animals other than dogs and cats when the animals are used for purposes 
regulated under the Act.
    Research facilities must also make and maintain additional records 
for animals covered under the Act that are used for teaching, testing, 
and experimentation. This information is used by APHIS personnel to 
review the research facility's animal care and use program.
    APHIS needs the reporting and recordkeeping requirements contained 
in 9 CFR part 2 to enforce the Act and regulations. APHIS also uses the 
collected information to provide a mandatory annual report of animal 
welfare activities to Congress.
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
our use of these information collection activities for an additional 3 
years.
    This notice includes a description of the information collection 
requirements currently approved by OMB under numbers 0579-0036 (Animal 
Welfare), 0579-0247 (Transportation of Animals on Foreign Air Carriers 
[part 2 requirements]), and 0579-0254 (Inspection, Licensing, and 
Procurement of Animals). After OMB approves and

[[Page 77592]]

combines the burden for the three collections under a single collection 
(number 0579-0036), the Department will retire numbers 0579-0247 and 
0579-0254.
    The purpose of this notice is to solicit comments from the public 
(as well as affected agencies) concerning our information collection. 
These comments will help us:
    (1) Evaluate whether the collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, including 
whether the information will have practical utility;
    (2) Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the burden of the 
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology 
and assumptions used;
    (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    (4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, through use, as appropriate, of automated, 
electronic, mechanical, and other collection technologies; e.g., 
permitting electronic submission of responses.
    Estimate of burden: The public reporting burden for this collection 
of information is estimated to average 0.9737631 hours per response.
    Respondents: Dealers, research facilities, exhibitors, carriers, 
and intermediate handlers; persons exempt from licensing under the AWA.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 7,402.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 13.145906.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 97,306.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 94,753 hours. (Due to 
averaging, the total annual burden hours may not equal the product of 
the annual number of responses multiplied by the reporting burden per 
response.)
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of 
public record.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 15th day of December 2008.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
 [FR Doc. E8-30213 Filed 12-18-08; 8:45 am]
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