[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 206 (Thursday, October 24, 2013)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 63408]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-25004]


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 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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  Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 206 / Thursday, October 24, 2013 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 63408]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

9 CFR Parts 2 and 3

[Docket No. APHIS-2012-0107]


Petition To Amend Animal Welfare Act Regulations To Prohibit 
Public Contact With Big Cats, Bears, and Nonhuman Primates

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; reopening of comment period.

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SUMMARY: We are reopening the comment period for a petition requesting 
amendments to the Animal Welfare Act regulations and standards, 
including to prohibit licensees from allowing individuals, with certain 
exceptions, from coming into direct or physical contact with big cats, 
bears, or nonhuman primates of any age, to define the term ``sufficient 
distance,'' and to prohibit the public handling of young or immature 
big cats, bears, and nonhuman primates and the separation of such 
animals from their dams before the species-typical age of weaning 
absent medical necessity. This action will allow interested persons 
additional time to prepare and submit comments.

DATES: The comment period for the notice published on August 5, 2013 
(78 FR 47215) is reopened. We will consider all comments that we 
receive on or before November 18, 2013.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2012-0107-0001.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2012-0107, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, 
APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1238.
    Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may 
be viewed at http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2012-
0107 or in our reading room, which 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) 799-7039 before coming.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Barbara Kohn, DVM, Senior Staff 
Officer, USDA, APHIS, Animal Care, 4700 River Road Unit 84, Riverdale, 
MD 20737-1234; (301) 851-3751.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 5, 2013, we published in the 
Federal Register (78 FR 47215-47217, Docket No. APHIS-2012-0107) a 
notice \1\ making available for comment a petition requesting 
amendments to the Animal Welfare Act regulations and standards, 
including to prohibit licensees from allowing individuals, with certain 
exceptions, from coming into direct or physical contact with big cats, 
bears, or nonhuman primates of any age, to define the term ``sufficient 
distance,'' and to prohibit the public handling of young or immature 
big cats, bears, and nonhuman primates and the separation of such 
animals from their dams before the species-typical age of weaning 
absent medical necessity.
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    \1\ To view the notice, petition, and the comments we have 
received, go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-
2012-0107.
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    Comments on the petition were required to be received on or before 
October 4, 2013. We are reopening the comment period on Docket No. 
APHIS-2012-0107 for an additional 45 days. This action will allow 
interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments. We 
will also consider all comments received between October 5, 2013 (the 
day after the close of the original comment period) and the date of 
this notice.

    Authority:  7 U.S.C. 2131-2159; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.7.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 18th day of October 2013.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-25004 Filed 10-23-13; 8:45 am]
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