Received this post this morning. Please note there is a deadline on responding to USDA! Believe Pat will post a sample letter. Jeanne
Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2003 21:06:12 EDT Subject: Wellpet OT - Puppy Mills and USDA regs- deadine 6/10/03 Permission to cross-post (from the siberian husky list) Folks, there's simply no excuse for animal activists to not write to the USDA in support of their proposed new regulation. If passed, this regulation will force puppy millers to keep medical records for every shot, pill, wormer, and vet visit, etc. on every dog in their kennels for at least one year after they dispose of the dog. The USDA wants to better monitor their veterinary care program. This volume of record keeping will inevitably put a substantial number of puppy millers out of business. Time is short. Your don't have to compose a lengthy letter. Just reference the docket number and say you support the proposed regulation. Please do it TODAY! You must contact the USDA before June 10, 2003. You may submit comments by postal mail or e-mail. If you use Post Office please submit 4 copies to: > > Docket No. 97-033-1 > > Regulatory Analysis and Development > > PPD, APHIS, Station 3C71 > > 4700 River Road Unit 118 > > Riverdale, MD. 20737-1238 > > Please state that your comments refer to Docket No. 97-033-1 If you use e-mail, address your comments to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please include your name and address in your message and Docket No. 97-033-1 on the Subject line. > > ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+ PROPOSED FEDERAL REGULATION April 11, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 70)] [Proposed Rules] [Page 17752-17755] AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Proposed rule. SUMMARY: We are proposing to amend the Animal Welfare Act regulations to require that research facilities, dealers, and exhibitors maintain medical records as part of their program of adequate veterinary care. We believe research facilities, dealers, and exhibitors should maintain medical records as a means of communication concerning the care being provided to animals and to ensure that animals receive adequate veterinary care. In addition, these records would provide a basis for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to better assess the veterinary care programs of research facilities, dealers, and exhibitors. DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before June 10, 2003. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by postal mail/commercial delivery or by e-mail. If you use postal mail/commercial delivery, please send four copies of your comment (an original and three copies) to: Docket No. 97-033-1, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3C71, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that your comment refers to Docket No. 97-033-1. If you use e-mail, address your comment to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your comments must be contained in the body of your message; do not send attached files. Please include your name and address in your message and ``Docket No. 97-033-1'' on the subject line. 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. APHIS documents published in the Federal Register, and related information, including the names of organizations and individuals who have commented on APHIS dockets, are available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Jerry DePoyster, Senior Veterinary Medical Officer, Animal Care, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 84, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-7586. The Animal Welfare Act (the Act) (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, research facilities, exhibitors, carriers, and intermediate handlers. The Secretary of Agriculture has delegated the responsibility of enforcing the Act to the Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The regulations established under the Act are contained in title 9 of the Code of Federal Regulations (9 CFR), chapter I, subchapter A, parts 1, 2, and 3. Subparts C and D of 9 CFR part 2 (Sec. Sec. 2.30 through 2.40, referred to below as the regulations) require, among other things, that each research facility, dealer, and exhibitor have an attending veterinarian and maintain a program of adequate veterinary care.
