Guest guest Posted December 1, 2003 Report Share Posted December 1, 2003 From the ASPCA: Your help is urgently needed to protect animals being brought into and leaving from the U.S. by foreign carriers! The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the agency responsible for the administration of the Animal Welfare Act. The Act regulates the way animals must be treated while in transport, by establishing standards for commercial carriers of animals. The Animal Welfare Act ensures that animals being transported in the U.S. are given essential care such as access to food and water. Additionally, the Animal Welfare Act prohibits presenting any live animal to a commercial carrier more than 4 hours before the scheduled departure time. Carriers are also required to keep accurate records of the animals they transport and ensure that each animal has a health certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian. Until now, the Act has not been applied to any foreign carriers. It has only been applied to U.S commercial carriers transporting animals within the U.S. Great news! The USDA has issued a determination to apply the standards for the humane transportation of animals in commerce to all foreign air carriers coming into or leaving any point in the U.S. That means that all of the standards currently regulating U.S. commercial carriers of animals would also apply to foreign air carriers bringing animals into the U.S. or taking them from the U.S. to a foreign country. These standards have been indispensable in protecting the lives of animals transported in the United States. Write to the USDA by December 10th. Example letter: APHIS Regulatory Analysis and Development 4700 River Road Unit 118, Station 3C71 Riverdale, MD 20737 Dear Regulatory Analysis and Development, As a concerned citizen, I respectfully urge you to go forward with the USDA's plans to apply the Animals Welfare Act (AWA) regulations and standards for the humane transportation of animals in commerce to all foreign air carriers operating to or from any U.S. point (Docket No. 02-012-1). The Animal Welfare Act has been instrumental in protecting the lives of countless animals transported within the U.S. Clearly, the same standards should be applied to animals being brought into or taken from the U.S. by foreign air carriers. The protections given to these innocent creatures by enforcement of the AWA are of vital importance and should be extended to as many carriers as possible. USDA's proposal to apply the AWA standards to foreign air carriers would protect thousands of animals each year from the horrors that can and do occur through mishandling and mistreatment of animals while in transport. This benefit undoubtedly outweighs any additional costs imposed upon those carriers by regulation. It would not only help to ensure better treatment of animals transported by foreign carriers, but would also protect U.S. citizens from the health hazards inherent in bringing diseased animals into the country. By requiring foreign air carriers to keep accurate records of the animals they transport and present a health certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian for each animal, the USDA would be decreasing the potential for diseased animals to be transported into the country. USDA's efforts to apply the AWA regulations and standards for the humane transportation of animals in commerce to all foreign air carriers should be commended. It is a necessary step to ensure the welfare of all animals in transportation as well as the safety and well-being of the citizens of this country. Therefore, I respectfully urge you to adopt the policy change proposed in Docket No. 02-012-1. Sincerely, _______________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 4, 2003 Report Share Posted December 4, 2003 Thanks for bringing this to our attention, Elizabeth! Green Vibes always welcomes animal and environmental alerts and petitions. Love & Peace, Paul. , " Elizabeth " <littletigerdreams> wrote: > From the ASPCA: > > Your help is urgently needed to protect animals being brought into > and leaving from the U.S. by foreign carriers! > > The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the agency > responsible for the administration of the Animal Welfare Act. The > Act regulates the way animals must be treated while in transport, by > establishing standards for commercial carriers of animals. The > Animal Welfare Act ensures that animals being transported in the U.S. > are given essential care such as access to food and water. > Additionally, the Animal Welfare Act prohibits presenting any live > animal to a commercial carrier more than 4 hours before the scheduled > departure time. Carriers are also required to keep accurate records > of the animals they transport and ensure that each animal has a > health certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian. > > Until now, the Act has not been applied to any foreign carriers. It > has only been applied to U.S commercial carriers transporting animals > within the U.S. > > Great news! The USDA has issued a determination to apply the > standards for the humane transportation of animals in commerce to all > foreign air carriers coming into or leaving any point in the U.S. > That means that all of the standards currently regulating U.S. > commercial carriers of animals would also apply to foreign air > carriers bringing animals into the U.S. or taking them from the U.S. > to a foreign country. > > These standards have been indispensable in protecting the lives of > animals transported in the United States. Write to the USDA by > December 10th. > > Example letter: > > APHIS Regulatory Analysis and Development > 4700 River Road Unit 118, Station 3C71 > Riverdale, MD 20737 > > Dear Regulatory Analysis and Development, > > As a concerned citizen, I respectfully urge you to go forward with the > USDA's plans to apply the Animals Welfare Act (AWA) regulations and > standards for the humane transportation of animals in commerce to all > foreign air carriers operating to or from any U.S. point (Docket No. > 02-012-1). The Animal Welfare Act has been instrumental in protecting > the lives of countless animals transported within the U.S. Clearly, > the same standards should be applied to animals being brought into or > taken from the U.S. by foreign air carriers. The protections given to > these innocent creatures by enforcement of the AWA are of vital > importance and should be extended to as many carriers as possible. > > USDA's proposal to apply the AWA standards to foreign air carriers > would protect thousands of animals each year from the horrors that can > and do occur through mishandling and mistreatment of animals while in > transport. This benefit undoubtedly outweighs any additional costs > imposed upon those carriers by regulation. It would not only help to > ensure better treatment of animals transported by foreign carriers, > but would also protect U.S. citizens from the health hazards inherent > in bringing diseased animals into the country. By requiring foreign > air carriers to keep accurate records of the animals they transport > and present a health certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian for > each animal, the USDA would be decreasing the potential for diseased > animals to be transported into the country. > > USDA's efforts to apply the AWA regulations and standards for the > humane transportation of animals in commerce to all foreign air > carriers should be commended. It is a necessary step to ensure the > welfare of all animals in transportation as well as the safety and > well-being of the citizens of this country. Therefore, I respectfully > urge you to adopt the policy change proposed in Docket No. 02-012-1. > > Sincerely, > > _______________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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