07 ANPRM - Animal Importation - AVMA Comment

AMVA®

1931N.MeachamRd.
Suite100
Schaumburg,IL
60173-4360
phone847.925.8070
800.248.2862
fax847.925.1329
www.avma.org

AmericanVeterinaryMedicalAssociation

November30,2007
U.S.DepartmentofHealthandHumanServices
CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention
DivisionofGlobalMigrationandQuarantine
ATTN:AnimalImportationRegulations
1600CliftonRoad,NE.,(E03),Atlanta,GA30333
Re:Docket[RIN0920-AA03]ForeignQuarantineRegulations,ProposedRevisionof
HHS/CDCAnimalImportationRegulations
DearSir/Madam:
TheAVMAispleasedtoprovidecommentsonthisANPRM.TheAVMArecognizesthe
risksthatimportationofanimalscanpresenttohuman,animalandecosystemhealth,aswell
astothewelfareoftheimportedanimals.Theserisksareincreasedbymanycharacteristics
ofthetodaysworld,suchasnewlyemergingorre-emergingdiseases,increasinganimal-
human-environmentalinterfaces,globalizationofcommerce(includinganimals),and
internationaltransportationefficienciesthatcanresultinmovementofananimalfromorigin
todestinationwhilecarryingorincubatingahigh-riskdisease.TheAVMAhasexpertiseand
resourcestoassistwiththeproposedrulemakingprocess,includingspecificcouncilsand
committees,andalsohasanumberofestablishedpoliciesonrelevantissues(referencedat
theendofthisletter).TheAVMAadvocatedfor,andparticipatedin,theMay2006meeting
inAtlantathatbeganaddressingimportationandnationaltradeforexoticanimals(
reference:
2005PS
),andtheAVMAalsohasalongstandingroleinsettingpolicyforimportationof
domesticanimals.TheAVMAapplaudsCDCforproposingtherevisionofanimal
importationregulationspertinenttopublichealth,butwealsocontinuetorecommenda
comprehensiveandcoordinatedapproachacrossallrelevantfederalagencies.
AVMABackground

Establishedin1863,itisthelargestveterinarymedicalassociationintheworld

Representsmorethan75,000members;approximately86%oftheactive
veterinariansintheUnitedStates

Mission:ImprovingAnimalandHumanHealth;AdvancingtheVeterinaryMedical
Profession

Establishedtoadvancethescienceandartofveterinarymedicine,includingits
relationshiptopublichealth,biologicalscience,andagriculture

Therecognizedvoiceoftheveterinaryprofession
Veterinarianshavecriticalrolesinanimalhealthandwelfare(bothdomesticandnon-
domesticanimals),publichealth,foodsystems,andenvironmentalandecosystemhealth.

Dog,Cat,andFerretRegulations

TheAVMArecommendsthatCDCundertaketheproposedrevisiontotheseregulations,includingcoverageof
domesticatedferrets.TheAVMAhasaModelRabiesControlOrdinanceandparticipatesontheNASPHV
committeethatproducestheannualCompendiumofAnimalRabiesPreventionandControlthosedocuments
addressanumberoftherabies-relatedquestionsintheANPRM.Forexample,dogs,cats,andferretsshouldbe
vaccinatedattheappropriateagesunderdirectsupervisionofalicensedveterinarianandusingUnitedStates
DepartmentofAgricultureapprovedrabiesbiologicsasdescribedintheCompendiumofAnimalRabies
PreventionandControl.Thisshouldbecompletedatleast90dayspriortoimportationforanimalsreceiving
theirfirstrabiesvaccination,whichwilldeterminetheminimumageforimportationaccordingtotheproduct
label,andshouldbedocumentedwithavaccinationcertificatesignedbytheveterinarian(oraspartofahealth
certificate).Serologictestingisnotnecessary,butcouldbeusefulinsituationswhereauthenticityofvaccination
certificationisuncertain.(Note:Serologictestingdoesnotprovideevidenceofimmunity,asstatedinthe
ANPRMitonlyprovidesevidenceofpriorimmunization.)Lastly,sincecaninerabiesvariantshaverecently
beeneliminatedfromtheU.S.,themovementofdogsforthepurposesofadoptionorsalefromareaswithdog-
to-dograbiestransmissionshouldbeprohibited.

TheAVMAModelRabiesControlOrdinancealsospecifiesthatalltravelingdogs,cats,andferretsmusthave
proofofacurrentrabiesvaccination.GiventheavailabilityofsuchanimalsintheU.S.,itseemsunlikelythatan
exemptiontorabies-relatedrequirementswouldbeneededtoimportnon-immunizedanimalsforresearch.
However,ifsuchanimportwererequested,theburdenofproofthattheneededanimalscouldnotbeobtained
intheU.S.,thattheresearchmusthavenon-immunizedanimals,thattheanimalscanbeproperlyconfinedata
USDA-approvedresearchfacility,andthattheyarenotlaterdistributedelsewhereshouldbequitehigh.

TheAVMAsupportstheuseofappropriatesurveillanceandcontrolmeasures,includinginspection,toprevent
theentryofforeigndiseasevectorsandinvasivespeciesintotheUnitedStates,includinginspection(
ref:Controlof
ForeignDiseaseVectorsandInvasiveSpeciespolicy
).Avalidinternationalhealthcertificate,includingestimatedageand
signedbyalicensedveterinarianinthesourcecountry,shouldberequiredforentryintotheU.S.Theprimary
purposesofthisinspectionandcertificateshouldbetoassurethatthereisnoevidenceonexaminationthatthe
animalhasadiseasethatcouldbecommunicabletohumansorotheranimals,andtoassurethattheanimalisin
aconditionsuitablefortheanticipatedtravel.Whileinspection/examinationbeforeandafterimportation
cannotassurethatananimalisnotcarryingorincubatingacommunicabledisease,denialoftransittovisiblyill
animalswouldreducetheriskconsiderablyandimproveanimalwelfareincomparisontonoinspection.Such
certificatesshouldbedifficulttofalsify.Foranimalstobeimportedfromaregionwithspecificdiseasesof
concern,availablescreeningtestsmaybeappropriatetoincludeaspartoftherequiredinspectionandhealth
certificate.Ifpossible,theregulationsshouldbeflexibleenoughtoallowformodificationofrequiredtestingby
theappropriateauthoritybasedontestingtechnologyandchangingdiseaseprevalence.Ifitistheonlywayto
conductappropriateinspectionuponarrival(i.e.,verifytheconsiderationsnotedaboveandtheunique
identificationnotedbelow),HHS/CDCshouldrestricttheimportationofdogs,cats,andferretstoonlythose
portsofentrystaffedbyHHS/CDCpersonnel.

Wherecircumstanceswarrantit(considerationsincludelengthoftravel,countries/regionsvisited,activitieswhile
abroad,etc.),exemptionsto,orrelaxationof,someoftheoverseasinspectionrequirementscouldbeprovided
fordogs,cats,andferretsthatarereturningtotheU.S.aftertravelabroadwiththeirowners.Suchanimals
shouldhavedocumentationofitinerary,evidenceofcurrentrabiesvaccination,apre-travelexamintheU.S.,and
uniqueidentification.Ifthesedocumentscanbeverifiedandavisualinspectionconducteduponreturntothe
U.S.,theportofentryneednotbelimitedtoHHS/CDC-staffedquarantinestations.

Auniqueidentifierforalldogs,cats,andferretsimportedintotheU.S.shouldberequiredtoaccuratelyidentify
animalsfortravel,toreducefraudulentclaimspriortoimportation,andtofacilitatetrackingafterimportation
shouldthatbeneeded(e.g.,publichealthinvestigations).Methodsotherthanelectronic(microchip)
identificationarenotaseffective.TheAVMAspolicyonelectronicidentificationprovidesconsiderable

descriptionofthekeyelements,includingAVMA-recommendedstandards(e.g.,ISOcompliant),database
operationandmaintenance,andoperatingprocedures.

Thecostsandbusinessimpactsofsuchregulatorychangesforimportersofdogs,cats,andferretsareoutsidethe
scopeofAVMAsexpertise,asisthepotentialforablackmarket,sonospecificcommentsareprovided.In
general,coststoprotectpublichealth(andanimalhealthandwelfare)areapartofdoingbusiness,andwouldbe
expectedtobepassedontocustomers.ThemeasuresconsideredbytheANPRMcouldresultinsomesavings
totheimportersthatwouldoffsetsomeofthecosts(healthierandolderanimalswouldpresumablyresultin
decreasedtransit-relatedlosses/costs).

Norequirements,shortofeliminatingimportation,caneliminatetheriskofimportingcommunicablediseases.
However,areasonablecombinationofvaccination,age,inspection,certificationandidentificationrequirements
cangreatlyreducetherisk.

OtherAnimalRegulations(IncludingAfricanRodentsCurrentlyRegulatedUnder42CFR71.56)

TheAVMArecommendsthatCDCundertaketheproposedrevisiontotheseregulationsinordertobetterand
proactivelypreventtheimportationofanimalsthatpresentarisktohumanhealth,domesticanimalhealth,wild
animalhealthorecosystemhealth(intheU.S.orinthesourcecountry).Forthesereasons,andtosafeguard
animalwelfare,theAVMArequestedandparticipatedintheMay2006meeting(mentionedabove)addressing
manyaspectsoftheexoticanimaltrade.Theoverridingneedisforacomprehensiveandcoordinatedmulti-
agencyapproach,butCDCsproposedrevisionstoregulationsunderHHS/CDCauthoritywillbeauseful
component.TheimportanceofthistotheAVMAisreflectedinthemajorityoftheAVMApolicieslistedatthe
endofthisletter.ThisexcerptfromthePrivateOwnershipofWildAnimalspolicyisausefulsummaryof
theAVMAsperspective:

Exceptunderspecialcircumstances(suchasrecognizedconservationandresearchprograms),theAVMA
especiallysupportsregulatoryeffortstoprohibitprivateownership,andtheimportationforthepurposeofprivate
ownership,ofnon-nativeanimalsthatthreatenpublichealth,domesticanimalhealth,indigenouswildanimal
health,agriculture,ortheecosystem,aswellasthosespecieswhosewelfareisunacceptablycompromised.

Inaddition,theAVMAsupportstheNationalResearchCouncilsrecommendationsinthe2005
AnimalHealthattheCrossroadsreport,includingRecommendation7regardingimportation,sale
andtransportofexotic,non-domesticatedandwild-caughtanimals.

TheAVMArecognizesthedifficultyinestablishingacompletelistofspeciesorcategoriesofhigh-riskanimals
towhichimportrestrictionswouldapply.Establishingalistofalldiseasesofriskissimilarlydifficult.The
AVMApoliciesmaygivesomeexamplesofknowndiseasesandanimalsofrisk(e.g.,ImportationandInterstate
MovementofExoticandNativeWildlifepolicy),butmostAVMApoliciesaddressingthisissuefocuson
processestoeliminateorminimizerisk(whereareasonableprobabilityofriskexists).Ifalististobepursued,
ratherthanalistofrest