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'^ ' TH E SECRETAR YO F TRANSPORTATIO N •A^?3O0RTAT!0^^ S WASHINGTON , D.C . 2059 0 ••''- f OPERATION S ^'^^TJ?^'^" Octobe r 12,201 0 . . ^SJ'^' 8 P'? : 2 2

Th e Honorabl e Richar dJ . Durbi n Unite dState s Senat e Washington . D C 2051 0 Dear Senato r Durbin : Than k yo u for you r letter , cosigne db y Senato r Rober t Menende z an dSenato r Josep hLiebemian , expressin g you r

concer n tha t

th e U.S . Departmen t

o f Transportation' s (DOT ) regulatio n tha t require s reportin g o f

th e loss , injury , o r

deat ho f animal s i n ai r

transpor t

applie s onl y t o famil y pets . Yo u urge dth e Departmen t t o amen dthi s regulatio n s o tha t airline s ar e require dt o repor t al l incident s involvin g th e loss , injury , o r deat ho f cat s an ddog s tha t

occu r whil e the y ar e travelin g i n th e airline' s care , custody , o r control , whethe r

th e ca t o r do g i s bein g shippe da s ape t b y it s owne r

o r a s par t o f acommercia l shipment . TTi e Departmen t

i s committe dt o thoroughl y examinin g it s anima l reportin g regulation , an dw e wil l b e seekin g commen t o n th e issue s tha t yo u rais e i n aFedera l Registe r notice . In additio n t o you r

letter , th e Departmen t

recentl y receive dapetitio n fo r rulemakin g o n thi s matte r fro mth e Anima l Lega l Defens e Fun d(ALDF) , a n advocac y grou p whic hwork s t o protec t th e live s an dadvanc e th e interest s o f animal s throug hth e lega l system . I n it s petition , ALD F request s tha t

th e Department' s regulatio n requirin g th e reportin g o f loss , injury , o r

deat ho f animal s i n ai r

transpor t b e revise dt o requir e airline s t o repor t an y suc hinciden t

involvin g animal s the y carry . I

t contend s tha t

th e dat atha t

ar e currentl y collecte db y th e Departmen t captur e onl y incident s affectin g pets , eve n thoug hpet s mak e u p par t o f th e tota l numbe r

o f animal s transporte db y airlines . Th e ALDF' s proposa l woul dals o expan dreportin g t o al l specie s o f animals , rathe r

tha n th e curren t

reporting , whic hi s limite dt o cat s an ddogs . In ligh t o f you r lette r an dth e ALD Fpetition , w e hav e decide dt o issu e anotic e i n th e Federa l Registe r seekin g commen t

o n th e petitio n an daskin g question s regardin g th e curren t anima l reportin g rule . Thi s include s question s o n whethe r th e regulatio n shoul dremai n a s i s an dcove r onl y househol dpets , o r

b e expande dt o certai n type s o f animal s (e.g. , cat s an ddogs ) regardles s o f whethe r the y ar e pet s bein g shippe db y thei r owner s o r

par t o f commercia l shipments , o r cove r al l animal s shippe db y ai r carriers . W e als o wil l b e lookin g furthe r int o ou r statutor y authorit y i n thi s area , bot hou r

authorit y pursuan t

t o 4 9 U.S.C . §41721 . whic hrequire s airline s t o submi t monthl y report s t o DO T o n incident s involvin g th e loss , injury , o r deat ho f a n anima l transporte d b y air , an dou r

authorit y unde r

4 9 U.S.C . §41702 . whic hrequire s airline s t o provid e saf e an d adequat e transportation .y



### Pag e 2

The Honorabl e Richar

dJ . Durbi n Finally , I appreciate your

recognitio n o f

the Department' s wor

k in thi s are aanda

mplease dtha

t you foun dour Jul y repor

t o n th e risk s to short-nose dbreed s durin g ai r trave l t o b e helpful . A simila r lette r ha s been sen

t t o Senato r

Menende z andSenato r

Liebemian . A cop y o f

thi s correspondenc e wil l b e place di n th e ALD Fpetitio n fo

r rulemakin g docket . For

your reference , th e docket number i s DOT-OST-20IO-02 hI f I ca n Qi^vide furthe

r informatio n o r

assistance , pleas e fee l fre e t o call me .