### ^^s:;^ , -DEPARTMEN T O F

^jff^ ^ TH E SECRETAR Y O F TRANSPORTATIO N 1ANSPORTATIO N ^K^W j WASHINGTON

. D.C

. 2059 0 ^ " (^ [ OPERATiON S

''"^"^°'' ' October 12 , 201 0 ^ C j J/.i l '^ S P 2-2 2

Th e Honorabl e Josep h I
. Lieberma n Unite d State s Senate Washington , D

C 2051 0 Dea r Senato r Lieberman : Than k you fo r your letter , cosigne d b

y Senato r Rober t Menende z an d Senato r

Richard Durbin , expressin g you

r concer n tha t th e U.S
. Department

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

th e loss , injury , or

deat h o f animal s i n ai r transport applie s onl y to famil

y pets . Yo u urge d the Departmen t

to amen d thi s regulatio n s o tha t airline s are require d to repor t al l incident s involvin g th e loss , injury , o r deat h o f cat s and dog s tha

t occu r v^'hil e they ar e travelin g i n th e airline' s care , custody , o r control , whether

th e ca t o r do g i s bein g shippe d a s apet b y it s ovwic r o r a s par t o f acommercial shipment
. Th e Departmen t

i s committe d t

o thoroughl y examinin g it s anima

l reportin g regulation , an

d we will b e seekin g commen t on th e issue s tha

t yo u rais e in aFedera

l Registe r notice
. I n additio n t

o you r letter , th e Departmen t

recentl y receive d apetitio n fo r rulemakin g on thi s matte r fro mth e Anima

l Lega l Defens e Fund (ALDF)
. a n advocac y grou p whic h work s t o protec t the live s an d advanc e the interest s o f animal s throug h th 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 h o f animal s i n ai r transpor t b e revise d to require airline s to repor t any suc h inciden t

involvin g animal s they carry . I

t contend s tha

t th e dat atha

t are currentl y collecte d b

y th e Department capture onl y incident s affectin g pets , eve n thoug h pet s make up par t o f th e tota l number o f animal s transporte d b y airlines
. Th e ALDF' s proposal woul d als o expan d reportin g t o al l specie s o f animals , rather

tha n th e curren t

reporting , whic h i s limite d t o cat s an d dogs
. I n ligh t o f you r letter and th e ALD F petition , w e hav e decide d to issu e anotic e i n th e Federa

l Registe r seekin g commen t

on th e petitio n and askin g question s regardin g th e curren t anima l reportin g rule
. Thi s include s question s on whether th e regulatio n shoul d remai n a s i s an d cove r only househol d pets , o r

b e expande d t

o certai n type s o f

animal s (e.g. , cat s an d dogs ) regardles s o f whether the y are pet s bein g shippe d b y thei r owner s o r

par t o f commercia l shipments , o r cover all animal s shippe d b y ai r

carriers
. W

e als o will b e lookin g furthe r int o ou r statutor y authorit y i n thi s area , bot

h our authority pursuan t

t o 4 9 U.S.C
. §41721 , whic h require s airline s t o submi t monthly report s to DO T o n incident s involvin g th e loss , injury , o r death o f a n animal transporte d b y air , an d ou r authorit y under 4 9 U.S.C
. §41702 , whic h require s airline s t o provid e saf e and adequate transportation
.Pag e 2

Th e Honorabl e Josep h 1
. Lieberma n Finally , I appreciate your

recognitio n o f

th e Department' s wor

k i n thi s are aan d a

mplease d tha

t yo u foun d ou r Jul y repor

t on th e risk s to short-nose d breed s durin g ai r trave l to b e helpful
. A simila r letter ha s been sen

t t o Senato r

Menende z an

d Senato r Durbin
. A cop y o f

thi s correspondenc e will b e place d i n th e ALD F petitio n fo

r rulemakin g docket
. For

your reference , the docket numbe r i s DOT-OST-2010-021
. I f I ca n provid e furthe

r informatio n o r

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