**ANIMAL WELFARE REGU LA** **TIONS CONTINGENCY PLAN**  **POLICY AND CHECKLIST** 

**Policies Contingency Plan**  **Animal Care Resource Guide Issue Date:**  **AC ##.# Subject: Contingency Plan**  **Policy # References:**  9 CFR, Part 2, Section 2.38 (i)(4) and (l) 9 CFR, Part 2, Section 2.102 (a)(4) and (b)(3) 9 CFR, Part 2, Section 2.134 **History:** P rovides guidance on the requirement to create a contingency plan for events such as emergencies or disasters. New policy
. **Justification:** Lack of preparedness for unexpected situations can leave businesses and organizations and the animals in their care v ulnerable. The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) regulations require that facilities create a contingency plan in accordance with good animal wel fare. **Policy:** Contingency Plan is generally regarded as a plan to follow in the event of an emergency. The terms “ emergency” and “disaster” are not limited to major national or regional natural disasters such as hurricanes or earthquakes. It is encouraged that conting ency planning includes consideration of very localized events such as a fire, severe weather, or any other unexpected situation that interrupts normal animal care activities. A fundamental goal of the AWA and the accompanying regulations is the minimization of animal pain and distress. A contingenc y plan prevents or mitigates animal suffering. Plans a re to include at minimum:

• Identify situations the facility might experience that would trigger the need for a contingency plan, including emergencies s uch as electrical outages, faulty HVAC systems, fires, and animal escapes, as well as natural disaster s the facility is most likely to experience.

• Outline specific tasks required to be carried out in response to the identified emergencies including, but not limited to, de tailed animal evacuation instructions or shelter- in - place instructions and provisions for providing backup sources of food and water as well as sanitation, ventilation, bedding, veterinary care, etc.

• Identify a chain of command and who (by name or by position title) will be responsible for fulfilling these tasks.

• Address how response and r ecovery will be handled in terms of materials, resources, and training needed. The contingency plan must be in place by180 days after effective date of final rule. This plan must be made available to APHI S and any funding Federal agency representatives u pon request. The plan must be reviewed by the facility on at least an annual basis. The facility must provide and document participation in and successful completion of training for its personnel regarding their roles and responsibilit ies as outlined in t he plan. Training of facility personnel must be completed within 60 days of the adoption date; employees hired 30 days or less a fter that date must also be trained within that 60 - day period. For employees hired more than 30 days after adoption of the conti ngency plan, training must be conducted within 30 days of their start date. Any changes to the plan as a result of the annual review must be communicated t o employees through training which must be conducted within 30 days of making the changes. While A nimal Care does not endorse any particular resource for a contingency plan standard, resources to assist in development of a plan can be found on our website at: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_w elfare/ ep At the time of writing, these web resources were live. However, most of these are external links to USDA - APHIS - AC. Please refer to the URL above for updated information. http://bigcatrescue.org/2011/critical - incident - hurricane - and - disaster- plan http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/disaster_planning.htm http://oacu.od.nih.gov/disaster/ http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_welfare/downloads/em/final_compliance_assessment_ques tion_set_11feb.doc http://www.usgs.gov/hazards/ http://www.weather.com/ready/severeweatherprep.html?from=WXReadyywelc ome_h1**ANIMAL WELFARE REGU LA** **TIONS CONTINGENCY PLAN**  **POLICY AND CHECKLIST** 

Research Facilities Dealers, exhibitors, intermediate handlers, and carriers Subpart C Research Facilities , § 2.38 Miscellaneous , (l) Contingency planning Subpart I , Miscellaneous , § 2.134 Contingency planning (1) Research facilities must de velop, document, and follow an appropriate plan to provide for the humane handling, treatment, transportation, housing, and care of their animals in the event of an emergency or disaster (one which could reasonably be anticipated and expected to be detrime ntal to the good health and well - being of the animals in their possession). Such contingency plans must: (i) Identify situations the facility might experience that would trigger the need for the measures identified in a contingency plan to be put into ac tion including emergencies such as electrical outages, faulty HVAC systems, fires, and animal escapes, as well as natural disasters the facility is most likely to experience. (a) Dealers, exhibitors, intermediate handlers, and carriers must develop, doc ument, and follow an appropriate plan to provide for the humane handling, treatment, transportation, housing, and care of their animals in the event of an emergency or disaster (one which could reasonably be anticipated and expected to be detrimental to th e good health and well - being of the animals in their possession). Such contingency plans must: (1) Identify situations the licensee or registrant might experience that would trigger the need for the measures identified in a contingency plan to be put int o action including emergencies such as electrical outages, faulty HVAC systems, fires, mechanical breakdowns, and animal escapes, as well as natural disasters most likely to be experienced; CONSIDERATIONS Emergencies that may impact animal welfare. Th is facility could likely experience:

• Electrical outage Yes No

• Faulty HVAC Yes No

• Fire Yes No

• Animal escape Yes No

• Disruption in clean water supply Yes No

• Disruption in feed supply Yes No

• Disruption of access to facility (e.g., road closure). Yes No

• Intentional attack Yes No

• Hazardous materials situation Yes No

• Employee absence Yes No

• Other ( list ): List Natural Disasters that may impact animal welfare. This facility could likely experience:

• Flooding Yes No

• Earthquake Yes No

• Landslide/Mudslide/Avalanche or other geophysical disaster Yes No

• Hurricane Yes No

• Blizzard/Ice Storm Yes No

• Tornado Yes No

• Other severe storm Yes No

• Tsunami Yes No

• Wildfire Yes No

• Other ( lis t ): List
Research Facilities Dealers, exhibitors, intermediate handlers, and carriers Subpart C Research Facilities , § 2.38 Miscellaneous , (l) Contingency planning Subpart I , Miscellaneous , § 2.134 Contingency planning (ii) Outline specific tasks r equired to be carried out in response to the identified emergencies or disasters including, but not limited to, detailed animal evacuation instructions or shelter - in - place instructions and provisions for providing backup sources of food and water as well a s sanitation, ventilation, bedding, veterinary care, etc.; (2) Outline specific tasks required to be carried out in response to the identified emergencies or disasters including, but not limited to, detailed animal evacuation instructions or shelter - in - pl ace instructions and provisions for providing backup sources of food and water as well as sanitation, ventilation, bedding, veterinary care, etc.; CONSIDERATIONS

• Are there detailed animal evacuation instructions? If yes, how are the following items addre ssed (include who is responsible)? If no, please justify. If yes, please detail... Transportation vehicle Transportation equipment/caging Alternate site location(s)**ANIMAL WELFARE REGU LA** **TIONS CONTINGENCY PLAN**  **POLICY AND CHECKLIST** 

Provision for veterinary care Husbandry needs (e.g., food, water) Environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, ventilation, lighting) Staffing Animal identification Records transfer

• Are there detailed shelter- in - place instructions? If yes, how are the following items addressed (include who is responsible)? If no, please justify. If yes, p lease detail... Husbandry needs (e.g., food, water) Providing veterinary care Environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, ventilation, lighting) Staffing Animal identification Records maintenance

• Are there plans to recapture an escaped animal? If yes, how are the following items addressed (include who is responsible)? If no, please justify. If yes, please detail... Supplies needed (e.g., gloves, nets, darting equipment) Secondary barriers secured Recovery/transport of animal back to primary enclosure Re search Facilities Dealers, exhibitors, intermediate handlers, and carriers Subpart C Research Facilities , § 2.38 Miscellaneous , (l) Contingency planning Subpart I , Miscellaneous , § 2.134 Contingency planning (iii) Identify a chain of command and who (b y name or by position title) will be responsible for fulfilling these tasks; and (3) Identify a chain of command and who (by name or by position title) will be responsible for fulfilling these tasks; and CONSIDERATIONS

• Who will determine the contingency plan must be initiated?

• Outline the chain of command.

• List methods used to maintain communication (e.g., land phones, cell phones, satellite phones, texting, email, web posting) Research Facilities Dealers, exhibitors, intermediate handlers, and carri ers Subpart C Research Facilities , § 2.38 Miscellaneous , (l) Contingency planning Subpart I , Miscellaneous , § 2.134 Contingency planning (iv) Address how response and recovery will be handled in terms of materials, resources, and training needed. (4) Address how response and recovery will be handled in terms of materials, resources, and training needed. CONSIDERATIONS

• Has response and recovery been addressed in terms of materials, resources, and training?

• Who will be responsible for addressing recove ry activities, and do they have adequate knowledge/training?**ANIMAL WELFARE REGU LA** **TIONS CONTINGENCY PLAN**  **POLICY AND CHECKLIST** 

Research Facilities Dealers, exhibitors, intermediate handlers, and carriers Subpart C Research Facilities , § 2.38 Miscellaneous , (l) Contingency planning Subpart I , Miscellaneous , § 2.134 Co ntingency planning (2) For current licensees and registrants, the contingency plan must be in place by [insert date 180 days after effective date of final rule]. (b) For current licensees and registrants, the contingency plan must be in place by [insert date 180 days after effective date of final rule]. (3) The facility must provide and document participation in and successful completion of training for its personnel regarding their roles and responsibilities as outlined in the plan. (c) Dealers, exhibitors, intermediate handlers, and carriers must provide and document participation in and successful completion of training for personnel regarding their roles and responsibilities as outlined in the plan. CONSIDERATIONS

• Has the contingency plan been in place by [insert date 180 days after effective date of final rule]?

• List the date when the current contingency plan was put in place.

• List the date of last review of the contingency plan.

• Has the facility provided and documented training for personnel regarding their roles and responsibilities as outlined in the plan? Research Facilities Dealers, exhibitors, intermediate handlers, and carriers Subpart C , Research Facilities , § 2.38 Miscellaneous Subpart H , Compliance with Standards and Holding Period , § 2.102 Holding facility. (i) Holding of animals. If any research facility obtains prior approval of the AC Regional Director, it may arrange to have another person hold animals: Provided, That: (4) The other person or premises must either be d irectly included in the research facility’s contingency plan required under paragraph (l) of this section or must develop its own contingency plan in accordance with paragraph (l) of this section. (a) If any dealer or exhibitor obtains the prior approva l of the AC Regional Director, he may arrange to have another person hold animals for the required period provided for in paragraph (a) of Sec. 2.101: Provided, That: (4) The other person or premises must either be directly included in the dealer’s or exh ibitor’s contingency plan required under § 2.134 or must develop its own contingency plan in accordance with § 2.134. (b) If any intermediate handler obtains prior approval of the AC Regional Director, it may arrange to have another person hold animals: Provided, That: (3) The other person or premises must either be directly included in the intermediate handler’s contingency plan required under § 2.134 or must develop its own contingency plan in accordance with § 2.134. CONSIDERATIONS

• If applicable, is the holding person or premises either directly include d in the research facility’s contingency plan, or have developed its own contingency plan?