[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 220 (Friday, November 14, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61079-61080]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-29991]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 97-001-3]


Handling, Training, and Exhibition of Potentially Dangerous 
Exotic or Wild Animals

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of reopening and extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: We are reopening and extending the comment period for our 
notice requesting information concerning what practices are currently 
used for handling and training potentially dangerous exotic or wild 
animals used in exhibition (such as, but

[[Page 61080]]

not limited to, elephants, lions, or tigers), and what training and 
experience levels trainers and handlers of such animals have. This 
reopening and extension will provide interested groups and individuals 
with additional time to prepare comments on the request for 
information.

DATES: Consideration will be given only to comments on Docket No. 97-
001-1 that are received on or before December 12, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Please send an original and three copies of your comments to 
Docket No. 97-001-1, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, 
Suite 3C03, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please 
state that your comments refer to Docket No. 97-001-1. Comments 
received may be inspected at USDA, room 1141, South Building, 14th 
Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC, between 8:00 a.m. 
and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. Persons wishing 
to inspect comments are requested to call ahead on (202) 690-2817 to 
facilitate entry into the comment reading room.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Stephen Smith, Staff Animal Health 
Technician, Animal Care, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 84, Riverdale, MD 
20737-1234, (301) 734-7833.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On July 24, 1997, we published in the Federal Register (62 FR 
39802, Docket No. 97-001-1) a notice requesting information concerning 
the training and handling of potentially dangerous wild and exotic 
animals used in exhibition in order to obtain a better understanding of 
the issues pertaining to their welfare. Comments on the request for 
information were required to be received on or before September 22, 
1997. On September 22, 1997, we published in the Federal Register (62 
FR 49468-49469, Docket No. 97-001-2) a notice that reopened and 
extended the comment period for an additional 45 days, to November 6, 
1997.
    In the notice requesting information, we said we were most 
interested in receiving information that is in the form of published 
industry standards, published reports in peer-reviewed journals, 
studies, and objective scientific data. We have been made aware that 
several industry associations interested in submitting information have 
been unable to complete their consultation with members of their 
associations in order to compile information on accepted industry 
standards for the handling and training of exotic or wild animals. We 
believe this information would be helpful to us in obtaining a better 
understanding of the issues pertaining to the welfare of exotic or wild 
animals used in exhibition.
    In order that these groups can have time to compile the requested 
information, we are reopening and extending the comment period on 
Docket No. 97-001-1 to December 12, 1997. This action will also allow 
any other interested groups and individuals additional time to prepare 
and submit comments.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 2131-2159; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.2(g).

    Done in Washington, DC, this 7th day of November 1997.
Charles Schwalbe,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 97-29991 Filed 11-13-97; 8:45 am]
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