Rhode Island Code of Regulations › Title 250 - Department of Environmental Management › Chapter 40 - Agriculture and Resource Marketing › Subchapter 05 - Animal Health › Part 4 - Rules and Regulations Governing Animal Care Facilities › Section 250-RICR-40-05-4.7 - General Standards

Current through June 14, 2024
A. General
				  Standards applicable for all species. Additional species-specific standards are
				  addressed in §
										4.8 of this Part
				  below.
B. The temperature within
				  the animal's living quarters must be maintained so as to ensure that
				  individual, warm-blooded animals will remain thermo-neutral and comfortable.
				  Cold-blooded animals must be provided with a temperature gradient to allow for
				  proper thermoregulation of the particular species.
C. The ventilation within the animal's living
				  quarters must be maintained so as to ensure that odors, ammonia, and moisture
				  are kept within levels that will be comfortable and not harmful to the animals
				  living in and people working in the facility. Adequacy of ventilation may be
				  determined subjectively by inspectors or objectively by calculation or other
				  qualitative air quality measurement as appropriate.
D. The drainage within the animal's living
				  quarters must be maintained so as to ensure that there is no standing water or
				  pooling of urine within any animal enclosure.
E. The sanitation within the animal's living
				  quarters must be maintained so as to ensure a clean and healthy environment for
				  animals and for personnel. Surfaces must be constructed and maintained in a
				  manner that allows for sufficient cleaning and sanitation as to prevent
				  disease. All animal contact surfaces must be non-porous or be easily disposed
				  of if contaminated or soiled.
F.
				  The lighting within the animal's living quarters must be maintained so as to
				  ensure a safe working environment for personnel and allow for adequate
				  inspection of all animals. Lighting must also include attention to species
				  requirements for normal photoperiod and spectrum requirements to ensure the
				  health of the individual species.
G. The minimum space requirements within the
				  animal's living quarters must be maintained so as to provide minimum areas for
				  animals to be able to make normal postural adjustments, maintain comfort, and
				  exhibit normal behavior.
H. The
				  construction and maintenance of facility of the animal's living quarters must
				  account the animals' safety as well as the safety of personnel, including
				  assurances that the facility is escape proof.
I. All animals' living quarters must be
				  maintained such that the animals are maintained free of obvious signs of
				  infectious/contagious diseases, injury, or other conditions detrimental to
				  their health and well-being. A veterinarian must be consulted for any animal
				  with signs that are potentially afflicted with an infectious/contagious
				  disease, or is injured, or is afflicted with another condition that is
				  detrimental to its health and well-being. Such consultation must occur within a
				  timeframe where the afflicted animal's condition will not worsen and/or the
				  animal will not unduly suffer. Proof of all vaccinations as required by R.I.
				  Gen. Laws must be maintained on premises for review.