Update (2/22/23): The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has made a final ruling to create standards of care and regulations for birds not used in research. Read more about the standards here.
Paws Up! To the USDA for considering establishing standards of care for the handling, transportation, and humane treatment of birds in the United States.
February 28, 2022
The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is requesting public comments on the consideration of amending the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) to include humane standards of care for captive birds in the United States.
Millions of birds are bred in captivity and sold as pets across the United States without any federal humane standards of care, handling, or transportation. Many of these animals are subjected to uninhabitable environments, little to no veterinary care, disease, and cramped transport without temperature controls or proper ventilation.
According to the USDA APHIS website, “APHIS is asking the public to provide comments on how this proposed rule would impact the regulated community, as well as ways that APHIS might assist regulated entities with implementation of these standards, whether through documents, guides, training, or other means. APHIS also invites comments on the proposed operating standards for facilities, the proposed animal health and husbandry standards, and the proposed transportation standards.”
The proposal would help ensure that all birds subject to the AWA are bred, raised, and cared for in healthy conditions and that their physical and behavioral needs are being met. Facilities that care for these birds would be subject to proper licensing standards and unannounced inspections by APHIS.
CLICK HERE to be guided to the Federal Register where you can read the proposed rule and submit a public comment.
The USDA will accept public comments on the Federal Register until April 25, 2022.
Please make your voice heard! Submit a public comment to demand humane standards of care for birds!