Final Listening Session Regarding the Handling of Dangerous Animals is August 4

USDA is considering whether to revise the Animal Welfare Act regulations governing the handling of (and public contact with) dangerous animals. On August 4, 2016, we are hosting the final listening session to gather targeted feedback from you and other stakeholders.

 

In 2012, a coalition of animal advocacy organizations petitioned us to ban all public contact with dangerous animals exhibited under the Animal Welfare Act. After publishing the petition and receiving more than 15,000 comments, we have now reopened the comment period until August 31, 2016, so we can get your feedback on additional questions. The questions, along with the full docket for this petition, are located here. 

 

You have until August 31 to submit your comments online, but the final listening session is this Thursday, August 4; 1-3 p.m. (EDT). To participate in the listening session, please register here. After registering, you will receive an email containing the call-in number, access code and an identification code specific to you. Please do not share your identification code with anyone because this will impede your ability to connect to the listening session. 

 

During the listening sessions, an operator will provide instructions for those participants who wish to speak. We ask that each speaker please limit their comments to three minutes or less. Thank you. If you have any problems registering (or connecting), please email Dave Sacks at david.sacks@aphis.usda.gov.  

 

We have created a webpage, located here, to serve as our information hub regarding the feedback we are soliciting. This page contains the audio recordings and written transcripts of the previous two listening sessions. 

 

Thank you for your interest in animal welfare and your willingness to participate in this process. We will use your comments as we consider possible actions to protect animals from potential harm that can result from being handled by humans. Please feel free to share this message with anyone you think would be interested in participating. 

 

 

At USDA Animal Care, ensuring the welfare of the animals we regulate is at the heart of everything we do.