ANNOUNCEMENT: Improvements to U.S. Origin Pet Bird Home Quarantine Process

Recently, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) completed a Business Process Improvement (BPI) project that streamlined reentry of U.S. origin pet birds after traveling to other countries. APHIS also completed a related risk assessment related to returning U.S. origin pet birds. This risk analysis, along with the more efficient process, allows APHIS to continue to offer home-based quarantine to bird owners while maintaining strong safeguards to protect domestic poultry from the introduction of potentially devastating diseases.

All birds entering the United States are subject to quarantine. APHIS permits U.S. origin pet birds reentering the United States from foreign travel to undergo a 30-day home quarantine if the bird meets the following criteria:

• Bird(s) must be of U.S. origin as evidenced by a copy of the bird(s) U.S. origin Health Certificate used for international travel.
• Bird(s) must not have traveled to or through a country affected by Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).

If the bird(s) meet these criteria, the USDA will grant the bird owner an Import Permit that outlines the requirements of the home quarantine process. Upon reentry to the United States, the bird(s) must be accompanied by a current health certificate from the country of export, stamped or signed by a government veterinarian of that country. On arrival, an APHIS Veterinary Medical Officer (VMO) will inspect and collect samples from the bird for HPAI and Newcastle Disease (ND) testing at the National Veterinary Services Laboratories. The bird owner will sign a document agreeing to keep the bird separate and apart from any other birds for a minimum of 30 days at a specified home quarantine address. The VMO will visit the home quarantine and inspect the bird 7 to 14 days following return to the United States and repeat the HPAI and ND testing. Once 30 days have passed, and both sets of tests are negative, APHIS will release the bird from home quarantine.

Based on the findings of the improvement project, APHIS targeted the following areas for improvement:

• Internal communications specific to U.S. origin pet birds
• Tracking of pet birds permitted for home quarantine
• Documentation at critical check points
• Oversight and education for all parties involved with reentry of U.S. origin pet birds to ensure strict adherence to home quarantine requirements

Specific actions taken by APHIS to improve these areas include:

• Appointed a single unit with primary oversight of tracking and documenting pet birds
• Designated VMO case managers for each U.S. origin pet bird home quarantine
• Issued simple and straightforward guidance for pet bird owners on the user-friendly APHIS Pet Travel website
• Instituted an audit system to track U.S. origin pet birds from import permit issuance to home quarantine release
• Implemented a policy, beginning January 2018, that bird owners who want the option for home quarantine upon reentry must identify all U.S. origin pet birds over 100g in weight prior to leaving the United States.

Please direct questions on the updated process to VS.Live.Animals.Import.Permits@aphis.usda.gov. You may also call 301-851-3300, option 2.

 

 

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