Press Release

Darby Holladay	(301) 734-3265
Jerry Redding	(2301) 720-6959

USDA SEEKS COMMENTS ON THE REGULATION OF FERRETS

WASHINGTON, Aug. 4, 2005–The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is seeking comments about regulating ferrets. APHIS is providing notice of a petition seeking responses to address the regulatory requirements ferrets would need under the Animal Welfare Act.

APHIS is also soliciting public comments to determine how it should regulate care for ferrets under current standards. In addition, APHIS will determine if new regulations are needed for ferrets or whether current coverage contained in the Code of Federal Regulations under Part 3, subpart F of the AWA is sufficient.

Notice of this of this petition and request for comments is scheduled for publication in the Aug. 5 Federal Register. APHIS documents published in the Federal Register are available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html.

Consideration will be given to comments received on or before Oct. 4. Send an original and three copies of postal mail or commercial delivery comments to Docket No. 04-088-1, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3C71, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. If you wish to submit a comment using the Internet, go to EDOCKET at http://www.epa.gov/feddocket, click on “View Open APHIS Dockets,” and locate agency Docket No. 04-088-1.

Comments are posted on the EDOCKET Web site and may also be viewed at USDA, Room 1141, South Building, 14 St. and Independence Ave., SW, Washington, D.C., between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. To facilitate entry into the comment reading room, please call (202) 690-2871.

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