Transcript: Preparing for a Prelicense Inspection at Your Facility
SLIDE 1: Hello, my name is Dr. Cody Yager, the Avian Field Specialist in APHIS Animal Care. In this video I will be going over the prelicense process and will review the husbandry standards in the Animal Welfare regulations to better prepare you for your first prelicense inspection at your avian facility. While I will be going over the main points of the welfare standards, I encourage you to read through Subpart G of the regulations which are the welfare husbandry standards for birds as well as the veterinary care regulations listed in 2.40.
SLIDE 2: Once your application for licensure is received, it is processed and sent to your assigned inspector for a prelicense call and to schedule the prelicense inspection. The prelicense call is a very important time to ask any questions you may have about the process or the regulations. By reviewing this presentation not only will you have a better understanding of the expectations for the prelicense inspection, but it will also allow you to ask specific and crucial questions during the prelicense call to best get you ready for your prelicense inspection. The inspector will also ask you questions to assess your readiness for inspection. For the prelicense inspection the inspector will need to inspect and have access to the animals, the animal enclosures, the food and food storage areas, the buildings housing the animals, and your paperwork. We encourage everyone involved with the husbandry and care of your birds along with your attending veterinarian to be present, but it’s not required.
SLIDE 3: The following must be in-place before your scheduled prelicense inspection. For facilities that do not have a full-time veterinarian employed, you must have an attending veterinarian that has approved a written program of veterinary care that describes the veterinary care at your facility. You must also have a written environmental enrichment plan, a contingency plan for your facility, and acquisition records to pass your prelicense inspection. We will be going into more detail on these required documents later on in this presentation.
SLIDE 4: You must be in full compliance with the regulations in order to receive a license from the USDA. That means having no noncompliances at the time of your prelicense inspection. You have 3 opportunities to pass the prelicense inspection within 60 days of the 1st pre-licensing inspection. At the end of your prelicense inspection, you will be given an inspection report that informs you of any noncompliances found and how to correct them. If you do not pass your 3rd prelicense inspection, you may appeal the decision. Unless your appeal is granted you must wait 6 months to reapply.
SLIDE 5: We will now go over the regulations which can be found in the Animal Welfare Act and Regulations, sometimes called the “blue book”. The welfare standards for birds are found in Subpart G, sections 3.150 to 3.168. The specific regulations are listed here for your review. The topics include: General facilities requirements in §3.150, Indoor and outdoor facility regulations in §3.151 & §3.152 respectively, what the primary enclosure must ensure in §3.153, what is and what needs to be in the Environmental Enhancement Plan §3.154, the requirements on feeding, watering, and water quality §3.155 - §3.157, how to be compliant when it comes to cleaning and sanitation §3.158, employee requirements 3.159, the compatibility and separation standards in §3.160 and lastly the transportation regulations in §3.161 to 3.168.
Slide 6: Additional topics outside subpart G that apply to birds include Veterinary Care in 2.40, ID requirements in 2.50(e), records in 2.75, and Contingency planning in 2.134.
SLIDE 7: One of the most important aspects of animal welfare is ensuring your birds have appropriate veterinary care. This includes having an attending veterinarian that makes regularly scheduled visits to your facility, providing your attending veterinarian the authority to ensure oversight and direction at your facility, communicating with your attending veterinarian frequently, and observing your birds daily to determine if they need veterinary attention.
If you do not have a full-time veterinarian on staff, then you will also need a written program of veterinary care. This is a formal written agreement approved by your attending veterinarian. A well written program of veterinary care will provide guidance for preventive care, common veterinary issues, and when to contact the attending veterinarian. The more details and directions your attending veterinarian can include in the program of veterinary care, the better you will be able to understand and follow the directions as expected. An attending veterinarian may create their own written program, use the form provided by the USDA, or have you write up a program that your attending veterinarian can then review and approve. While specific topics are not required for birds, topics typically include: contact information for the attending veterinarian and any other emergency contacts, vaccine schedules, parasite control for internal and external parasites, pest control, quarantine and biosecurity procedures, diet, proper storage and handling of medications and food, safe handling and transportation practices, species specific behaviors and/or social needs along with adequate spacing, Zoonoses, Water quality, and euthanasia by attending veterinarian or any procedures allowed by licensee/registrant under the attending veterinarian’s training/direction.
For additional information please visit our website for guidance documents on and for attending veterinarians, daily observations, and the optional USDA template for the Program of Veterinary Care.
In preparation for your prelicense inspection you must have the approved written Program of Veterinary care available for review and ensure all animals have been provided daily observations to ensure all medical concerns have been adequately addressed according to your Attending Veterinarian’s direction. Lastly, attending veterinarians must be consulted to ensure that the space in all enclosures housing birds is adequate and allows for normal postural and social adjustments.
SLIDE 8: You are required to have a written contingency plan that describes what you will do to safeguard your birds during emergencies and disasters. The contingency plan needs to address when you will activate the plan, what actions you will take, who will be responsible for taking those actions, and how will you carry out the plan. Please visit our website for guidance documents on developing your contingency plan and the optional USDA template for Contingency Planning Program, Form 7093.
SLIDE 9: Now let’s go over the general housing regulations found in 3.150. Housing facilities refers to the land, premises, a shed, barn, or building, or any other structure housing animals. The housing facilities must be structurally sound and in good repair for the birds housed inside. The facilities must protect the birds from injury, restrict other animals from entering that may negatively affect the birds, and securely contain all the birds. If you have any flightless or flight-restricted birds that roam freely on the grounds you must provide protected areas, such as a coop, when the birds are not monitored. Surfaces within the housing facilities must be able to be readily cleaned and sanitized or replaced when worn or soiled. Interior surfaces where birds have access to must be nontoxic, free from rust that affects the structural integrity of the surface or prevents cleaning, and free of jagged edges or sharp points that could injure the birds.
Food, bedding, and husbandry supplies must be stored in a way that protects the supplies from deterioration, contamination, and vermin infestation. Food and supplies must be stored off the floor and away from walls to allow cleaning and monitoring for pest activity. Harmful cleaning supplies must not be stored inside the food storage and food preparation areas but may be stored in cabinets in the animal areas, provided that they are in properly labeled containers and are adequately secured to prevent potential harm to the birds. I recommend not keeping cleaning supplies above your bird’s food or food prep area and making sure the containers do not leak.
There must be regular and frequent removal of waste. This includes animal and food wastes, substrate, debris, garbage, wastewater, and any other fluids and wastes, in a manner that minimizes contamination and disease risk. Drainage systems must be in place to allow waste and water to be rapidly eliminated to minimize pests, prevent odors and disease risk, and allow birds to remain dry.
SLIDE 10: Depending on where you keep your birds, section 3.151 lists the requirements for indoor housing of birds while section 3.152 is applicable for outdoor housing. For indoor housing you must ensure the air temperature and humidity are appropriate for your birds. The space must be sufficiently ventilated with minimal drafts to prevent the bird’s distress, accumulations of moisture condensation, and other noxious gases. You must also provide appropriate lighting, either by natural or artificial means, to allow for routine inspections and cleaning. For birds with pools or other aquatic areas, there must be sufficient vertical air space above the area to allow for behaviors typical to the species such as diving or swimming.
SLIDE 11: For outdoor housing, birds must be housed and acclimated to the temperature (including all aquatic areas) and humidity levels as to not adversely affect the bird’s health and comfort. You must also provide shelter as appropriate for the local climate to protect all birds from any adverse weather conditions. Furthermore, shelters must be adequately ventilated, have shade, and provide protection to prevent the bird’s discomfort from direct sunlight, precipitation, or wind. Shelters must also comfortably contain all the birds at one time, without causing intraspecific aggression or grouping of incompatible birds.
SLIDE 12: Section 3.153 provides you with the regulations on the primary enclosure which is the structure that directly contains the bird or birds. You will notice there are similarities between these regulations in Section 3.153 with the general housing facilities regulations listed in 3.150 that we have already covered. The primary enclosure must be structurally sound and kept in good repair. The enclosure must protect the birds from injury and have no sharp points or edges. The flooring of the primary enclosure must be constructed in a manner that protects the birds’ feet and legs from injury.
If the flooring is suspended, it must be sufficiently rigid to prevent excessive sagging under the bird’s weight. Perches and any objects used to enrich the bird’s environment inside the enclosure must be species-appropriate and be designed, constructed, and maintained to prevent harm to the bird. In summary, you must be continually evaluating your bird’s enclosures for safety and maintenance concerns. This includes significant rust on the cages, broken latches, areas where the bird’s feet, beak, or wings could become entrapped, and toys or perches that are significantly worn.
SLIDE 13: The primary enclosure must contain all the birds securely while also restricting entry of animals that may negatively affect the birds. Birds must always have the option to remain clean and dry. You must provide the birds with easy and convenient access to clean food and potable water. All surfaces in contact with the birds must be readily cleaned and/or sanitized or be replaced when worn or soiled. For enclosures that house birds that rest by perching, there must be perches available that are appropriate to the age and species of birds housed inside while also having a sufficient number of perches of appropriate size, shape, strength, texture, and placement to comfortably hold all the birds in the primary enclosure at the same time, including birds that are ranked low in a dominance hierarchy.
SLIDE 14: So, what about enclosure size? There are no specific size requirements for enclosures. Instead, it’s a performance-based standard, meaning the size is based on the needs of the animal. The primary enclosures must allow each bird to make normal postural and social adjustments, such as dust-bathing and foraging, and must allow adequate freedom of movement and freedom to escape aggression demonstrated by other animals. Your attending veterinarian must be consulted to ensure that the space in all enclosures housing birds is adequate and allows for normal postural and social adjustments. Inadequate space may be indicated by the birds showing signs of malnutrition, poor body or feather condition, stress, or abnormal behaviors.
SLIDE 15: Lastly, primary enclosures must prevent injuries due to predation, territorial disputes, or aggression when located adjacent to another animal. This can be accomplished by either using screens or by providing sufficient distance between enclosures to prevent injury. If you tether your birds, as seen with birds of prey, it must be in accordance with current professionally accepted standards, must be appropriate for the species, must not cause harm or entangle the birds, and the birds must have sufficient space to fully extend their wings without obstruction. Lastly, wading and aquatic birds must have a pool or other aquatic area (such as a pond, waterfall, fountain, or other water feature) and a dry area that allows the birds to easily enter and exit the water. Aquatic and dry areas must be of sufficient size to allow each bird to make normal postural and social adjustments, such as diving, bathing, swimming, and foraging, with adequate freedom of movement and freedom to escape aggression from other animals.
SLIDE 16: Now onto the Environmental Enhancement Plan. Having an enriched and stimulating environment for your birds is fundamental to avian welfare. You must develop, document, and follow a species-appropriate plan for environmental enhancement that promotes the psychological well-being of your birds. The plan must be approved by the attending veterinarian and must be in accordance with the regulations and with currently accepted professional standards as cited in professional journals or reference guides. The APHIS Form 7050, is the optional USDA form for developing an environmental enhancement plan for your birds.
The plan must include specific actions to address the social needs of species of birds known to exist in social groups. There are exceptions for birds that are overly aggressive, debilitated as a result of age or other conditions, or birds that have a contagious disease and must be isolated as directed by the attending veterinarian. Birds can only be housed with compatible birds or other animals that do not prevent access to food, water, or shelter, and are not known to be hazardous to the health and well-being of each other. Individually housed social species of birds must be able to see and hear birds of their own or compatible species unless the attending veterinarian determines that it would endanger their health, safety, or well-being. If individually housed social species of birds are unable to see and hear birds of their own or compatible species, then special attention regarding enhancement to their environment must be provided
SLIDE 17: The primary enclosures must be enriched by materials or activities that provide the birds with the means to express non-injurious species-typical behaviors. Species differences should be considered when determining the types or methods of enrichment. For instance, many parrots commonly chew on wooden enrichment items. This is a normal species-typical behavior for parrots but using those same wooden objects may have little to no benefit for songbirds. Examples of environmental enrichments include providing perches, swings, mirrors, and other objects that increase the enclosure’s complexity. You should also consider providing objects birds can manipulate, a variety of food items, using foraging or task-oriented feeding methods, and providing positive interactions with the care giver as ways of enriching your bird’s environment. Lastly, don’t forget that any object you use to enrich your birds’ environment must be designed, constructed, and maintained to prevent harm to your birds. Get in the routine habit of checking toys and other objects in the enclosure for safety.
SLIDE 18: Certain birds must be provided special attention regarding specific enhancements. This is based on the needs of the individual species and/or individual bird and in accordance with your attending veterinarian’s direction. Birds requiring special attention include nestlings, chicks, or fledglings; birds that show signs of psychological distress through behavior or appearance; and individually housed social species of birds that are unable to see and hear birds of their own or compatible species. How you provide this additional environmental enhancement needs to be in accordance with your attending veterinarian. There are additional regulations for birds used in research that pertain to their environmental enhancement that are not covered here.
SLIDE 19: Let’s now turn to 3.155 for food requirements and 3.156 for water requirements. The diet for birds must be appropriate for the species, size, age, and health condition of the bird. The food must be wholesome, palatable to the birds, and free of contamination. It must be of sufficient amount and nutritive value to maintain the general health, weight and body condition of the birds and to meet their normal daily nutritional requirements. Birds must be fed at least once a day. Exceptions to this are allowed for normal fasts, if directed by the attending veterinarian, or for other professionally accepted practices. For water requirements, the water must be potable and safe to drink. If potable water is not continually available to the birds, it must be offered to them as often as necessary to ensure their health and well-being. Remember, if birds are kept with other birds or animals, make sure that all birds receive a sufficient quantity of food and water, so you may need multiple water and food receptacles.
Food, water, and any food or water receptacles must be located so as to minimize any risk of contamination by excreta, precipitation, and pests. So, consider where birds like to roost in relation to their food and water dishes. Ensure there is no mold, deterioration, contamination, caking, or undesirable wetting or freezing of the food. Food receptacles must be made of a durable material that is easily cleaned and sanitized or can be replaced when worn or soiled.
Remember if you have any questions about the appropriate diet or about the water requirements for your birds, your attending veterinarian is an excellent source of information.
SLIDE 20: Now let’s discuss water quality in 3.157. Pools or other aquatic areas (such as ponds, waterfalls, fountains, and other water features) must not harm the birds. Animal and food waste, trash, or debris that enters the pool or other aquatic area must be removed as often as necessary to minimize health hazards to the birds.
Drainage systems of aquatic areas must provide drainage that effectively eliminates all the water when necessary for cleaning the aquatic area or for other purposes. Pools or other aquatic areas without drainage systems must be aerated and have an incoming flow of fresh water or be managed in a manner that maintains appropriate water quality in accordance with current professionally accepted standards appropriate for the species.
If the water is chemically treated, the chemicals must not cause harm, discomfort, or distress to the animals. Pools and other aquatic areas must be salinized for birds that require such water for their health and well-being in accordance with current professionally accepted standards.
SLIDE 21: In section 3.158 you will find the regulations for cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. Let’s first consider cleaning and sanitization. Cleaning is the process of removing organic debris such as dirt, food waste, dust, and droppings. Sanitization refers to killing germs that may negatively impact your bird’s health. To be compliant with the regulations you must both clean and sanitize. USDA does not require a specific method or product to be used as long as it’s both safe and effective. I recommend talking with your attending veterinarian about what safe products or methods they suggest. You must clean and sanitize all surfaces that come into contact with the birds, including food and water receptacles. You must also clean around and under the primary enclosures. USDA does not have a specific frequency when cleaning and sanitization must take place, but it must be as frequent as necessary to prevent the build-up of dirt, debris, food waste, and droppings to prevent the soiling of the birds and to reduce disease hazards, insects, pests, and odors. While a specific frequency is not required, developing a consistent schedule is recommended, such as selecting specific days of the week that you clean and sanitize.
SLIDE 22: Scheduled cleaning and sanitization may be modified or delayed during breeding, egg-sitting, or during the feeding of chicks if the birds are easily disrupted during these times; however, scheduled cleaning and sanitization must resume when it no longer disrupts those behaviors. A schedule of cleaning and sanitization must be documented and must include when the breeding season began, when the primary enclosure was last cleaned and sanitized, and when cleaning and sanitization is expected to resume. The documented schedule must be available for review by APHIS inspectors.
SLIDE 23: Some final points on sanitization. The primary enclosures, including food and water areas, and equipment used with your birds must be sanitized before a new bird is brought into the housing facility or if there is evidence of infectious disease among the birds. And lastly, for materials that cannot be sanitized using conventional methods, such as gravel, sand, grass, earth, planted areas, or absorbent bedding, you must remove all contaminated material as necessary or by establishing a natural composting and decomposition system that is sufficient to prevent wasted food accumulation, odors, disease, pests, insects, and vermin infestation.
SLIDE 24: To finish out section 3.158, let’s go over housekeeping requirements in 3.158(c) and pest control requirements in 3.158(d). The buildings and surrounding grounds must be kept clean and in good repair in order to protect the birds from injury and disease, and to reduce or eliminate breeding and living areas of pests. The premises must be kept free of accumulations of trash, junk, waste products, and discarded items. Weeds, grasses, and bushes must be controlled so as to facilitate the cleaning of the premises and pest control, and to protect the health and well-being of the birds.
You must also have a safe and effective pest control program for insects, ectoparasites, and other pests to ensure the health and well-being of your birds and to reduce the contamination by pests in animal areas. Insecticides, chemical agents, or other pest control products cannot be used if they would be harmful to the birds. Application of pest control products must be consistent with the manufacturer recommendations for use.
SLIDE 25: Section 3.159 covers the requirements pertaining to employees at your facility. If you hire employees to keep up with the husbandry needs of your birds, you must make sure you have enough trained employees to maintain your facility within the regulations. Furthermore, all avian husbandry and handling practices must be performed under the supervision of someone with experience in avian husbandry.
SLIDE 26: Socially dependent birds, such as clutch mates, must be housed in social groups under the direction of your attending veterinarian. An individual bird may be exempted from this requirement because of its health or condition, well-being, or for specific management needs, or where such social grouping is not in accordance with an IACUC-approved research protocol.
Birds may not be housed with other animals, including members of their own species, unless they are compatible, do not prevent access to each other’s food, water, or shelter, and are not known to be hazardous to the health and well-being of each other. Compatibility of birds and other animals must be determined by generally accepted professional practices and by actual observations to ensure that the birds are truly compatible. Lastly, birds that have or are suspected of having a contagious or infectious disease must be separated from the healthy animals that are susceptible to the disease as directed by your attending veterinarian.
SLIDE 27: Let’s talk about everyone’s favorite subject – records. For breeders and exhibitors, all birds, including hatchlings, must have records that include where the birds came from and where they went to including birds that were hatched on property, euthanized, or died. The records must have the name and address of the person (whom the animals were acquired from), the USDA license or registration number of that person (if they are not licensed or registered, the vehicle license number with state and driver's license number), the date you got the birds or the date the birds left your property or died, the species of the birds, and lastly, the number of animals in the shipment. Records of new offspring can be delayed to prevent disturbing nesting or rearing activities but must be recorded when it would no longer cause a disturbance.
USDA provides optional acquisition and disposition forms for you to use, called the “Record of Animals on Hand (Other than Dogs and Cats) [Form 7019] and ‘Record of Acquisition, Disposition, or Transport of Animals (Other than Dogs and Cats)’ [Form 7020]. These optional forms are convenient, complete, and prompt you for all the required information.
For the prelicense inspection, we understand you may not have all the required information regarding the acquisition of your birds, but you need to provide as much detail as possible and going forward after the prelicense inspection you must have complete records with the required information.
While medical records are not a requirement for birds, I strongly recommend documenting all health impacts to help your attending veterinarian identify potential health concerns and show the quality of medical care you are providing for your birds.
Slide 28: On to identification requirements. The only time identification of your birds is required is at the time of delivery for transportation, sale, acquisition, or disposal. Now you have three ways to identify your birds. The first is to have a label attached to the primary enclosure with the number of birds inside the enclosure, the species, any distinctive physical features of the birds, and any identifying marks on the birds. The second way is using leg or wing bands that individually identifies each bird by description or number. The third option is to microchip each bird. The receiving facility must also have a microchip reader capable of reading the microchips.
Apart from this requirement there are no other individual identification requirements for birds, but I do encourage you to consider having an identification system in place at your facility in cases of theft, escapes, for tracking health and breeding performance, and ensuring proper medical treatments.
SLIDE 29: In our last section we will go over the transportation standards for birds listed in 3.161 through 3.168. This includes the transportation requirements for primary enclosures, food and water, care and handling, and the precautions to take for environmental conditions during travel.
Let’s first go over the requirements of the primary enclosure used in transportation. Birds must be housed in an enclosure and cannot be free inside the cabin of the transportation vehicle. The enclosure must be strong enough to contain the birds securely and comfortably while also able to withstand the normal rigors of transportation. Additionally, any material or other chemical used in or on the enclosure must be nontoxic to the birds. Ensure that the enclosure does not permit birds to place any part of its body outside the enclosure in a way that could result in injury to itself, people, or nearby animals. The birds must also be able to be quickly and easily removed from the enclosure in case of an emergency. There are specific standards outlining how much ventilation surface area must be in place to allow for adequate air flow, as well as specific standards on the enclosure’s projecting rims. Please refer to 3.162(b) for more information on the specific ventilation and projecting rims standards.
The transport enclosure must be equipped with handholds or other devices such as handles on the outside to allow the enclosure to be lifted without tilting it, while also ensuring that anyone handling the enclosure will not be in contact with the birds inside. When transporting multiple birds in the same enclosure, they must be of the same species or compatible species and maintained in compatible groups. If more than one bird is being transported, socially dependent birds must be able to see and hear each other.
Transportation enclosures must be large enough to ensure that each bird has sufficient space to turn about freely and to make normal postural adjustments; Please note, that certain species may be restricted in their movements during transport according to professionally accepted standards when such freedom of movement would constitute a danger to the birds, their handlers, or other persons.
The transportation enclosures must have a solid, leak-proof bottom or a removable, leak-proof collection tray. If a mesh or other nonsolid floor is used in the enclosure, it must be designed and constructed so that the bird cannot put any part of its body through the holes in the mesh or the openings in the nonsolid floor. If substrate (such as newspaper, towels, litter, straw, etc.) is used in the primary enclosure, the substrate must be clean and made of absorbent material that is safe and nontoxic to the birds.
The words “Live Animals” must be clearly marked on top of the transport enclosure and on one or more sides, in letters at least 1 inch high, and with arrows or other markings to indicate the correct upright position of the enclosure. Documents accompanying the shipment must be attached in an easily accessible manner to the outside of the enclosure and must not obstruct the ventilation openings.
SLIDE 30: All weaned birds must be offered food and potable water within 4 hours before being transported, unless the attending veterinarian approves a delay or unless a delay is in accordance with professionally accepted standards.
You must also provide potable water to all weaned birds transported at least every 12 hours and for food every 24-hours, unless a different frequency is needing according to professionally accepted standards or according to the Attending Veterinarian. You must also ensure that a sufficient quantity of food and water accompanies the birds to adequately provide for their feeding and watering needs for the duration of transport.
For unweaned birds, you must have your attending veterinarian approve the transportation is consist with veterinary care, and transport instructions are specified and written by your attending veterinarian and signed within 10 days of shipment.
Finally, you must securely attach written instructions to the outside of the transportation enclosure that outline the food and water requirements of the birds contained in the enclosure. The instructions must be easily noticed and legible.
SLIDE 31: When transporting birds, it is vital you monitor the birds for signs of distress, and you handle the birds in a safe manner. When transporting birds by vehicle, you must observe the birds no less than once every 4 hours to check for any signs of distress. If you observe signs of distress, you must obtain veterinary care for the birds as soon as possible. Additionally, you cannot transport any birds that are sick, injured, or distressed except to obtain veterinary care.
Slide 32: You must move the birds quickly and efficiently to or from the animal holding area of a terminal facility or the primary transportation vehicle. You must also provide shelter from sunlight, extreme heat or cold, rain, snow, and maintain climatic and environmental conditions when moving birds. Lastly, you must use care in handling the primary enclosure used in the transportation of a live bird and must avoid causing physical harm or distress to the bird. This includes ensuring the primary enclosure cannot be tossed, dropped, or tilted, and must not be stacked in a manner which may reasonably be expected to fall with a live bird contained inside.
SLIDE 33: Now on to our last slide about transportation, which goes over the climatic and environmental conditions. It is vital that birds are transported in way that does not cause overheating, excessive cooling, or any harmful environmental conditions that could cause discomfort or stress to your birds. When harmful conditions such as dangerous temperatures, humidity extremes, exposure, poor ventilation, inappropriate pressurization, extended time, or other adverse environmental conditions or factors are present, immediate actions must be taken to mitigate those conditions. This can include controlling the temperature & humidity levels by adequate ventilation or any other means, and ensuring birds are not subjected to prolonged drafts, or direct heat or cold sources.
Finally, you must determine what environmental conditions are appropriate for your birds. So consider your bird's age, normal species requirements, health and physiologic state, their last feeding and watering, and acclimation status. Birds unable to maintain a constant body temperature must be transported in a brooder or other temperature-regulating unit that is monitored with written instructions for temperature on the outside of the enclosure.
And with that we have reviewed the majority of the welfare standards, but I do encourage you to read and review the regulations completely.
SLIDE 34: I’ve mentioned our website many times as a place to find additional resources, but I want to make sure you know where to find the website and orient you to the resources discussed. The link to our main page for Animal Care is listed on the bottom of the slide. Not only will you find more information about our Program, the Animal Welfare Act, the Center for Animal Welfare, and Attending Veterinarians, but it also provides you access to our publications, forms, and guidance documents as well as information on how to contact us.
I sincerely appreciate the time you put into watching this presentation and I hope you found it helpful. I know we went over a lot of information here, but I would recommend reading the regulations, looking over the materials and guidance documents on our website, and asking any questions on the prelicense call with your inspector. If you need answers before that please reach out to our office in Fort Collins, CO, at 970-494-7478 or email us at animalcare@usda.gov. We are here to help and truly want you to be successful in being compliant with the welfare regulations. Thank you again for your time today and Take Care!