Animal Welfare; Transportation of Animals on Foreign Air Carriers

On October 10, 2003, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service published a determination to regulate. The determination to regulate notified the public of our intention to begin applying the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) regulations and standards for the humane transportation of animals in commerce to all foreign air carriers operating to or from any point within the United States, its territories, possessions, or the District of Columbia to ensure that any animal covered by the AWA, whether coming into, traveling from point to point in, or leaving the United States, its territories, possessions, or the District of Columbia, will be provided the protection of the AWA regulations and standards. In this document, we are responding to several issues raised in comments submitted by the public regarding our determination to regulate and are confirming the effective date specified in that document.