Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service September 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We are proposing to amend the regulations to establish requirements regarding the importation of live dogs for resale, whether through retail or wholesale channels or fee-based adoption, from regions where African swine fever (ASF) exists or is reasonably believed to exist. These regulations are necessary because dogs imported from ASF-affected countries for resale purposes, along with bedding, represent a potential risk for the introduction of ASF into the United States. This action would address that risk.

We are amending the regulations for the importation of equines. These changes include increasing the number of days horses exported from regions free from contagious equine metritis (CEM) are allowed to spend in a CEM-affected region and enter the United States without testing from 60 days to 90 days; requiring an import permit for horses transiting through CEM-affected regions; adding requirements for health certifications to ensure health certifications properly attest to the health of the imported horse; requiring that horses transiting Central America or the West Indies comply with the same regulations that apply to horses directly imported from these regions; and adding requirements for shipping containers used in transporting horses. We are also adding a number of miscellaneous changes to the regulations such as clarifications of existing policy or intent, and corrections of inconsistencies or outdated information. Many of these changes will better align our regulations with international standards and allow us and the equine industry more flexibility. The changes will also add further safeguards that protect against introducing or disseminating pests or diseases of livestock into the United States.