Post by Deleted on Feb 8, 2015 6:04:00 GMT -5
Below is a summary of the proposed rule changes:
312 IAC 9-3-10: Require commercial deer processors to properly dispose of deer carcasses by incineration, taking them to a landfill, or taking the carcasses to a rendering facility. The DNR has received complaints regarding the disposal practices of deer processors. Many are not regulated or inspected by the health department or any other agency and have no requirements for how they dispose of deer carcasses they handle. Additionally, the Board of Animal Health (BOAH) in 345 IAC 1-3-31 allows people to move carcasses or parts of carcasses, including heads, spinal cord and small intestine of cervidae taken in other states, to commercial deer processors that are registered by DNR. However, DNR currently has no requirements on proper disposal of those parts; only record-keeping requirements relative to deer that are taken in to process. This can cause problems if a disease such as CWD or bovine TB would show up in Indiana’s wild deer herd.
312 IAC 9-5-9: Adds a requirement that the applicant for a reptile captive breeding license be an Indiana resident and removes the requirement that a veterinarian examine the snake(s) within 14 days of acquisition. The DNR would be unable to examine the records and snakes as required in this rule if the person did not reside in Indiana. Also, there is not a need for the snakes to be examined by a veterinarian. Breeders don’t have to submit the record of taking the snake to a veterinarian to the DNR. They only have to have the information on a departmental form.
312 IAC 9-10-4: Makes the following changes governing the game breeder license:
•Allows pheasants and quail and their eggs to be imported with either a certificate of veterinary inspection or National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) certificate. This is consistent with BOAH’s rule in 345 IAC 1-3-25. The requirement for a certificate of veterinary inspection creates an additional burden and cost to those who purchase birds from out-of-state, and the NPIP certificate demonstrates that the breeder is compliant with federal disease-testing requirements.
•Allows the fence height to be less than 8 feet tall for exotic species of cervidae such as fallow deer that are not known to be able to jump over fences. This would match rule language in 345 IAC 2-7-3 under the Board of Animal Health (BOAH). The current rule requires an 8-foot-tall fence for all species of cervidae; however, some species of exotic cervidae do not need 8-foot-tall fences to stay confined. The fence could be less than 8 foot high for these species as long as the fence still contains the animals (properly maintained, etc.).
•Modifies rule language to match identification and disease testing requirements already established in Indiana Administrative Code (345 IAC 2-7) under the Board of Animal Health. The requirements for tagging of cervidae, enrolling in BOAH’s program, and complying with their disease-testing requirements was intended to allow DNR to help enforce those provisions in 345 IAC 2-7. However, BOAH allows species of deer that are not susceptible to CWD to be exempt from these requirements. These inconsistencies are creating additional complications and confusion by those who possess these animals.
312 IAC 9-10-9: The following changes govern the Wild Animal Rehabilitation Permit:
•Removes the continuing education requirement for those who have had a rehabilitation permit for 10 years or more. After the Indiana wildlife rehabilitator’s organization disbanded in 2012, the options to meet this requirement narrowed. Over the past few years, the remaining options are very limited, and usually include only attendance at a DNR-hosted course, taking an online course, travelling to a national meeting, or being part of a non-profit organization/center that trains its own staff. Some of these options are expensive and/or time consuming. Rehabilitators provide their service at no charge, and the Division of Fish & Wildlife does not believe the current requirement is necessary for the survival of the wild animal population. Wild animal rehabilitators provide a public service and answer many phone calls, pick up injured and orphaned wild animals, and educate the public about wild animals.
•Removes the limits on number of animals that can be released each year. The limit on the number of animals that can be released should be eliminated because wild animal rehabilitators should not be used to control populations. With a limited number of wildlife rehabilitators and increasing suburban development, permitted wildlife rehabilitators should not be limited in regard to the number of wild animals they can accept and care for, as long as they have the cages and means of taking care of the animals properly.
312 IAC 9-10-11: Reduces the number of hours of continuing education required to 16 hours (instead of 32) in a four year period of time for a nuisance wild animal control permit holder that provides services to the public or charges a fee. Permit holders are finding it difficult to meet the 32-hour requirement since training opportunities within the state have become more limited and may require a lengthy drive, costing time and money for permit holders (and their employees).
312 IAC 9-10-15: Deletes paddlefish from the list of 33 species under 312 IAC 9-10-15 that can be imported without a permit or produced and sold live under a fish hauler’s and supplier’s permit. Paddlefish are now entering the live fish market, including fish for stocking private waters. Concerns regarding genetic contamination of wild stocks and loopholes related to movement of paddlefish and roe are the basis for the proposal. Live paddlefish would be able to be sold under the aquaculture permit (which is also free of charge).
312 IAC 9-10-16: Due to legislation that took effect on July 1, rabbits are being added as another species that can be chased (not killed) under the dog training ground permit. This would only allow the chasing of rabbits, and not the killing of them, within an enclosure. Specifications for the enclosure include a minimum size and cover for the rabbits.
312 IAC 9-10-24: This rule creates a new trapper education permit (free of charge) that authorizes the trapping of furbearing mammals outside the season for a trapper education class approved by the DNR.
DNR-sponsored trapper education classes can be more beneficial when students are allowed to actually set traps and learn how to release animals from those traps. In order to increase participation and provide education before the start of the trapping season, classes need to be conducted at a time other than during trapping season. This new permit would meet that need when a class is held outside regulated trapping seasons.
312 IAC 9-3-10: Require commercial deer processors to properly dispose of deer carcasses by incineration, taking them to a landfill, or taking the carcasses to a rendering facility. The DNR has received complaints regarding the disposal practices of deer processors. Many are not regulated or inspected by the health department or any other agency and have no requirements for how they dispose of deer carcasses they handle. Additionally, the Board of Animal Health (BOAH) in 345 IAC 1-3-31 allows people to move carcasses or parts of carcasses, including heads, spinal cord and small intestine of cervidae taken in other states, to commercial deer processors that are registered by DNR. However, DNR currently has no requirements on proper disposal of those parts; only record-keeping requirements relative to deer that are taken in to process. This can cause problems if a disease such as CWD or bovine TB would show up in Indiana’s wild deer herd.
312 IAC 9-5-9: Adds a requirement that the applicant for a reptile captive breeding license be an Indiana resident and removes the requirement that a veterinarian examine the snake(s) within 14 days of acquisition. The DNR would be unable to examine the records and snakes as required in this rule if the person did not reside in Indiana. Also, there is not a need for the snakes to be examined by a veterinarian. Breeders don’t have to submit the record of taking the snake to a veterinarian to the DNR. They only have to have the information on a departmental form.
312 IAC 9-10-4: Makes the following changes governing the game breeder license:
•Allows pheasants and quail and their eggs to be imported with either a certificate of veterinary inspection or National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) certificate. This is consistent with BOAH’s rule in 345 IAC 1-3-25. The requirement for a certificate of veterinary inspection creates an additional burden and cost to those who purchase birds from out-of-state, and the NPIP certificate demonstrates that the breeder is compliant with federal disease-testing requirements.
•Allows the fence height to be less than 8 feet tall for exotic species of cervidae such as fallow deer that are not known to be able to jump over fences. This would match rule language in 345 IAC 2-7-3 under the Board of Animal Health (BOAH). The current rule requires an 8-foot-tall fence for all species of cervidae; however, some species of exotic cervidae do not need 8-foot-tall fences to stay confined. The fence could be less than 8 foot high for these species as long as the fence still contains the animals (properly maintained, etc.).
•Modifies rule language to match identification and disease testing requirements already established in Indiana Administrative Code (345 IAC 2-7) under the Board of Animal Health. The requirements for tagging of cervidae, enrolling in BOAH’s program, and complying with their disease-testing requirements was intended to allow DNR to help enforce those provisions in 345 IAC 2-7. However, BOAH allows species of deer that are not susceptible to CWD to be exempt from these requirements. These inconsistencies are creating additional complications and confusion by those who possess these animals.
312 IAC 9-10-9: The following changes govern the Wild Animal Rehabilitation Permit:
•Removes the continuing education requirement for those who have had a rehabilitation permit for 10 years or more. After the Indiana wildlife rehabilitator’s organization disbanded in 2012, the options to meet this requirement narrowed. Over the past few years, the remaining options are very limited, and usually include only attendance at a DNR-hosted course, taking an online course, travelling to a national meeting, or being part of a non-profit organization/center that trains its own staff. Some of these options are expensive and/or time consuming. Rehabilitators provide their service at no charge, and the Division of Fish & Wildlife does not believe the current requirement is necessary for the survival of the wild animal population. Wild animal rehabilitators provide a public service and answer many phone calls, pick up injured and orphaned wild animals, and educate the public about wild animals.
•Removes the limits on number of animals that can be released each year. The limit on the number of animals that can be released should be eliminated because wild animal rehabilitators should not be used to control populations. With a limited number of wildlife rehabilitators and increasing suburban development, permitted wildlife rehabilitators should not be limited in regard to the number of wild animals they can accept and care for, as long as they have the cages and means of taking care of the animals properly.
312 IAC 9-10-11: Reduces the number of hours of continuing education required to 16 hours (instead of 32) in a four year period of time for a nuisance wild animal control permit holder that provides services to the public or charges a fee. Permit holders are finding it difficult to meet the 32-hour requirement since training opportunities within the state have become more limited and may require a lengthy drive, costing time and money for permit holders (and their employees).
312 IAC 9-10-15: Deletes paddlefish from the list of 33 species under 312 IAC 9-10-15 that can be imported without a permit or produced and sold live under a fish hauler’s and supplier’s permit. Paddlefish are now entering the live fish market, including fish for stocking private waters. Concerns regarding genetic contamination of wild stocks and loopholes related to movement of paddlefish and roe are the basis for the proposal. Live paddlefish would be able to be sold under the aquaculture permit (which is also free of charge).
312 IAC 9-10-16: Due to legislation that took effect on July 1, rabbits are being added as another species that can be chased (not killed) under the dog training ground permit. This would only allow the chasing of rabbits, and not the killing of them, within an enclosure. Specifications for the enclosure include a minimum size and cover for the rabbits.
312 IAC 9-10-24: This rule creates a new trapper education permit (free of charge) that authorizes the trapping of furbearing mammals outside the season for a trapper education class approved by the DNR.
DNR-sponsored trapper education classes can be more beneficial when students are allowed to actually set traps and learn how to release animals from those traps. In order to increase participation and provide education before the start of the trapping season, classes need to be conducted at a time other than during trapping season. This new permit would meet that need when a class is held outside regulated trapping seasons.