Proposed Animal Care Standards Workshops

Updated: February 22, 2012

Background of the Project:

DEC is working on a comprehensive revision of the state animal health regulations. The impetus for this effort was the passage of legislation several years ago tasking DEC with the development of animal care standards. Almost every other state has created similar standards to guide private veterinarians and law enforcement as they investigate animal cruelty cases. Without standards, it is difficult to determine what constitutes abuse and neglect.

DEC Hosting 2nd Series of Workshops

DEC is hosting a second series of public workshops to continue developing animal care standards to provide more detail on what constitutes adequate feeding, watering, and environment for common livestock and domestic animals.

Agendas for meetings will be posted approximately one to two weeks in advance of each meeting. We will post minutes of all workshops shortly after they occur for the public to follow the process as we develop these standards.

All interested Alaska residents are invited to attend workshops by telephone at 1-800-315-6338 (use pass code 8213 when prompted) or in person at the State Environmental Health Laboratory at 5251 Dr. MLK, Jr. Ave, Anchorage, AK, 99507. All meetings will be from 3:30 to 5:00 PM. If you are unable to attend meetings, feel free to submit your comments to us in writing via mail or email jay.fuller@alaska.gov.

This is the most recent working draft dated December 10, 2011 of ideas for animal care standards:

Proposed Animal Care Standards

A formal public comment period will be held for the entire regulation package later in 2012. If you have questions regarding these workshops, please contact:

Jay Fuller, DVM
Assistant State Veterinarian
907-375-8213
jay.fuller@alaska.gov

or
Robert Gerlach, VMD
State Veterinarian
907-375-8214
bob.gerlach@alaska.gov