Regulations last checked for updates: Sep 29, 2023

Title 9 - Animals and Animal Products last revised: Sep 18, 2023
§ 93.700 - Definitions.

Wherever in this subpart the following terms are used, unless the context otherwise requires, they shall be construed, respectively, to mean:

Administrator. The Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service or any other employee of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture, delegated to act in the Administrator's stead.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the United States Department of Agriculture (APHIS).

Brushtail possum. Vulpine phalangers (Trichosurus vulpecula) of the family Phalangeridae.

Delivery. The transfer of goods or interest in goods from one person to another.

Enter (entry). To introduce into the commerce of the United States after release from government detention.

Hedgehog. All members of the family Erinaceidae.

Import (imported, importation). To bring into the territorial limits of the United States.

Inspector. An employee of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service authorized to perform duties required under this subpart.

Person. Any individual, corporation, company, association, firm, partnership, society, or joint stock company.

Region. Any defined geographic land area identifiable by geological, political, or surveyed boundaries. A region may consist of any of the following:

(1) A national entity (country);

(2) Part of a national entity (zone, county, department, municipality, parish, Province, State, etc.)

(3) Parts of several national entities combined into an area; or

(4) A group of national entities (countries) combined into a single area.

Tenrec. All members of the family Tenrecidae.

United States. All of the States of the United States, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the United States, and all other territories and possessions of the United States.

[55 FR 34195, Aug. 2, 1990. Redesignated and amended at 62 FR 56012, 56020, Oct. 28, 1997]
§ 93.701 - Prohibitions.

(a) No person may import a hedgehog or tenrec into the United States from any region designated in § 94.1 of this chapter as a region where foot-and-mouth disease exists.

(b) No person may import a brushtail possum or hedgehog into the United States from New Zealand.

(c) No person may import leopard tortoise (Geochelone pardalis), African spurred tortoise (Geochelone sulcata), or Bell's hingeback tortoise (Kinixys belliana) into the United States.

[55 FR 31495, Aug. 2, 1990. Redesignated and amended at 56012, 56021, Oct. 28, 1997; 65 FR 15218, Mar. 22, 2000]
§ 93.702 - Restrictions.

Hedgehogs and tenrecs not specifically prohibited from being imported under § 93.701 may be imported into the United States only in accordance with the regulations in this subpart.

[55 FR 31495, Aug. 2, 1990. Redesignated and amended at 62 FR 56012, 56021, Oct. 28, 1997]
§ 93.703 - Ports designated for importation.

(a) Any person importing a hedgehog or tenrec into the United States may import it, except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, only through the following ports:

(1) Air and ocean ports. Anchorage and Fairbanks, AK; San Diego and Los Angeles, CA; Denver, CO; Jacksonville, Miami, St. Petersburg-Clearwater, and Tampa, FL; Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; New Orleans, LA; Portland, ME; Baltimore, MD; Boston, MA; Minneapolis, MN; Great Falls, MT; Newburgh, NY; Portland, OR; San Juan, PR; Galveston and Houston, TX; and Seattle, Spokane, and Tacoma, WA.

(2) Canadian border ports. Eastport, ID; Houlton and Jackman, ME; Detroit, Port Huron, and Sault Ste. Marie, MI; Opheim, Raymond, and Sweetgrass, MT; Alexandria Bay, Buffalo, and Champlain, NY; Dunseith, Pembina, and Portal, ND; Derby Line and Highgate Springs, VT; Oroville and Sumas, WA.

(3) Mexican border ports. Douglas, Naco, Nogales, Sasabe, and San Luis, AZ; Calexico and San Ysidro, CA; Antelope Wells, and Columbus, NM; and Brownsville, Hidalgo, Laredo, Eagle Pass, Del Rio, Presidio, and El Paso, TX.

(b) The Secretary of the Treasury has approved the designation, as inspection stations, of the ports specified in paragraph (a) of this section. In special cases, the Administrator may designate other ports as inspection stations in accordance with this section, with the concurrence of the Secretary of the Treasury.

[60 FR 55181, Oct. 30, 1995. Redesignated at 62 FR 56012, Oct. 28, 1997, as amended at 65 FR 38178, June 20, 2000; 67 FR 68022, Nov. 8, 2002]
§ 93.704 - Import permit.

(a) General requirements. No person may import a hedgehog or tenrec into the United States unless it is accompanied by an import permit issued by APHIS and is imported into the United States within 30 days after the proposed date of arrival stated in the import permit. The importer or his or her agent must notify the inspector at the port of first arrival of the date of arrival at least 72 hours before the hedgehog or tenrec arrives in the United States.

(b) Import permit required. Any person who desires to import a hedgehog or tenrec must submit an application (VS Form 17–129) for an import permit. Applications are available from, Strategy and Policy, Veterinary Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, 4700 River Road, Riverdale, Maryland 20737; or by visiting https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/resources/sa_epermits/eauth-epermits. A separate application must be prepared for each shipment.

(c) Application for an import permit. The importer must complete, sign, and date the application for an import permit, which must include the following information:

(1) The name and address of the shipper in the region of origin of the hedgehog or tenrec intended for importation into the United States.

(2) The name, address, and telephone number of the importer.

(3) The port of embarkation.

(4) The region from which the hedgehog or tenrec will be shipped to the United States.

(5) The mode of transportation.

(6) The number, breed, species, and descriptions of the hedgehogs or tenrecs to be imported.

(7) The purpose of the importation.

(8) The route of travel, including all carrier stops en route.

(9) The proposed shipping and arrival dates.

(10) The port of first arrival in the United States.

(11) The name, mailing address, and telephone number of the person to whom the hedgehog or tenrec will be delivered in the United States.

(12) The location of the place where delivery will be made in the United States.

(13) Any remarks regarding the shipment.

(d) Issuance of an import permit. Upon receipt of the application, APHIS will review the application. If the hedgehog or tenrec appears to be eligible to be imported into the United States, APHIS will issue an import permit indicating the applicable requirements under this subpart for the importation of the hedgehog or tenrec. Even though an import permit has been issued for the importation of a hedgehog or tenrec, the animal may enter the United States only if all other applicable requirements of this subpart have been met.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 0579–0040) [55 FR 31495, Aug. 2, 1990. Redesignated and amended at 62 FR 56012, 56021, Oct. 28, 1997; 81 FR 40151, June 21, 2016; 86 FR 45625, Aug. 16, 2021]
§ 93.705 - Health certificate.

(a) No person may import a hedgehog or tenrec into the United States unless it is accompanied by a health certificate either issued by a full-time salaried veterinary officer of the national government of the exporting region or issued by a veterinarian authorized or accredited by the national government of the exporting region and endorsed by a full-time salaried veterinary officer of the national government of that region. The health certificate must contain the names and street addresses of the consignor and consignee and must state:

(1) That the hedgehog or tenrec originated in a region that has been recognized as free of foot-and-mouth disease by the USDA;

(2) That the hedgehog or tenrec has never been in a region where foot-and-mouth disease exists;

(3) That the hedgehog or tenrec has not been commingled with any other hedgehog or tenrec that originated in or has ever been in a region where foot-and-mouth disease exists;

(4) That the hedgehog or tenrec was inspected by the individual issuing the health certificate and was found free of any ectoparasites not more than 72 hours before being loaded on the means of conveyance which transported the animal to the United States;

(5) That all body surfaces of the hedgehog or tenrec were treated for ectoparasites under the supervision of the veterinarian issuing the health certificate at least 3 days but not more than 14 days before being loaded on the means of conveyance that transported the animal to the United States;

(6) That the pesticide and the concentration used would kill the types of ectoparasites that may infest the animal to be imported;

(7) That the hedgehog or tenrec, after being treated for ectoparasites in accordance with paragraphs (a)(5) and (a)(6) of this section, had physical contact only with, or shared a pen or bedding materials only with, treated hedgehogs or tenrecs in the same shipment to the United States; and

(8) The name and concentration of the pesticide used to treat the hedgehog or tenrec.

(b) [Reserved]

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 0579–0040) [55 FR 31495, Aug. 2, 1990. Redesignated and amended at 62 FR 56012, 56021, Oct. 28, 1997]
§ 93.706 - Notification of arrival.

Upon the arrival of a hedgehog or tenrec at the port of first arrival in the United States, the importer or his or her agent must present the import permits and health certificates required by this subpart to the collector of customs for the use of the inspector at that port.

§ 93.707 - Inspection at the port of first arrival.

(a) A hedgehog or tenrec from any part of the world must be inspected by an APHIS inspector at the port of first arrival. Subject to the other provisions in this subpart, a shipment of hedgehogs or tenrecs may enter the United States only if each hedgehog or tenrec in the shipment is found free of ectoparasites and any clinical signs of communicable diseases.

(b) If any hedgehog or tenrec in a shipment is found to be infested with ectoparasites or demonstrates any clinical signs of communicable diseases, then the entire shipment will be refused entry. The importer will be given the following options:

(1) Remove the shipment from the United States; or

(2) Release the shipment to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Administrator will destroy or otherwise dispose of the shipment as necessary to prevent the possible introduction into the United States of communicable animal diseases.

authority: 7 U.S.C. 1622 and 8301–8317; 21 U.S.C. 136 and 136a; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.4
source: 55 FR 31495, Aug. 2, 1990, unless otherwise noted. Redesignated at 62 FR 56012, Oct. 28, 1997.
cite as: 9 CFR 93.703