Live Animal Imports and Disease Regulatory Practices and Recommendations

The United States is the world's leading import market for live animals. From 2005 through 2008 over 1 billion live animals were legally imported into the United States for agriculture, clinical research, education and exhibition, the aquarium and pet industries, and other uses. These imports have the potential to transmit zoonotic diseases; which are infectious diseases that can be transmitted between animals and humans and can cause a substantial number of deaths. The spread of zoonotic diseases, as well as other diseases affecting only animals, can take a major economic toll on many industries. This book examines potential gaps in the statutory and regulatory framework governing live animal imports, that may allow the introduction and spread of zoonotic and animal diseases, the extent to which the various government oversight agencies collaborate to meet their responsibilities on this issue, and performance information that the responsible agencies have reported on live animal imports.