(b) Pet birds.

1. (1) Registration.

   1. (A) Any person desiring to operate as a bird dealer must register with the Department of Agriculture.
   2. (B)

(i) Registration shall be on an annual basis.

1. (ii) All registrations shall be issued for a period of one (1) year beginning April 1, and expiring March 31 of the following year.

   1. (C)

      1. (i) The registration must be in the name used for all business transactions involving exotic and pet birds.
      2. (ii) Any change in the name of the registrant shall be promptly reported to the Department of Agriculture in writing.
      3. (iii) Only one (1) registration shall be allowed per premises.
   2. (D) A separate registration is required for each business location and proof of registration must be displayed in a conspicuous location.
   3. (E) Any corporation, partnership, or estate must declare at the time of registration and list such officers or owners on the registration form.

2. (2) Records - Pet birds.

   1. (A) Each bird dealer is required to keep records which adequately:

      1. (i)

(a) (a) Identify each exotic or pet bird in his or her possession or sold by him or her by:

1. (1) (1) Species;
2. (2) (2) Description; or
3. (3) (3) Leg band number.

(b) (b) United States and non-United States birds will be identified with leg band;

1. (ii)

(b) (b) If that person is a bird dealer, then the dealer's registration number shall also be recorded.

1. (c) (c) If that person is not a bird dealer, then their driver's license number, social security number, or federal tax identification number shall be recorded;

   1. (iii)

(b) (b) If that person is a bird dealer, then the dealer's registration number shall also be recorded.

1. (c) (c) If that person is not a bird dealer, then their driver's license number, social security number, or federal tax identification number shall be recorded; and

   1. (iv) Identify any bird which the bird dealer knows to be or to have been sick, diseased, or to have died.

   2. (B)

      1. (i) Periodic reports may be required of any or all of the required record.
      2. (ii) All required records shall be made available for inspection by Department of Agriculture employees during business operating hours.
      3. (iii) Additional records may be required if deemed necessary by the Department of Agriculture.
   3. (C) All records required to be kept by the act or this part shall be kept for at least one (1) year from the time of receipt or sale of exotic and pet birds.

   4. (D) Failure to keep required records or to make such records available to Department of Agriculture employees shall be grounds for:

      1. (i) Quarantining;
      2. (ii) Administrative penalty; or
      3. (iii) Both.
   5. (E) Birds unaccounted for by records will result in quarantine of all birds on premises until proper records are presented or birds are tested as indicated for diseases of concern.

2. (3) Quarantine, seizure, and destruction of pet birds.

   1. (A) The Department of Agriculture or its designees may issue quarantine and may seize and destroy any birds which, in the opinion of the Department of Agriculture, present a hazard of carrying exotic or untreatable diseases, or any disease posing hazard to birds.
   2. (B) Birds quarantined by the Department of Agriculture will be maintained at the bird dealer's or the owner's expense.
   3. (C) The quarantine includes but is not limited to all birds on the premises.

3. (4) Interstate shipment of pet birds.

   1. (A) Each shipment of exotic and pet birds shipped into Arkansas requires a prior permit number obtained from the Department of Agriculture website.
   2. (B) All pet or exotic birds entering Arkansas for exhibition purposes must meet the requirements for interstate shipment.
   3. (C) All exotic bird show or sale coordinators must give fourteen (14) days’ notice of an event to the Department of Agriculture.

4. (5) Illegal importation of pet birds.

   1. (A) Any pet bird imported into Arkansas coming directly or indirectly from outside the United States shall be designated as illegal unless the bird was brought into the United States in conformity with the quarantine regulations of the United States Department of Agriculture and requirements of the State of Arkansas.

   2. (B) The State Veterinarian, in consultation with the Director of the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Division, may quarantine, seize, and destroy any birds imported illegally into this state and any birds exposed to an illegal bird.

      1. (c) Swap meets, flea markets, and exhibition of birds.
5. (1) Birds showing any signs of illness will be quarantined back to the farm, place of origin, or as directed by the Department of Agriculture.
6. (2) All birds will be tested for pullorum-typhoid (PT) and Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) and Mycoplasma synoviae (MS) unless papers accompany them showing that they came from clean stock or have been tested within ninety (90) days of the movement to the event area and must be accompanied by NPIP form Veterinary Services 9-3 (VS 9-3).

7. (3) The event coordinator will be responsible for providing a certified NPIP blood tester for the event and upon request by a representative of the Department of Agriculture, provide records of all entries, to include but not limited to:

   1. (A) Name;
   2. (B) Address;
   3. (C) Contact information; and
   4. (D) Where they are located at the event.

8. (4) Reactor birds are subject to NPIP national guidelines that include:

   1. (A) Birds will be sent to the Arkansas State Diagnostic Laboratory in Little Rock;
   2. (B) Birds will be autopsied with appropriate organs or tissues, or both, being cultured; and
   3. (C) At the time birds become positive, farm or place of origin becomes quarantined.

9. (5) Quarantine may be released when:

   1. (A) Negative test results are provided;
   2. (B) The culture proves the birds are negative; or
   3. (C) When depopulation occurs with appropriate cleaning and disinfecting before restocking, as prescribed by the State Veterinarian.
10. (6) Table eggs, if present, when offered for sale, must meet United States Department of Agriculture and Arkansas Egg Law standards before selling.

11. (7) Exhibition of birds, including fairs, swap meets, etc., will meet the above requirements.

    1. (d) Exhibition of Arkansas poultry.
12. (1) An official representing the person sponsoring the exhibition shall notify the State Veterinarian no later than thirty (30) days prior to the exhibition, giving the names, place, inclusive dates and times of the event.

13. (2) The requirements for exhibition are as follows:

    1. (A) PT, MG, and MS status.

       1. (i) All poultry except domestic waterfowl present at exhibition in the state shall have originated from United States Pullorum-Typhoid Clean or equivalent flocks or have had a negative PT test within ninety (90) days of the movement to the exhibition.
       2. (ii)

(b) (b) This information will be documented on an NPIP form VS 9-3 (form 15), NPIP form 3B, or similar certificate which will accompany the poultry during the exhibition; and

1. (B) Recordkeeping.

   1. (i) The sponsor of the exhibition shall compile a list of all poultry present at the exhibition which shall contain the name and address of each owner, the number, species, breed, variety, type, sex, and PT status of all poultry present.

      1. (ii) A copy of this list shall be retained by the sponsor of the exhibition for at least twelve (12) months.

(e) Hatchery inspections – Includes all commercial hatcheries, game birds, and poultry.

1. (1) Hatchery inspections are required at least one (1) time per year and hatcheries with prior violations will be identified and retested as needed.
2. (2) Hatcheries are required to register with the Department of Agriculture annually.
3. (3) All hatcheries selling hatching eggs either interstate or intrastate or anyone selling chicks must be NPIP-approved.
4. (4) Inspection will be made by a trained inspector.

5. (5)

   1. (A) A PT positive hatchery will be quarantined immediately.
   2. (B) Complete cleaning and disinfecting will be done as prescribed by the State Veterinarian along with industry input.

(f) Requirements for entry of poultry into Arkansas.

1. (1) No poultry infected with or exposed to any infectious or contagious disease can be imported into the state for any purpose.
2. (2) All eggs for hatching purposes and all chicks imported into the state must be accompanied by an official health certificate or NPIP form VS 9-3 (form 15) indicating that the flock from which the eggs or chicks originated have been tested for PT, MG, and MS and were free of reactors to these diseases.
3. (3) Any eggs or chicks produced under the supervision of the NPIP will be deemed to have met with the requirements of this regulation; provided all of the requirements of NPIP are complied with and applicable NPIP forms accompany the shipment or are furnished in a manner set forth in the NPIP.
4. (4) Slaughter. Healthy poultry may be shipped into the state without an official health certificate when shipped direct to an approved slaughtering establishment.
5. (5) Diseased birds can be shipped into the state for slaughter upon approval by the State Veterinarian.