Vet's Corner - The Veterinarian and the Import and Sales of Pet Birds

Abstract

Pet bird importation is big business in the United States. Approximately 600,000 to 700,000 birds are imported into the United States annually.

In 1983, 803,873 pet birds were legally imported into the U.S. Of these, 40,054 (4.9%) were dead on arrival, 92,768 (12.1 % of the live arrivals) died in quarantine and 9, 303 ( 1.15 % ) were refused entry. After quarantine, 614,782 (76%) were released into the U.S. pet market.1

Veterinarians have been involved in pet bird regulatory medicine since the 1930s, when many cases of human Psittacosis were diagnosed. In 1968 a program was initiated to allow importation of birds which were treated with Chlorotetracycline for 45 days in the country of origin. The first major VVND break in 1972 resulted in a temporary ban on all imported pet birds. In 197 4 the present quarantine system was established.

The current quarantine system operates as follows. A bond ($20,000) is posted to cover USDA charges (laboratory charges and USDA personnel charges) and the quarantine station is outfitted, disinfected, and sealed. Import permits are obtained from the USDA. Export permits and CITES ( Congress of International Trade in Endangered Species) permits are obtained from the country of origin and export taxes are paid. The "wheeling and dealing'' required in obtaining the necessary fees often becomes political and marked with intrigue. One experienced importer veterinarian friend of ours has described obtaining the permits in one South American country several times to satisfy several successive changes of governments ("coups"). Each time he would be ready to ship a load of birds, the government would change, necessitating the obtaining of new permits and paying fees to new officials. Stories abound of payments required of different officials or even relatives of officials to secure passage of successive shipments of birds. Needless to say, the veterinarians involved in this type of work become quite expert at "following the local customs" in dealing with the people in the countries of origin of the birds.

Birds are collected into holding facilities in the countries of origin. Local people are contracted to either trap birds or tap nest sites (some locals are quite scientific, tagging nesting sites and only taking one or two babies from each nest; others are much less conservation minded). In some areas of Africa, for instance, young African Greys are captured and stored in large pits in the ground. Later they are placed in wire cages for a rough ride on horse, or camel, back to a collecting point. In Africa and Central and South America, the classic machete chop (which may "miss") is often used to clip wings. Many of the birds are captive born in the countries of origin.

After the birds are collected, a health certificate must be obtained from a veterinarian in the country of origin. The birds are then flown to the designated port of entry, met by customs, USDI and USDA officials and escorted to the quarantine station. The stress of poor care, bad food, bad water, and sheer terror are usually taking their "toll" by now. Of course, many birds are very well cared for by the people collecting them. Veterinarians working for the large importation companies have played a big role in improving husbandry and health standards of imported birds. However, even under the best conditions, it can be easily seen why disease could take its toll under the conditions of importation.

The birds are then placed in quarantine stations. All psittacines have an identifying approved metal leg band applied. The feeding of 1 % chlorotetracycline is required but not enforced, leading to variable Psittacosis prevention. The quarantine period is 30 days. It is now known that this time period is not long enough to eliminate the Psittacosis carrier state in many species of Psittacines (notably Macaws), anyway. Those trying to comply with the chlorotetracycline regimen may find the birds won't eat it well, leading to a weakening of the bird's condition and disease. If the birds do eat the medicated food well, there may be problems with secondary yeast, fungal, or other bacterial infections.

Other requirements in the quarantine station system include the taking of showers on entering the station and in leaving the station. Anyone entering the station must sign an affidavit stating that he/she will not come into contact with any birds for 3 days. This rule effectively eliminates practicing avian veterinarians from taking an active role in helping treat quarantine station birds. Another rule that endangers the birds' health is that samples for analysis of dead birds are not allowed out of the stations except for VVND virus analysis and Avian Influenza examinations.

On entering the quarantine station, tissue swabs are taken and shipped to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa for VVND and poultry lethal forms of Avian Influenza analysis. Tissue samples are submitted from all dead birds (up to 100 per day) in the first 15 days. Brain, lung, spleen, trachea, and colon are collected into brain heart infusion broth. Again, the only examinations made are for VVND and Avian Influenza. Any other deaths are meaningless as far as our system goes as the regulations are set up to protect our poultry industry and not to help the quarantined birds. Cloacal swabs are collected from up to 150 birds on the seventh day of quarantine. On the thirtieth day, the birds are released.