Help Preserve the Right to Raise Free Range Poultry
After initially outlawing raising domestic Muscovy ducks, the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) still wants to regulate those that raise domestic Muscovy ducks as livestock, and to ban outright keeping domestic Muscovy ducks as pets.
Muscovy ducks have a long history of domestication dating back to the 1500s. This history of domestication is very similar to that of the turkey. Domestic Muscovy ducks are livestock and have been raised as livestock around the world for hundreds of years.
The public comment period for the most recently revised proposed regulations ended Dec. 31, 2010. The FWS has received numerous public comments insisting that domestic Muscovy ducks are livestock, and therefore not subject to regulation by the FWS. We have been informed that the FWS is considering revising the proposed rule again, but this time exempting domestic Muscovy ducks from any regulation.
ACTION TO TAKE
Letters and e-mails to both Dr Allen at the FWS, and to your elected representatives will help assure that the FWS does exempt domestic Muscovy ducks.
CONTACT INFO
Dr. George Allen at the Fish & Wildlife Service: George_T_Allen@fws.gov
Your congressperson: https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
Your senator: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
SAMPLE LETTER
I am contacting you in regard to the proposed regulations by the Fish and Wildlife Service regarding Muscovy ducks (Docket No. FWS-R9-MB-2010-0037), urging you not to propose any additional restrictions on raising Muscovy ducks.
The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has failed to recognize the long history of the domestic Muscovy as livestock. Domestic Muscovy ducks have been raised as livestock since the 1500s. As livestock they should not be subject to U S Fish and Wildlife regulations.
The U S Fish and Wildlife Service should recognize a distinction between wild Muscovy ducks and the domestic Muscovy ducks that have been raised as livestock all across the world for hundreds of years.
It is my understanding that the problems with feral Muscovy ducks that prompted these regulations are, for the most part, limited to Florida and possibly Chicago. Considering our country's current budget deficits, why would the FWS propose new regulations that have to be implemented and enforced all across the United States?
I see no problem with the portion of the rules (21.54 Control order for muscovy ducks in the United States) that allows localities to control feral populations of Muscovies that have become a problem. There does not appear to be any conflict between this control order and recognizing domestic Muscovies as livestock and exempting them from this regulation.
I strongly urge the FWS to limit their revision of 21.14 (Permit exceptions for captive-bred migratory waterfowl other than mallard ducks) to include only following:
1) Domestic Muscovy ducks have a long history of domestication and have long been raised as livestock both in the United States and around the world. Muscovy ducks that are owned as livestock (for the production of meat, eggs, or breeding stock), pets, or for exhibition shall be considered domestic Muscovy ducks.
2) No migratory bird permit(s) shall be required to possess, propagate, or sell (as live birds, meat, or eggs) domestic Muscovy ducks.
3) The intentional release of domestic Muscovy ducks to the wild shall be prohibited.
4) You may not take Muscovy ducks or their eggs from the wild , unless such taking is provided for elsewhere in this subchapter.
5) 21.54 Control order for muscovy ducks in the United States shall remain in effect without revision.
Do not place any additional restrictions on domestic Muscovy ducks!
Sincerely,
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