Animal Welfare; Regulation of Pocket Pets. Rules and Regulations

This document gives notice that we are now regulating under the Animal Welfare Act the handling, care, and treatment at retail pet stores of small mammals commonly referred to as ``pocket pets'' and requiring any retail pet store that sells pocket pets to be licensed as a dealer under the Animal Welfare Act. This action is necessary because the Animal Welfare Act regulations require regulation of all persons who sell exotic or wild animals for research, exhibition, or for use as a pet, and we consider pocket pets to be exotic or wild animals for this purpose.