[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 9, Volume 1]
[Revised as of January 1, 2008]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 9CFR3.81]

[Page 83-85]
 
                  TITLE 9--ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS
 
  CHAPTER I--ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF 
                               AGRICULTURE
 
PART 3_STANDARDS--Table of Contents
 
 Subpart D_Specifications for the Humane Handling, Care, Treatment, and 
                 Transportation of Nonhuman Primates \2\
 
Sec. 3.81  Environment enhancement to promote psychological well-being.

    Dealers, exhibitors, and research facilities must develop, document, 
and follow an appropriate plan for environment enhancement adequate to 
promote the psychological well-being of nonhuman primates. The plan must 
be in accordance with the currently accepted professional standards as 
cited in appropriate professional journals or reference guides, and as 
directed by the attending veterinarian. This plan must be made available 
to APHIS upon request, and, in the case of research facilities, to 
officials of any pertinent funding agency. The plan, at a minimum, must 
address each of the following:
    (a) Social grouping. The environment enhancement plan must include 
specific provisions to address the social needs of nonhuman primates of 
species known to exist in social groups in nature. Such specific 
provisions must be in accordance with currently accepted professional 
standards, as cited in appropriate professional journals or reference 
guides, and as directed by the attending veterinarian. The plan may 
provide for the following exceptions:
    (1) If a nonhuman primate exhibits vicious or overly aggressive 
behavior, or is debilitated as a result of age or

[[Page 84]]

other conditions (e.g., arthritis), it should be housed separately;
    (2) Nonhuman primates that have or are suspected of having a 
contagious disease must be isolated from healthy animals in the colony 
as directed by the attending veterinarian. When an entire group or room 
of nonhuman primates is known to have or believed to be exposed to an 
infectious agent, the group may be kept intact during the process of 
diagnosis, treatment, and control.
    (3) Nonhuman primates may not be housed with other species of 
primates or animals unless they are compatible, do not prevent access to 
food, water, or shelter by individual animals. and are not known to be 
hazardous to the health and well-being of each other. Compatibility of 
nonhuman primates must be determined in accordance with generally 
accepted professional practices and actual observations, as directed by 
the attending veterinarian, to ensure that the nonhuman primates are in 
fact compatible. Individually housed nonhuman primates must be able to 
see and hear nonhuman primates of their own or compatible species unless 
the attending veterinarian determines that it would endanger their 
health, safety, or well-being.
    (b) Environmental enrichment. The physical environment in the 
primary enclosures must be enriched by providing means of expressing 
noninjurious species-typical activities. Species differences should be 
considered when determining the type or methods of enrichment. Examples 
of environmental enrichments include providing perches, swings, mirrors, 
and other increased cage complexities; providing objects to manipulate; 
varied food items; using foraging or task-oriented feeding methods; and 
providing interaction with the care giver or other familiar and 
knowledgeable person consistent with personnel safety precautions.
    (c) Special considerations. Certain nonhuman primates must be 
provided special attention regarding enhancement of their environment, 
based on the needs of the individual species and in accordance with the 
instructions of the attending veterinarian. Nonhuman primates requiring 
special attention are the following:
    (1) Infants and young juveniles;
    (2) Those that show signs of being in psychological distress through 
behavior or appearance;
    (3) Those used in research for which the Committee-approved protocol 
requires restricted activity;
    (4) Individually housed nonhuman primates that are unable to see and 
hear nonhuman primates of their own or compatible species; and
    (5) Great apes weighing over 110 lbs. (50 kg). Dealers, exhibitors, 
and research facilities must include in the environment enhancement plan 
special provisions for great apes weighing over 110 lbs. (50 kg), 
including additional opportunities to express species-typical behavior.
    (d) Restraint devices. Nonhuman primates must not be maintained in 
restraint devices unless required for health reasons as determined by 
the attending veterinarian or by a research proposal approved by the 
Committee at research facilities. Maintenance under such restraint must 
be for the shortest period possible. In instances where long-term (more 
than 12 hours) restraint is required, the nonhuman primate must be 
provided the opportunity daily for unrestrained activity for at least 
one continuous hour during the period of restraint, unless continuous 
restraint is required by the research proposal approved by the Committee 
at research facilities.
    (e) Exemptions. (1) The attending veterinarian may exempt an 
individual nonhuman primate from participation in the environment 
enhancement plan because of its health or condition, or in consideration 
of its well-being. The basis of the exemption must be recorded by the 
attending veterinarian for each exempted nonhuman primate. Unless the 
basis for the exemption is a permanent condition, the exemption must be 
reviewed at least every 30 days by the attending veterinarian.
    (2) For a research facility, the Committee may exempt an individual 
nonhuman primate from participation in some or all of the otherwise 
required environment enhancement plans for scientific reasons set forth 
in the research proposal. The basis of the exemption shall be documented 
in the approved proposal and must be reviewed

[[Page 85]]

at appropriate intervals as determined by the Committee, but not less 
than annually.
    (3) Records of any exemptions must be maintained by the dealer, 
exhibitor, or research facility and must be made available to USDA 
officials or officials of any pertinent funding Federal agency upon 
request.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 
0579-0093)

                  Animal Health and Husbandry Standards