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AATA Animal Transportation Association |
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The LAR is published annually and goes into effect on October 1 of each year. On October 15, 2003, IATA's Live Animal and Perishables Board (LAPB) held a meeting in Montreal, Canada. At this meeting, the LAPB unanimously approved the addition of new text to the LAR by defining "Competency" of animal handlers. This was an AATA initiative to address ambiguity within the IATA LAR. The exact text that was unanimously approved and will be printed in the next issue of the LAR (October 2004) was published in the 3rd Quarter AATA Newsletter: 1.2.8 Attendants The shipper or carrier must provide a competent attendant(s) when a shipment of animals is accompanied as required by the laws of the countries involved, or as required by the air carrier providing transportation, or for any other reason.
1.2.9 Competency All personnel who accompany animals transported by air must, if requested, demonstrate competency in the care and handling of the species being transported. This competency may be demonstrated by means of a document from a government regulatory body, or successful completion of a program recognized or sanctioned by a government regulatory body. An individual meeting standards as established by the air carrier providing the transportation may also determine competency.
An individual deemed competent to accompany a shipment of animals should possess the following, as appropriate to the species:
We at the AATA are pleased to have been part of a cooperative effort by AATA & the LAPB in fostering the interests of animal transportation welfare and safety. We are also pleased that the AATA has established an internationally recognised Certificate of Competence with a government regulatory body, namely the National Proficiency Tests Council (NPTC) in the U.K. The full schedule of competencies may be accessed on their website at www.nptc.org.uk [click on Schedules; then click on the last listed item 'Animal Attendants Transporting Animal by Air]. The schedule and assessment program for live animal attendants is a PDF file which may be downloaded.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The current issue of the October 2003 Edition of the IATA Live Animals Regulations (LAR) includes references to using "competent" attendants: Under Nomenclature - Terms and Definitions: "COMPETENT": EC Directive 91/628, as amended by 95/29, stipulates that all transporters must entrust the animals to the care of staff who have the appropriate competence and knowledge to handle animal shipments. For the purpose of these Regulations, competent staff are those who have demonstrated they are qualified to handle, transport, care for and safeguard the welfare of animals." In Chapter 1 (Application of These Regulations), in Section 1.2.8 under Attendants: "The shipper must provide a competent attendant/s when a shipment of animals must be accompanied." In Chapter 2 (Government Regulations) under European Union, item (b) - Competent Staff: "The transporter must entrust the animal(s) to the care of staff who have the appropriate competence and knowledge to care for them before they are allowed to handle animal cargoes." And, lastly in Container Requirement #2 under item 4 (General Care and Loading), there is a footnote at the bottom of the page where it restates the definition of "Competence" (above)
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