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Title 50

Displaying title 50, up to date as of 9/03/2026. Title 50 was last amended 9/01/2026.
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Specifications for Nonhuman Primates

§ 14.121 Primary enclosures.

(a) No more than one primate shall be transported in a primary enclosure. However, a mother and her nursing young being transported to the United States for medical treatment, an established male-female pair, a family group, a pair of juvenile animals that have not reached puberty, or other pairs of animals that have been habitually housed together may be shipped in the same primary enclosure. Primates of different species shall not be shipped together in the same enclosure.

(b) A primary enclosure used to transport a primate shall be large enough to ensure that the animal has sufficient space to turn around freely in a normal manner, lie down, stand up (as appropriate for the species), and sit in a normal upright position without its head touching the top of the enclosure. However, a primate may be restricted in its movements according to professionally accepted standards of care when greater freedom of movement would constitute a danger to the primate or to its handler or other persons.

(c) Except as provided in § 14.106(j), ventilation openings must be located on at least two walls of a primary enclosure. When the required ventilation openings are located on two opposite walls of the primary enclosure, these ventilation openings shall comprise at least 30 percent of the total surface area of the ventilated wall and be situated above the midline of the enclosure. If ventilation openings are located on all four walls of the enclosure, the openings on each wall shall comprise at least 20 percent of the total surface area of the wall and be situated above the midline of the primary enclosure.

§ 14.122 Food and water.

(a) A nonhuman primate shall be provided water suitable for drinking within 4 hours prior to commencement of transport to the United States unless the shipper's written instructions direct otherwise. A carrier shall provide suitable drinking water to any primate at least every 12 hours after acceptance for transport to the United States, unless instructed in writing to do so more frequently by the shipper.

(b) After acceptance for transport, and unless otherwise instructed in writing by the shipper, a carrier shall provide suitable food to any nonhuman primate at least once every 12 hours.

§ 14.123 Care in transit.

(a) A primate shall be observed for signs of distress and given food and water according to the shipper's instructions during any intermediate stop that lasts more than 4 hours.

(b) Care shall be taken to keep enclosures containing primates sufficiently separated in the conveyance or holding area to minimize the risk of spread of disease from one species or shipment to another.