Mounted search and rescue

["Thor Burfine" <thor@cpcinc.net>]

First, let me apologize as this is somewhat of a political issue but it does
affect mounted-sar.

How many of you are familiar with the NAIS requirements?

http://animalid.aphis.usda.gov/nais/index.shtml

In Texas
http://www.tahc.state.tx.us/animal_id/index.shtml#registration

I had a good talk with our Ag Extension office the other day and this is
what I found out here in Texas.

Registration is voluntary, if your FFA or 4-H its mandatory if you show
Premise ID stays with the property for ever
If you have a Premise ID all livestock must be registered

Now here is the killer

SAR is not exempt from registry
So here is the problem

We get an ID (it's a national database)
        We go on a search
        We cross 3 cow pastures on 3 different farms
        Owners are unknown/unreachable

        We are required to report the 3 farm's premise ID's within 24hrs of
movement
        State will not release premise id unless you have the owners full
name
                then and only then will they do it if there is no privacy
issues
                State of Texas considers a Premise ID as private data
        So no there is no way to get or report the premise id.
        I can be fined up to $1,000.00 per day per horse until the reporting
is complete

If we could find a way to exempt Mounted-SAR from registry or reporting 
would this be something worth fighting for?

------------------------------------
Thor Burfine
Texas Equusearch
Equine Team Leader
ATV Team Leader
Deep Water Recovery Diver
www.texasequusearch.org