Dear Arizona Falconers,

Some of you may have received a letter from your falconry coordinator recently.  If your falconry license is due for renewal, then you should receive a letter shortly if you have not already.

The letter explains to falconers that they are required by R12-4-428(13-b) to comply with an annual veterinary inspection.  The Arizona falconry regulations [R12-4-422(G)] state:
“G. The Department shall deny a sport falconry license to a person who fails to meet the requirements established under R12-4-409, R12-4-428, or this Section. The Department shall provide a written notice to an applicant stating the reason for the denial. The person may appeal the denial to the Commission as prescribed under A.R.S. Title 41, Chapter 6, Article 10.”

This change happened during the last cycle of Article 4 revisions done in 2013.  To my knowledge, the Arizona Falconers Association was completely unaware that we were going to be held to further regulations outside R12-4-422 which governs our falconry licenses.  We would have opposed such an inclusion, based on the fact the falconry regulations already set specific and perfectly adequate captivity standards for falconry raptors.  

Currently the club is working with the AZGFD during their 5 year review of Article 4.  We have already stated that we are opposed to the veterinary inspection required by R12-4-428(13-b).  We will continue to work to have falconers exempted from the regulation based on (but not necessarily limited to) the following:
  

 The captivity standards set forth in R12-4-428 are redundant to the existing captivity standards set forth in R12-4-422.

    

The annual veterinary inspection places an undue financial burden on the stakeholders (licensed falconers).

    

The annual veterinary inspection places undue behavioral stress on many falconry birds.

  

The annual veterinary inspection accomplishes nothing for the safety and wellbeing of falconry birds.

Please be aware that if you are due for renewal this year, the club’s official recommendation is that you comply with it so as to continue to demonstrate to the AZGFD that falconers are a law abiding group within the hunting community.  We are asking at this time for each falconer who must comply with this requirement to document for the club the financial burden this places on you, and any behavioral stress your birds experience as a result of this inspection.  Please email any documentation you can provide to me at president@arizonafalconers.com.

Regards,

Jamaica Smith
AFA President

If you would like to read the relevant laws yourself you can find them here: https://apps.azsos.gov/public_services/Title_12/12-04.pdf