Section 7 AAC 41.240 - Animals, toxic substances, and poisonous plants(a) A licensed child care provider described in 7 AAC 41.200(a)(l) shall meet the requirements of 7 AAC 10.1090. A provider described in 7 AAC 41.200(a)(2), (3), or (4) shall meet the applicable requirements of the accrediting, certifying, or approving agency regarding the presence of animals in the child care facility, A provider described in 7 AAC 41.200(a)(1) - (5) shall meet the requirements for toxic substances and poisonous plants under 7 AAC 10.1095.(b) A provider described in 7 AAC 41.200(a)(5) shall inform parents of children in care if any animal is present on the premises.(c) A provider described in 7 AAC 41.200(a)(5) shall ensure that any animal kept on the child care premises has no communicable disease, has immunizations required under state and federal law, and is free of internal and external parasites. The provider shall show proof of compliance with required immunizations to the department upon request.(d) A parakeet, pigeon, or other similarly small-sized psittacine bird may be kept on the premises of a provider described in 7 AAC 41.200(a)(5) only if the bird (1) receives prophylactic antibiotics before introduction onto the child care premises; and(2) is isolated at least 45 days in a room separate from a room occupied by any other birds in the entity.(e) On the premises of a provider described in 7 AAC 41.200(a)(5), ducklings and chicks may be incubated or hatched, except in a room where infants or toddlers as described in 7 AAC 41.025(b) are present, if (1) children do not handle the ducklings or chicks; and(2) the ducklings and chicks are removed from the child care premises when hatched;(f) Amphibians, ferrets, reptiles, and wild, poisonous, or predatory animals may not be kept on the premises of a provider described in 7 AAC 41 200(a)(5). This subsection does not apply to domestic dogs and domestic cats.(g) A provider described in 7 AAC 41.200(aJ(5) shall ensure that (1) any birds, fish, and other animals allowed by this section are kept in appropriately designed cages or aquariums; this paragraph does not apply to domestic dogs and domestic cats;(2) the area around a cage or aquarium is smooth, nonabsorbent, impervious to water, and easily cleanable, and is cleaned and sanitized at a frequency to keep the area clean and sanitary;(3) animal waste is removed daily, or at a frequency to prevent odor or contact with children in care;(4) each cage is lined with an impervious material and is cleaned at a frequency necessary to prevent a health risk to children in care;(5) bowls used for providing food and water for animals are cleaned at a frequency necessary to prevent a health risk to children in care; and(6) cleaning of animal waste (A) is conducted when children in care are not present; and(B) is not conducted in an area used for food preparation or service.(h) A provider described in 7 AAC 41.200(a)(5) shall (1) disclose to the department information regarding any animal on the child care premises, if that animal has (A) been the subject of a past contact with an animal control official because of aggressive behavior or biting; or(B) a history of aggressive behavior or biting, regardless of whether the animal has been the subject of a past contact with an animal control official;(2) notify the department within 24 hours of any occurrence of aggressive behavior or biting by an animal on the child care premises, including whether the occurrence resulted in a contact with an animal control official;(3) immediately remove from contact with children in care an animal described in (1) or (2) of this subsection; and(4) permanently remove from the child care premises an animal described in (1) or (2) of this subsection, if the department determines that the animal is a threat to the life or safety of children in care.(i) In this section, "psittacine bird" means a bird classified as part of the family Psittaciadae, including parrots, macaws, and parakeets.Eff. 6/23/2006, Register 178; am 1/5/2017, Register 221, April 2017