25-210. POWERS OF VETERINARIANS AND INSPECTORS. (1) In order to prevent the introduction or dissemination of disease among the animals of this state, the administrator of the division shall be authorized and directed to:

(a) Quarantine any portion of this state and it shall be unlawful to move animals from or into such quarantined area except in accordance with the rules of the division;

(b) Prohibit or restrict entry of animals into the state that may be exposed to, infected with or may otherwise harbor or be contaminated with any contagious, infectious or communicable disease or agent;

(c) Prohibit or restrict entry of vehicles, other means of conveyance or any other item into the state which may harbor or be contaminated with any contagious, infectious or communicable disease or agent;

(d) Prohibit or restrict movement of vehicles, other means of conveyance, or any other item, that may harbor or be contaminated with any contagious, infectious or communicable disease or agent, out of any quarantined area or into any quarantined area;

(e) Authorize and empower state veterinarians, livestock inspectors and the inspectors or agents of the United States department of agriculture/animal and plant health inspection service/veterinary services under the joint supervision of the state division and chief of the United States department of agriculture/animal and plant health inspection service/veterinary services to inspect, quarantine, treat, test, vaccinate, and condemn, appraise, slaughter and dispose of any animals affected or infected with any contagious, infectious or communicable disease, or infected with the disease of epithelioma of the eye, commonly known as "cancer eye," or that have been exposed to any such disease;

(f) Order the preventive slaughter or destruction of disease susceptible animals that have not been exposed to create an area or areas that are free of all susceptible animals in order to stop spread of a highly contagious disease in the state;

(g) Establish biosecurity procedures and restrict human access to quarantined areas and infected and exposed premises in order to prevent dissemination of disease;

(h) Quarantine, clean and disinfect all premises where infected or exposed animals have been kept.

(2) In order to carry out the purpose of this chapter, state and federal veterinarians, inspectors, or agents are hereby authorized and empowered to enter any field, feed yard, barn, stable, railroad car, stockyards, truck, airplane, other means of conveyance, or other premises in this state where animals are kept. Said veterinarians, inspectors or agents, state and federal, shall be empowered to call on sheriffs, constables and peace officers to assist them in the discharge of their duties and in carrying out the provisions of this chapter and of said Acts of Congress approved May 29, 1884, and the Act of March 3, 1905. Such sheriffs, constables, and other peace officers shall give such assistance as may be requested by said veterinarians, inspectors or agents in carrying out the provisions of this chapter and said Acts of Congress. The word animal or animals used in this chapter shall include any vertebrate member of the animal kingdom, except man; and the word disease shall include diseases of these animals.

(3) Any deer, elk, moose, bighorn sheep or bison handled, imported or transported by the department of fish and game shall be tested for the presence of certain communicable diseases that can be transmitted to domestic livestock. Those communicable diseases to be tested for shall be arrived at by mutual agreement between the department of fish and game and the department of agriculture.

History:

[(25-210) 1919, ch. 35, sec. 9, p. 124; C.S., sec. 1849; I.C.A., sec. 24-210; am. 1953, ch. 6, sec. 1, p. 7; am. 1957, ch. 60, sec. 2, p. 102; am. 1974, ch. 18, sec. 109, p. 364; am. 1987, ch. 211, sec. 1, p. 445; am. 1991, ch. 36, sec. 1, p. 72; am. 1993, ch. 16, sec. 6, p. 60; am. 2002, ch. 87, sec. 1, p. 206.]