DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Interstate/International Quarantine Order; Vesicular Stomatitis [36 Pa.B. 7974]
[Saturday, December 30, 2006]Recitals
A. Vesicular stomatitis is an infectious viral disease that primarily affects horses, cattle and swine.
B. Vesicular stomatitis is designated a ''dangerous transmissible disease'' of animals under 3 Pa.C.S. § 2321(a)(40) (relating to dangerous transmissible diseases).
C. The Department of Agriculture (Department) has broad authority under 3 Pa.C.S. §§ 2301--2389 (relating to the Domestic Animal Law) to regulate the keeping and handling of domestic animals to exclude, contain or eliminate dangerous transmissible diseases. This includes the authority in 3 Pa.C.S. § 2329 (relating to quarantine) to issue the interstate/international quarantine order as follows.
D. Vesicular stomatitis exists in other states and nations, and the transporting of infected animals from these states or nations could spread that disease among susceptible domestic animals in this Commonwealth.
E. There are reasonable and relatively nonburdensome quarantine restrictions the Department can impose in order to prevent vesicular stomatitis from entering this Commonwealth.
F. On April 10, 2006, the Department issued an interstate/international quarantine order, imposing restrictions on hoofed animals entering this Commonwealth. The order was published on April 22, 2006, at 36 Pa.B. 1906. The April 10, 2006 order provided that it would expire on December 31, 2006, unless extended by subsequent order.
G. The order below effectively extends the restrictions imposed by the April 10, 2006 order, and leaves these restrictions in effect until rescinded by subsequent order of the Department.
Order
The Department enters an interstate/international quarantine order with respect to vesicular stomatitis, incorporating the foregoing recitals into this order. This order is entered under authority of 3 Pa.C.S. § 2329 and establishes the following restrictions and conditions:
1. No hoofed animals may enter this Commonwealth if vesicular stomatitis has been diagnosed within 10 miles of the premises of origin within the past 90 days.
2. All hoofed animals entering this Commonwealth from a state in which vesicular stomatitis has been diagnosed within the past 12 months shall be examined by an accredited veterinarian to determine whether they are free from vesicular stomatitis, and shall be accompanied by a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection with the following written statement signed by that accredited veterinarian:
All animals identified on this Certificate of Veterinary Inspection have been examined and found to be free from vesicular stomatitis. During the past 90 days, these animals have neither been exposed to vesicular stomatitis nor located within 10 miles of a site where vesicular stomatitis has been diagnosed.
3. This order will take effect as of December 31, 2006, and shall remain in effect until rescinded by the Department.
DENNIS C WOLFF,
Secretary[Pa.B. Doc. No. 06-2556. Filed for public inspection December 29, 2006, 9:00 a.m.]
