§ 1181. Certification required

(a) Any equine animal imported into the State or transported through the State shall be accompanied by a Certificate of Veterinarian Inspection. The certificate shall state that the equine animal has been tested negative for equine infectious anemia (EIA) by an accredited veterinarian.

(b) Any equine animal purchased, sold, offered for sale, bartered, exchanged, or given away within the State, or imported for one of these purposes, shall be tested by an accredited veterinarian and certified as negative for equine infectious anemia in accordance with rules adopted by the Secretary as provided by subsection (f) of this section. A test for equine infectious anemia shall not be required when:

(1) the transfer of ownership is between the owner of the animal and his or her spouse, child, or sibling and where the animal is not moved to new premises; or

(2) the animal is consigned directly to slaughter.

(c) Whenever the Secretary has reason to believe that any equine animal has been exposed to equine infectious anemia and that the animal may pose a threat to other equine animals, the Secretary may require that the animal be tested for equine infectious anemia by an accredited veterinarian or by a State or federal veterinarian approved by the Secretary.

(d) The Secretary may require by rule that any equine animal transported to any fair, show, competition, or other gathering of equine animals be accompanied by a certificate that states that the equine animal has been tested and found negative for equine infectious anemia.

(e) The Secretary shall establish by rule the form and manner of required certifications and the periods of time within which testing and certification of equine animals shall be accomplished.

(f) The Secretary shall adopt rules pursuant to 3 Vt. Stat. Ann. chapter 25 for the purchase by a livestock dealer for resale or for slaughter of equine not known to be tested for equine infectious anemia, as authorized by subsection (b) of this section. The rules shall include specifications governing equine quarantine facilities, procedures for equine animals of unknown EIA status intended for resale to be retested, procedures for handling equine animals of unknown EIA status purchased for slaughter, and record-keeping requirements for livestock dealers. (Added 1987, No. 276 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 1995, No. 39, § 1, eff. April 17, 1995; 2003, No. 42, § 2, eff. May 27, 2003; 2017, No. 30, § 3.)