Summary of Animal Health Programs

The Animal Health Division works to protect animal and human health, and to control serious animal diseases (many of which also threaten humans). The division:

• Monitors animal disease threats, including diseases like tuberculosis, avian influenza, “mad cow” disease, foot-and-mouth disease, chronic wasting disease, Johne’s disease, brucellosis, pseudorabies and others.
• Regulates Wisconsin’s multi-billion dollar livestock and poultry industry to protect it from devastating diseases.
• Responds to animal disease emergencies and bio-security threats.
• Licenses animal markets, animal dealers and animal truckers.
• Registers livestock premises (over 60,000 to date).
• Licenses farm-raised deer herds and fish farms.
• Works with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to control diseases that may affect wild and domestic animals.
• Investigates, and takes action to control, serious animal diseases. Many of these diseases can also affect humans and wild animals.
• Regulates the import and movement of animals to prevent the spread of disease.
• Facilitates sales of disease-free Wisconsin livestock and poultry.
• Regulates dog sellers and dog facilities.
• Promotes humane treatment of animals.
• Works to prevent fraud, including fraudulent sales of diseased animals.

Monitoring Disease Threats

The Animal Health Division monitors animal health and disease threats. The division:

• Reviews animal health information from veterinarians, the livestock and poultry industry, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), animal health researchers, its own field staff and others.
• Works with DNR to monitor the health of Wisconsin’s wild animal populations. Some diseases can spread from wild to domestic animals, and vice versa.
• Works with the Wisconsin Division of Health and DATCP’s Food Safety Division on animal diseases that may also affect humans.
• Works with the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories, now operated by the University of Wisconsin. The DATCP Secretary sits on a laboratory oversight board that oversees laboratory operations. The laboratories perform over 1. 5 million tests annually, and provide health data to DATCP, veterinarians, and the livestock and poultry industry.

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Licensing and Registration

General

The Animal Health Division licenses or registers all of the following:

• Animal markets.
• Animal dealers.
• Animal truckers.
• Fish farms.
• Farm-raised deer herds and hunting preserves. This includes captive white-tail herds (previously licensed by DNR).
• Livestock premises (farms and other premises where livestock are kept).
• Animal control facilities, animal shelters, dog breeders, dog breeding facilities, dog dealers, and out-of-state dog dealers that operate in this state.

Licensing and registration helps to:

• Protect animal and human health.
• Document animal movements that can spread disease.
• Prevent fraudulent practices, including fraudulent sales of diseased animals.
• Promote humane treatment of animals.
• Promote effective disease response. Animal Markets

Licensed animal market operators must:

• Properly construct and maintain animal markets to prevent disease.
• Ensure proper animal identification.
• Keep records of animal transactions.
• Refrain from cruel, illegal or fraudulent practices related to animals.

Animal Dealers

Licensed animal dealers must:

• Ensure proper animal identification.
• Keep records of animal transactions.
• Refrain from cruel, illegal or fraudulent practices related to animals. Animal Truckers

Licensed animal truckers must:

• Identify animal shipments and keep records.
• Refrain from cruel, illegal or fraudulent practices related to animals. Farm-Raised Deer Herds

Persons registered to keep farm-raised deer must:

• Maintain proper facilities and herd records.
• Have fences approved by the Department of Natural Resources (white-tailed deer).
• Test for chronic wasting disease (farms must test in order to sell or move animals). Since there is no test available for live deer, herd owners must test deer that die or are sent to slaughter. Fish Farms.

Registered fish farm operators must:

• Provide fish health certificates for fish movement.
• Keep records showing fish sources and shipping destinations.

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Livestock Premises

Farmers and other persons who keep livestock in Wisconsin must register the premises where the livestock are kept (over 60,000 premises are registered so far). A unique national identification number is assigned to each registered premises. Premises registration provides location and contact information that may be critical in a disease emergency.

The Animal Health Division administers the premises registration program in cooperation with the Management Services Division, the Food Safety Division, the USDA and the Wisconsin Livestock Identification Consortium (a non-profit entity representing livestock groups).

Dog Sellers and Dog Facilities

2009 Wis. Act 90 created a new program for the licensing and regulation of dog sellers and dog facilities. Beginning on July 1, 2011, a person may not do any of the following without an annual license from DATCP:

• Operate an “animal control facility.”
• Operate an “animal shelter.”
• Operate as a “dog breeder” (who sells at least 25 dogs per year, from more than 3 litters).
• Operate a “dog breeding facility” (from which at least 25 dogs are sold per year, from more than 3 litters).
• Operate as a “dog dealer” (who sells at least 25 dogs a year, or conducts a dog auction that sells at least 50 dogs a year).

DATCP must adopt rules for licensed dog sellers and dog facilities, including standards for the humane care and treatment of dogs. Whenever a license holder sells a dog, the dog must be accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection (health certificate).

Animal Imports and Movement

The Animal Health Division regulates animal imports and movement to prevent the spread of disease:

• A certificate of veterinary inspection must accompany most animal imports. An accredited veterinarian must sign the certificate in the state of origin. Imported animals must be properly identified.
• Certain animals (including fish) may not be imported without a permit.
• Animals must meet import requirements. Import requirements vary, depending on animal species and import source. Import requirements may include disease testing. If animals originate from disease-free states or certified disease free herds, import requirements are typically less rigorous. DATCP establishes import requirements, often in consultation with USDA and other states.
• Some testing requirements apply to animals moved within this state. For example, farm-raised deer may not be moved within the state unless the source herd is monitored for chronic wasting disease and tuberculosis.
• Animals known to be infected with certain diseases may not be imported into Wisconsin, or moved within this state, unless the Animal Health Division permits movement for slaughter or other purposes.
• Animals shown at fairs and other public exhibitions must comply with animal health requirements.
• The Animal Health Division may order an owner to confine, destroy or remove an illegally imported animal.
• Cattle and goats are sold subject to a Johne’s disease “implied warranty” unless the seller discloses the Johne’s disease risk status of the source herd.

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Animal Identification

The Animal Health Division requires proper identification of imported animals, and animals handled by dealers, truckers or market operators. Accurate identification is critical for disease investigation and control. DATCP rules spell out specific identification standards and procedures for many animals.

Disease Testing, Reporting and Certification

Disease Test Methods

The Animal Health Division, in consultation with USDA, establishes official disease test methods to ensure that testing is reliable. The division uses these methods when investigating diseases, or when certifying that livestock herds are disease-free. Private veterinarians also use these methods when issuing certificates of veterinary inspection (health certificates), or when certifying disease information to the Animal Health Division.

Disease Testing and Surveillance

The Animal Health Division conducts testing programs for certain diseases. The division also reviews information received from private veterinarians, laboratories, slaughter plants and other sources.

Health Certificates

Accredited private veterinarians issue “certificates of veterinary inspection” to certify the health status of animals (for interstate shipment and other purposes). The Animal Health Division sets standards for health certificates. The division, in cooperation with USDA, accredits and certifies private veterinarians to perform official diagnostic tests or certify animals for interstate movement.

Disease Reporting

Veterinarians and diagnostic laboratories must notify the Animal Health Division whenever they find evidence of certain diseases. Some diseases must be reported on an emergency basis. The Animal Health Division sets reporting standards.

Certifying Herds and Flocks

The Animal Health Division certifies the disease-free (or disease risk) status of livestock herds and poultry flocks, at the request of herd or flock owners. Certification facilitates sales and exports. The Animal Health Division sets herd and flock certification standards by rule (standards vary by animal species and disease).

Wisconsin Disease-Free Status

USDA may assign disease ratings to states based on the prevalence of certain diseases in those states. It is easier to export livestock from disease-free states. Disease rating standards vary by animal species and disease.

The Animal Health Division works to keep Wisconsin disease-free. The division provides disease information to USDA, and works with USDA to control animal diseases in Wisconsin and throughout the nation.

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Disease Vaccination

The Animal Health Division regulates the use of certain disease vaccines so that:

• Vaccines are properly used for disease prevention.
• Vaccines do not create an unreasonable disease risk.
• Sellers do not misrepresent that animals are vaccinated.
• Vaccination does not impair disease identification or control.

Disease Investigations

The Animal Health Division investigates animal disease outbreaks to determine the nature, source and spread of the disease. Disease investigations may require extensive tracing of animal movements, and extensive diagnosis and testing of exposed animals.

The Animal Health Division works with other divisions to conduct high priority “toxic response” investigations. The divisions investigate unexplained animal deaths or illnesses that may be caused by disease or toxic exposure. The divisions work together to identify and remedy the problem, and to protect the food chain.

Emergency Disease Response

The Animal Health Division coordinates emergency disease responses with federal, state and local agencies. The division also coordinates emergency responses with private veterinarians and affected industries.

Quarantine and Condemnation

The Animal Health Division:

• Quarantines diseased or suspect animals, as necessary.
• Condemns and orders the destruction of diseased animals, when necessary.
• Supervises the transportation, slaughter and disposal of diseased animals.
• Supervises the cleanup of diseased premises.

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Disease Indemnities

The Animal Health Division pays statutory indemnities to qualifying animal owners whose animals are condemned and destroyed to prevent the spread of disease.

Animal Welfare and Rabies Control

The Animal Health Division:

• Trains and certifies local humane officers.
• Helps local authorities enforce animal cruelty laws. The division provides veterinary medical consultation and other assistance.
• Certifies local rabies control programs, and helps local authorities administer dog licensing and rabies control laws.
• Works with humane societies and other organizations to improve the administration of animal welfare laws.
• Beginning July 1, 2011, licenses and regulates animal control facilities, animal shelters, dog breeders, dog breeding facilities, dog dealers and out-of-state dog dealers that operate in this state (see above).

Livestock Brands

The Animal Health Division keeps a registry of livestock brands, to prevent duplication or misappropriation of brands.

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Compliance Monitoring

The Animal Health Division:

• Conducts routine inspections of animal markets, animal dealers, animal truckers, deer farms, fish farms, certain dog sellers and dog facilities (beginning July 1, 2011), and other animal operations licensed by the division.
• Inspects other animal operations as necessary for disease control and law enforcement.
• Reviews certificates of veterinary inspection (health certificates) and other documents related to animal movement.
• Inspects, tests and diagnoses animals, as necessary.
• Conducts animal disease surveillance programs.
• Collects and reports information related to animal diseases.
• Conducts in-depth investigations of animal disease outbreaks and law violations.

Enforcement

The Animal Health Division may:

• Deny licenses or permits, or issue them on a conditional basis.
• Petition the DATCP Secretary to suspend, revoke or impose conditions on existing licenses or permits.
• Issue quarantine, removal and condemnation orders.
• Prosecute violations in court (in cooperation with county district attorneys or the Department of Justice). The division may seek criminal penalties, civil forfeitures or injunctions against law violators.
• Issue warning notices for less serious violations.

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