CT DOA Notice

The full notice can be reviewed on the CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE website using the link below.

https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/doag/state-vet/2024/2024-updated-ct-fair-requirements.pdf

Effective April 29, 2024, all lactating dairy cattle are required to receive a negative test for Influenza A virus at an approved National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) laboratory for interstate movement. Currently, the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory at UCONN is the only approved NAHLN laboratory in New England. Milk samples must be collected and submitted by the same Category II accredited veterinarian who is completing the health certificate and must be collected no more than seven (7) days prior to interstate movement. Lactating dairy cattle from herds which have tested positive for Influenza A are not eligible for movement for thirty (30) days from the most recent collection of any sample that tests positive from any individual animal in the herd. After the 30-day period, animals must be tested again for movement. No dairy cattle exhibiting clinical signs of HPAI will be allowed to move into Connecticut.

A. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:
1. Health certificates signed by an accredited veterinarian and other required testing, with the exception of lactating cattle will be valid for the entire 2024 show season. If travelling to multiple New England States for exhibition, see the Memorandum - Livestock Health Certificates for the 2024 Show Season, for additional requirements.

2. All animals and poultry entered at fairs and shows must be in good health and in proper physical condition and will be examined at the exhibition by the barn superintendent. Evidence of poor condition or infectious or contagious disease or failure to produce the necessary documents for health certification, vaccination or testing will result in ejection. The Connecticut Department of Agriculture Livestock Inspector's decision is final.

3. Health charts and proof of vaccination where applicable are the responsibility of the exhibitor.

4. Each barn superintendent will collect and hold the Health Certificates from each exhibitor. Animals not in compliance with the state regulations for shows and fairs will not be allowed. A complete list, containing the name of the exhibitor, address, animal ID (ear tag, tattoo, leg band), breed and age of each animal, and the total head count will be made available to the State Livestock Inspector and forwarded to the Connecticut Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Regulatory Services by the fair superintendent. All animals and poultry present on the grounds should be identified on this list. Any animal that is rejected should be noted as such with a brief statement of reason. Rejected animals or poultry should be removed from the grounds as soon as possible. Any concerns about the health of any animal or bird should be reported to the State Livestock Inspector or the Fair Veterinarian immediately.

5. Isolate all exhibited animals and poultry upon their return to the farm from other animals and poultry for 3-4 weeks to reduce the risk of disease exposure and transmission. Call your local veterinarian if your animals or poultry become sick to help you with diagnosis and treatment.

6. Contact the Bureau of Regulatory Services at 860-713-2504 if you have any questions.

B. CONNECTICUT ANIMALS

***All cattle, horses and sheep must have a rabies vaccination given by a licensed veterinarian. The vaccination certificate must be signed by the veterinarian that gave the vaccination and include the animal’s identification and description, the name of the vaccine’s manufacturer, serial number, and the date the vaccination was given and when it expires. If it is the animal's first rabies vaccination, it must be given at least 30 DAYS prior to their first show date to be considered current.***

1. ALL SPECIES: Animals must originate from herds or flocks that meet the testing and health requirements of the State of Connecticut. State livestock inspectors may request proof of compliance with state requirements. No herd or flock under quarantine order shall move or be exhibited. All animals must have permanent identification (ear tag, tattoo, leg band, microchip plus a reader or EIA certificate).

2. CATTLE: All cattle must have a health certificate issued within 60 days of their first show by an accredited veterinarian stating that the animal is in good health and not showing signs of infectious, contagious and/or communicable diseases.

3. HORSES: All horses must have a negative AGID (Coggins) or ELISA test for Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) within 12 months of their show date and be accompanied by this certificate. It is highly recommended that horses be vaccinated against EEE & WNV within 6 months of their first show date.

4. SHEEP: All sheep must have official USDA-approved identification and be accompanied by health certificates issued within 60 days of their first show by an accredited veterinarian stating that the sheep are in good health and not showing signs of infectious, contagious and/or communicable diseases and are not from Scrapie-exposed flocks.

5. GOATS: All goats must have official USDA-approved identification and a health certificate issued within 60 days of their first show by an accredited veterinarian stating that the animals are in good health and not showing signs of infectious, contagious and/or communicable diseases and are not from Scrapie-exposed herds.

6. SWINE: All swine must originate from Connecticut herds that are tested for Brucellosis and Pseudorabies on a yearly basis. All swine must have a health certificate issued within 60 days prior to the first show by an accredited veterinarian. If the swine are purchased from a tested herd, a bill of sale from the Connecticut producer must be presented to the State Veterinarian’s office before a Connecticut Exhibition Test card will be issued to the new owner.

7. POULTRY: Poultry originating within the state must come from healthy flocks with no evidence of infectious, contagious and/or communicable diseases. All birds must be inspected, identified and be accompanied by written proof (Connecticut Flock Test card or Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory Report) that verifies that the breeding flock or the individual birds listed on the report were blood test negative for Salmonella pullorum within 365 days of the show date. Concurrent Avian Influenza testing of the flock and/or individual birds is strongly recommended. Poultry vaccinated within 30 days with any live virus vaccine will be prohibited from showing. All cages, crates or vehicles used for housing or transporting poultry must be cleaned and disinfected before and after each show. Doves, pigeons and waterfowl are exempt from testing requirements, but must be identified by leg bands or wing tags.

8. LLAMAS & ALPACAS: Llamas and alpacas that originate within the state must have a health certificate issued within 60 days of the first show by an accredited veterinarian listing the permanent identification (ear tag, tattoo or microchip and a reader must be available for the microchip) and stating the animal is in good health and free of obvious signs of infectious disease.

C. OUT OF STATE ANIMALS:

***All cattle, horses and sheep must have a rabies vaccination given by a licensed veterinarian. The vaccination certificate must be signed by the veterinarian that gave the vaccination and include the animal’s identification and description, the name of the vaccine’s manufacturer, serial number, and the date the vaccination was given and when it expires. If it is the animal's first rabies vaccination, it must be given at least 30 DAYS prior to their first show date.***

1. ALL SPECIES: Animals shall originate from herds or flocks that meet the testing and health requirements of the State of Connecticut and must be accompanied by health certificates and test charts as indicated below. No animals from a herd or flock under quarantine order shall enter into the State. All animals and poultry must have official permanent identification (ear tag, tattoo, leg band, wing band, microchip plus a reader, or EIA certificate).
All animals and birds (except horses) must have an exhibition permit number on the health certificates.
Call 860-713-2504 or 860-713-2508 for a permit number. All out-of-state animals and birds offered for sale must meet Connecticut Importation Regulations.

2. CATTLE: All lactating dairy cattle are required to receive a negative test for Influenza A virus at an approved National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) laboratory for interstate movement. Milk samples must be collected and submitted by the same Category II accredited veterinarian who is completing the health certificate and must be collected no more than seven (7) days prior to interstate movement. Lactating dairy cattle from herds which have tested positive for Influenza A are not eligible for movement for thirty (30) days from the most recent collection of any sample that tests positive from any individual animal in the herd. After the 30-day period, animals must be tested again for movement. No dairy cattle exhibiting clinical signs of HPAI will be allowed to move into Connecticut . All cattle must have a negative TB test within 12 months of the show date. Cattle under 6 months of age may go on the dam's TB test chart if the dam was tested for TB within the past 12 months and a copy of the results is provided. All Brucellosis vaccinated female cattle over 18 months of age and all bulls and non-vaccinated female cattle 6 months of age and older must have a negative Brucellosis test within 12 months of the show date. Steers and spayed heifers are exempt from Brucellosis testing. All non-lactating cattle must have health certificates issued within 30 days of the first show by an accredited veterinarian, test charts and vaccination certificates where applicable. All cattle must have a negative TB test within 12 months of the show date. Cattle under 6 months of age may go on the dam's TB test chart if the dam was tested for TB within the past 12 months and a copy of the results is provided. All Brucellosis vaccinated female cattle over 18 months of age and all bulls and non-vaccinated female cattle 6 months of age and older must have a negative Brucellosis test within 12 months of the show date. Steers and spayed heifers are exempt from Brucellosis testing.

3. HORSES: All horses must have a health certificate issued within 30 days of their first show date by an accredited veterinarian. All horses must have a negative AGID (Coggins) or ELISA test for Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) within 12 months of the show date and be accompanied by this certificate. It is highly recommended that horses be vaccinated against EEE & WNV within 6 months of the first show date.

4. SHEEP: All sheep must have official USDA-approved identification and be accompanied by health certificates issued within 30 days of their first show date by an accredited veterinarian stating that the sheep are in good health and not showing signs of infectious, contagious and/or communicable diseases and are not from Scrapie-exposed flocks.

5. GOATS: All goats must have official USDA-approved identification and be accompanied by a health certificate issued within 30 days of their first show date by an accredited veterinarian stating that the goats are in good health and not showing signs of infectious, contagious and/or communicable diseases and are not from Scrapie-exposed flocks. All goats must originate from Brucellosis and TB free herds. Goats 3 months old and over must test negative to TB and Brucellosis within 12 months of the show date. Kids under 3 months of age may go on the dam's test chart if the dam was tested within the past 12 months and a copy of the results is provided. Wethers are exempt from Brucellosis testing.

6. SWINE: Swine that are 3 months of age and older must be negative to Brucellosis and Pseudorabies tests and have a health certificate stating such within 30 days of their first show date by an accredited veterinarian. Barrows are exempt from Brucellosis testing but must have a negative Pseudorabies test. Swine under 3 months of age must originate from a Brucellosis-free and Pseudorabies qualified herd and the herd test dates and qualified herd numbers must be on the health certificate.

7. POULTRY: All poultry must be identified and test negative for Salmonella pullorum within 12 months of the show date and be accompanied by this certificate. All poultry must comply with the Department of Agriculture Avian Influenza requirements by originating from AI-Free flocks or be tested for AI within 30 days of entry and have a certificate. No poultry from any areas of any state having Avian Influenza may enter Connecticut. Poultry vaccinated within 30 days with any live virus vaccine will be prohibited from showing. All cages, crates and vehicles used for housing and transporting poultry must be cleaned and disinfected before and after each show. Doves, pigeons and waterfowl are exempt from testing requirements, but must be identified by leg bands or wing tags.

8. LLAMAS & ALPACAS: All llamas and alpacas must have a negative Axillary TB test within 12 months and a negative Brucellosis test within 12 months of entry, and a health certificate issued within 30 days of the first show by an accredited veterinarian, listing the permanent identification (ear tag, tattoo or microchip and a reader must be available for the microchip) and test results.

***All animals for which there is a licensed Rabies vaccine – cattle, horses, sheep, dogs, cats and ferrets exposed to the public shall be vaccinated against Rabies. Animals not having an approved Rabies vaccination shall be displayed in a manner such that the public would not be in contact or exposed to saliva from those animals and have EASILY VISIBLE POSTED SIGNS OR TAPE stating, "CONNECTICUT RABIES ADVISORY NOTICE - DO NOT FEED OR TOUCH ANIMALS."***

On August 4, 2009, the Department of Agriculture adopted regulations for the “Control of Rabies in Public Settings” which will be enforced at all Connecticut fairs and public exhibitions. The complete text of the regulations, RCSA §§ 22-359-1 through 22-359-5, follows this notice. Its provisions include the following for both Connecticut and out of state animals:

1. Animals for which there is a licensed Rabies vaccine
• Horses, cattle, sheep, dogs, and cats must be currently vaccinated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian unless they are under the minimum age to be vaccinated. (Ferrets are also included in this category if displayed.)
• These animals must have a rabies vaccination certificate signed by the licensed veterinarian administering the vaccine that includes the animal’s identification and description, name and address of owner, name of the vaccine’s manufacturer, serial number, date the vaccination was administered and date when it expires.
• If it is the animal’s first vaccination, it must be given at least 30 days prior to the first show date to be considered current

2. Animals not having an approved Rabies vaccination
• Includes animals for which there is not a licensed rabies vaccine and animals for which there is a licensed rabies vaccine but are under the age to be vaccinated. (Most rabies vaccines are labeled to be administered when animals reach 3 months of age – young animals for exhibition should be vaccinated as soon as possible after 3 months of age.)
• Animals must be separated from the public by sufficient means to avoid direct contact with people and other animals, such as a double fence, plexiglass, or other means; or conspicuous signs or tape must be posted near the animal enclosure stating, “CONNECTICUT RABIES ADVISORY NOTICE – DO NOT FEED OR TOUCH ANIMALS”.

Yellow tape with the rabies advisory notice wording is available for purchase from the Department of Agriculture.

Please, contact the Department at (860) 713-2504 if you have questions regarding the requirements, the rabies regulations or if you wish to obtain the rabies advisory notice tape.

Section 22-359-1 Definitions.
As used in Sections 22-359-1 to 22-359-5, inclusive, of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies:

(1) “Animal” means any warm-blooded creatures, including bats
(2) “Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Agriculture or the Commissioner’s designated agent.
(3) “Controlled situation” means a public setting in which an animal is under the control of a handler and persons having direct physical contact with such animal can be readily identified and contacted if a rabies exposure incident occurs.
(4) “Currently vaccinated” means an animal was vaccinated against rabies and is considered immunized based on administration of the primary vaccination at least 30 days previously or immediately after a booster vaccination and vaccinations have been administered in accordance with licensed rabies vaccine label directions.
(5) “Licensed rabies vaccine” means a vaccine against rabies for certain species of animals licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture for use in such species and marketed in the United States.
(6) “Not currently vaccinated” means an animal for which there is no licensed rabies vaccine or an animal for which there is a licensed rabies vaccine, but such animal is under the minimum age to be vaccinated against rabies or does not satisfy the requirements of “currently vaccinated” as defined in subdivision (4) of this section.
(7) “Public setting” means any event, facility, or premise at which the public is invited and allowed to have direct physical contact with animals. Public settings include but are not limited to fairs, animal exhibitions, petting zoos, municipal pounds, animal shelters, nature centers, riding stables, pony rides, and educational programs.
(8) “Rabies” means an infection of the central nervous system of mammals caused by viruses in the Rhabdovirus family that typically results in death.
(9) “Uncontrolled situation” means a public setting at which persons have direct physical contact with an animal and such persons cannot be readily identified or contacted if a rabies exposure incident occurs.
(10)“Vaccinated” means an animal was vaccinated against rabies in accordance with licensed rabies vaccine label directions.

Section 22-359-2. Animals for which there is a licensed rabies vaccine. Exceptions.
(1) No animal for which there is a licensed rabies vaccine may be in a public setting without being currently vaccinated for rabies.
(2) Animals under the minimum age to be vaccinated, vaccinated animals offered for sale or adoption and animals residing in municipal pounds shall be exempt from the provisions of this section.

Section 22-359-3. Animals not currently vaccinated.
(1) Written records shall be kept by the owner, keeper, or handler of any animal not currently vaccinated for rabies that is present in a public setting in a controlled situation. The written records shall include contact information for all persons having direct physical contact with such animal, including the names, addresses and telephone numbers of such persons and the date of contact. Such records shall be maintained for a period of six months and shall be made immediately available to the Commissioner upon request.
(2) Any animal not currently vaccinated for rabies that is present in a public setting in an uncontrolled situation shall be separated from the public by sufficient means to avoid direct contact between people and animals, such as a double fence, plexiglass, or other device to avoid direct contact between people and animals as determined by the Commissioner, or a conspicuous sign shall be posted near the animal enclosure stating “CONNECTICUT RABIES ADVISORY NOTICE – DO NOT FEED OR TOUCH ANIMALS”.

Section 22-359-4. Exemptions.
(1) Mice, rats, gerbils, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rabbits and any other animal in a public setting considered low risk for rabies transmission by the Commissioner which can be documented as being born and exclusively raised and kept in a manner that prohibits direct physical contact with wildlife are exempt from the provisions of sections 22-359-2 and 22-359-3 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies.
(2) Birds, reptiles and amphibians shall be exempt from the provisions of sections 22-359-2 and 22-359-3 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies.
(3) Animals which were bred at facilities licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture, and which can be documented as being born and exclusively raised and kept in a manner that prohibits direct physical contact with wildlife and have at no time been co-mingled with animals that may have had direct physical contact with wildlife, are exempt from the provisions of sections 22-359-2 and 22-359-3 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies

Section 22-359-5. Penalty.
The Commissioner may impose civil penalties for any violation of the provisions of sections 22-359-2 and 22359-3 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies in accordance with the provisions of Connecticut General Statutes section 22-7.