Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 9, September 27, 2024
1. General.
This regulation is for the protection of the public health and
animal health. It shall not in any way be construed to prevent an individual
owner from feeding his swine his own household garbage; however, such swine
must be for said owner's personal household use and consumption and such swine
may not be sold, offered for sale, or ownership otherwise transferred except in
compliance with this regulation.
2. Definitions.
A. Division--means the Livestock-Poultry
Health Division, Clemson University.
B. Enforcement Officer--means any
veterinarian, livestock law enforcement officer or livestock inspector of the
Livestock-Poultry Health Department, Clemson University or personnel of
cooperating federal veterinary service agency acting pursuant to a cooperative
agreement.
C. Garbage--means any
animal wastes, including unprocessed dairy products, resulting from handling,
preparation, cooking and consumption of foods, including animal carcasses
and/or parts thereof or contents of offal.
D. Premises--means the area owned or
controlled by the owner of the swine being tested, investigated or quarantined,
whereon the swine are kept or fed by the owner or his agent, and includes
adjacent sheds, barns, food storage areas, pens, pastures and
enclosures.
E. Quarantine--means
restrictions placed on free movement of animals on reasonable public health
grounds.
F. State
Veterinarian--means Director, Livestock-Poultry Health Department, Clemson
University.
3. Reporting
Requirements.
All persons shall report to the State Veterinarian all swine
which are suspected to have been garbage-fed within the prior 30 days.
4. Investigations.
A. Enforcement Officers shall investigate
reports of garbage-fed swine. Each premise from which the swine originated, or
on which the swine are kept, will be inspected to ascertain whether there is a
reasonable belief that the swine have been fed garbage within the preceding
thirty days from sources other than the owner's personal household. If the
enforcement officer reasonably concludes, based upon experience and objective
evidence, that swine have been fed garbage from such sources, he shall
quarantine the swine present on the premises.
B. In determining whether the garbage is from
sources other than the owner's household garbage, the Enforcement Officer will
consider, among other factors, the quantity and nature of the garbage, the size
and number of the swine and the number of persons in the owner's
household.
5.
Quarantine.
A. The quarantine shall commence
immediately upon notice and shall be for a period of thirty (30) consecutive
days from the date the premises are declared garbage free and during which
period no garbage is fed to the swine. The Enforcement Officer shall determine
the garbage-free date by a close physical inspection of the premises and shall
consider, but is not limited to, these factors: vermin; objects not normally
considered as swine food, such as paper or plastic wrappers, containers,
utensils, bottles, etc.; available quantities of regular swine rations;
putrescent odors; physical condition of the swine; bones, meat scraps, offal;
unconsumed human food items; and the general condition of the swine
enclosure.
B. If in the opinion of
the Enforcement Officer, remediation of the site is necessary, he will inform
the owner of those measures in writing. It shall thereafter be the owner's
responsibility to contact the Enforcement Officer for a reinspection.
C. Notice of the quarantine and of necessary
remediation shall be in writing and shall be served on the owner either
personally, by depositing such notice in the first class mail or by prominently
displaying such notice on the premises.
D. The Enforcement Officer will make periodic
announced and unannounced reinspections of the premises during the quarantine
period and shall inform the owner of any deficiencies/problems noted.
E. Evidence that garbage has been fed to the
quarantined swine during the 30 day period will be considered a violation of
the quarantine. The premises must again be certified as garbage free before the
30 day period can recommence.
F.
The owner must account for each swine on the premises throughout the quarantine
period.
G. No swine may leave the
premises from the time the quarantine is announced, until the quarantine is
officially removed except by written approval of the State Veterinarian's
Office.
H. The quarantine will not
be removed until the swine have spent thirty (30) consecutive days on garbage
free premises, the Enforcement Officer has received negative results on blood
tests administered to the swine and the quarantine has been formally removed in
writing. All required tests will be performed by the Division free of charge to
the owner.
6. Transfers.
Ownership of swine in quarantine may be transferred; however,
the swine may not leave the premises until officially released by the
Enforcement Officer. Should such transfer be made, the old owner must notify
the Division of the new owner's name, address and telephone number. Sale or
offering of swine for sale must be in accordance with Section
47-15-10
et seq., S. C. Code of Laws (1976) as amended.
7. Appeals.
Appeals may be addressed, in writing, to the State
Veterinarian, P. O. Box 102406, Columbia, SC 29224-2406. Each appeal shall
include: the full name, address and telephone number of appellant; the specific
event complained of; specific reasons why the decision is in error; and
requested relief.
