Virginia Administrative Code
Title 2 - AGRICULTURE
Agency 5 - DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES
Chapter 141 - HEALTH REQUIREMENTS GOVERNING THE ADMISSION OF AGRICULTURAL ANIMALS, PET ANIMALS, AND OTHER ANIMALS OR BIRDS INTO VIRGINIA
Section 2VAC5-141-40 - Import restrictions; exemptions

A. No person shall import into Virginia an agricultural animal, pet animal, primate, or any other animal or bird of any species that is affected with or that has been exposed to any reportable infectious or contagious disease except by permit issued at the State Veterinarian's discretion.

B. When the State Veterinarian is informed of any unusual or serious outbreak of disease among livestock or poultry in any other region that, in his opinion, constitutes a threat to livestock and poultry in Virginia, he shall by proclamation prohibit the entrance of any livestock or poultry that originate either directly or indirectly from that region at his discretion, except by permit. He may also prohibit the entrance of any products as defined in the meat or poultry inspection regulations of the USDA, in the Virginia Meat and Poultry Products Inspection Act, or in any other applicable or related Virginia statutes and regulations, except by permit. Specific classes of animals as listed in this chapter also require a permit for entry into Virginia.

C. Agricultural animals, pet animals, primates, or any other animals or birds of any species imported into Virginia for bona fide scientific research by a recognized agricultural institution or institution licensed by the USDA, and for which compliance with the requirements of this chapter would be a detriment to the research, may be excused from the requirements at the discretion of the State Veterinarian by the issuance of a permit.

D. The State Veterinarian may waive specific requirements for the importation of an animal from a disaster-affected area into Virginia. A waiver issued pursuant to this subsection shall be issued in writing.

E. Any livestock entering Virginia from a region in which vesicular stomatitis has been diagnosed within the 14 days prior to the livestock's entry into Virginia or from a region in which a premises quarantined for vesicular stomatitis is located shall be accompanied by a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection dated within the 14 days prior to the livestock's entry into Virginia. The Certificate of Veterinary Inspection shall include the following statement: "All animals identified on this Certificate of Veterinary Inspection have been inspected and found to be free from clinical signs of vesicular stomatitis."