3 Del. Admin. Code § 905-4.0

Current through Register Vol. 28, No. 5, November 1, 2024

Section 905-4.0 - Regulatory Provisions

4.1 All persons becoming cervid owners must first register with the Delaware Department of Agriculture on forms provided by the Department. This shall apply to meat producing operations, hunting operations, broodstock producers, novelty pet owners, etc. The registration form must be completed prior to the animals arriving in the State. There will be a section of the registration form which requests the signature of the cervid owner agreeing to abide by all provisions contained herein.

4.2 All cervid animals entering the State for any reason shall be accompanied by an in-date and fully executed certificate of veterinary inspection. All cervid animals entering the State must be identified by means of an official cervid identification.

4.3 Herds already in existence at the time of passage of this regulation may be excused from some of the provisions contained herein.

4.4 Each and every cervid herd within the state must submit to the State Veterinarian comprehensive plans for adequate testing of all animals over 18 months of age, which die for any reason.

4.5 Every herd owner will be responsible for keeping complete and accurate records of all animals that enter or exit the herd. The record system will be clear and concise and must be kept on hand for a period of five years.

4.6 It will be the responsibility of each herd owner or caretaker to immediately report any sickness or any death of any animal to the State Veterinarian. Each animal over eighteen months of age, which died, must be examined and a cause of death determined by an accredited veterinarian or an approved laboratory.

4.7 A panel of three members:

(1) The State Veterinarian or his designee,

(2) The Director of Game and Fish Division or his designee and

(3) A member of the USDA, APHIS TSE Section will meet at least once a year to determine the following:

4.7.1 Review the status of each herd in the state and determine the sampling plan for that herd. This will also include those herds raising animals strictly for meat purposes.

4.7.2 Determine the sampling schedule and distribution of sample collection from the state's wild cervid population.

4.7.3 Determine the laboratory to which the samples are sent and who will pay the co_ if any, for testing. There will be a frequency of testing determined for those herds which use their animals for meat purposes only. If the animals are slaughtered out-of-state, it will be the responsibility of the owner to transport the required number body parts needed for testing to the Delaware Department of Agriculture.

4.7.4 What criteria must be met before a person is considered qualified to collect specimens for official CWD testing.

4.7.5 Determine the procedures, which must be followed in order to successfully store and ship the specimens to an approved laboratory in order to receive the most reliable results.

4.7.6 In the event that a positive or suspicious result is received, this group will convene to determine the most practical and expeditious steps to follow to destroy the herd, or remove animals of high risk and layout a plan for eventual establishment of a "free" herd.

4.7.7 If a "positive" or "suspicious" herd is discovered, that herd will be quarantined and remain under quarantine until this group determines that all possibility of transmission has passed. USDA accepted protocols would be followed in determining this fact. In the event that a visually suspicious animal is identified, the entire herd will be quarantined until specimens from that animal have been collected, sent to an approved laboratory and "positive" or "negative" results have been received.

4.7.7.1 Any Delaware cervid herd that is found to have a "positive" or "suspicious" animal will be required to strictly follow the surveillance guidelines as set forth in the cervid CWD surveillance identification program.

4.7.8 In an attempt to prevent the transmission of this disease from captive cervids to free ranging white tailed deer, any operation starting up after the date of passage of this regulation must be fenced with fencing at least ten (10) feet tall to prevent any escape of a farmed cervid.

4.7.9 Any additions of breeding animals or germ plasma to an existing Delaware herd or animals used to start up a Delaware herd, must come from a herd that has been classified as a "Monitored CWD Cervid Herd" that has been in compliance with the CCWDSI program as already defined.

4.7.10 As more becomes known of this disease, these regulations may, from time to time, be amended to further safeguard Delaware's farmed deer and wild population from the detrimental effects of this disease.

3 Del. Admin. Code § 905-4.0