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163.1. Powers of department
The department shall administer and enforce the provisions of this chapter, and rules
adopted by the department pursuant to this chapter. In administering the provisions
of this chapter, the department shall have power to do all of the following:
1. Make all necessary rules for the suppression and prevention of infectious and contagious diseases among animals within the state.
2. Provide for quarantining animals affected with infectious or contagious diseases, or that have been exposed to such diseases, whether within or without the state.
3. Determine and employ the most efficient and practical means for the prevention, suppression, control, and eradication of contagious or infectious diseases among animals.
4. Establish, maintain, enforce, and regulate quarantine and other measures relating to the movements and care of diseased animals.
5. Provide for the disinfection of suspected yards, buildings, and articles, and the destruction of such animals as may be deemed necessary.
6. Enter any place where any animal is at the time located, or where it has been kept, or where the carcass of such animal may be, for the purpose of examining it in any way that may be necessary to determine whether it was or is infected with any contagious or infectious disease.
7. Regulate or prohibit the arrival in, departure from, and passage through the state, of animals infected with or exposed to any contagious disease; and in case of violation of any such regulation or prohibition, to detain any animal at the owner's cost.
8. Regulate or prohibit the bringing of animals into the state, which, in its opinion, for any reason, may be detrimental to the health of animals in the state.
9. Co-operate with and arrange for assistance from the United States department of agriculture in performing its duties under this chapter.
10. Impose civil penalties as provided in this chapter. The department may refer cases for prosecution to the attorney general.
163.2. Infectious and contagious diseases
For the purpose of this chapter, infectious and contagious diseases shall be deemed to embrace glanders, farcy, maladie du coit (dourine), anthrax, foot and mouth disease, scabies, hog cholera, swine dysentery, tuberculosis, brucellosis, vesicular exanthema, scrapie, rinderpest, ovine foot rot, or any other communicable disease so designated by the department.
As used in this chapter, "foot and mouth disease" means a virus of the family picornaviridae, genus aphthovirus, including any immunologically distinct serotypes.
163.3. Veterinary assistants
The department may appoint one or more licensed veterinarians in each county as assistant
veterinarians. It may also appoint such special assistants as may be necessary in cases of
emergency.
163.4. Powers of assistants
Such assistant veterinarians shall have power, under the direction of the department, to
perform all acts necessary to carry out the provisions of law relating to infectious and
contagious diseases among animals, and shall be furnished by the department with the
necessary supplies and materials which shall be paid for out of the appropriation for the
eradication of infectious and contagious diseases among animals.
163.5. Oaths
Such assistant veterinarians shall have power to administer oaths and affirmations to
appraisers acting under this and the following chapters of this title.
163.7. State and federal rules
The rules adopted by the department regarding interstate shipments of animals shall not be
in conflict with the rules of the federal department of agriculture, unless there is an
outbreak of a malignant contagious disease in any locality, state, or territory, in which
event the department shall have the right to place an embargo on such locality, state, or
territory.
163.8. Enforcement of rules
The assistant veterinarians appointed under this chapter shall enforce all rules of the
department, and in so doing may call to their assistance any peace officer.
163.9. College at Ames to assist
The dean of the veterinary college of the Iowa State University of science and technology
is authorized to use the equipment and facilities of the college in assisting the
department in carrying out the provisions of this chapter.
163.10. Quarantining or killing animals
The department may quarantine or condemn any animal which is infected with any contagious
or infectious disease, but no cattle infected with tuberculosis shall be killed without
the owner's consent, unless there shall be sufficient funds to pay for such cattle, in the
allotment made for that purpose from the appropriation for the eradication of infectious
and contagious diseases among animals as provided in this chapter.
163.11. Imported animals
No person shall bring into this state, except to public livestock markets where federal
inspection of livestock is maintained, any animal for work, breeding, or dairy purposes,
unless such animal has been examined and found free from all contagious or infectious
diseases.
No person shall bring in any manner into this state any cattle for dairy or breeding purposes unless such cattle have been tested within thirty days prior to date of importation by the agglutination test for contagious abortion or abortion disease, and shown to be free from such disease.
Animals for feeding purposes, however, may be brought into the state without inspection, under such regulations as the department may prescribe except that this sentence shall not apply to swine.
163.12. Freedom from disease
Freedom from disease as specified in section 163.11 shall be established by a certificate
of health signed by a veterinarian acting under either the authority of the federal
department of agriculture, or of the state department of agriculture and land stewardship.
163.13. Certificate attached to bill of lading
A copy of such certificate shall be attached to the waybill accompanying the shipment, and
a copy thereof shall be mailed to the department.
163.14. Intrastate shipments
All animals, except those intended for immediate slaughter, shall be inspected when
required by the department, and accompanied by the aforesaid certificate when shipped from
a public stockyard in this state to another point within the state where federal
inspection is not maintained.
163.15. Indemnifying owner
Whenever any animal is found to be infected with one of the contagious diseases enumerated in section 163.2 or one which has been designated by the department thereunder, if there be no other provisions for indemnifying the owner in case the same be condemned and ordered by the department to be killed, and the secretary of agriculture determines that the existence of said communicable disease constitutes a threat to the general welfare or the public health of the inhabitants of the state, the secretary shall formulate a program of eradication including therein the condemnation and killing of the infected animals; provided however, that said program shall not be put into effect as hereinafter provided until the same has been approved by the executive council.
If an animal infected with a contagious disease is destroyed under a program of eradication as provided in this section, the owner shall be compensated according to one of the following methods:
1. a. A determination of an indemnity amount as agreed to by appraisal. The determination shall be made by appraisers who shall be three competent and disinterested persons, including one who is appointed by the department, one who is appointed by the owner, and one who is appointed by agreement of the department and the owner. The appraisers shall report their appraisal under oath to the department. The appraisers shall receive compensation and expenses as provided for by the program.
b. A claim for an indemnity filed by the owner shall not exceed the amount agreed upon by the majority decision of the appraisers. For an animal other than registered purebred stock the indemnity amount shall be based on current market prices. For registered purebred stock, the indemnity amount may exceed market prices by not more than fifty percent. The indemnity amount shall be
less any amount of indemnification that the owner might be allowed from the United States department of agriculture. An indemnity shall not be allowed for an animal if the department of agriculture and land stewardship determines that the animal has been fed raw garbage as provided in section 163.26.
c. A claim for an indemnity by the owner and a claim for compensation and expenses by the appraisers shall be filed with the department and submitted by the secretary of agriculture to the executive council for its approval or disapproval.
d. Upon approval by the executive council, there is appropriated to the department from any moneys in the general fund of the state not otherwise appropriated moneys sufficient to carry out the provisions of this subsection.
2. A formula established by rule adopted by the department that is effective as determined by the department in accordance with chapter 17A and applicable upon approval of the plan of eradication approved by the executive council. The
formula shall be applicable to indemnify owners if the executive council, upon recommendation by the secretary of agriculture, determines that an animal population in this state is threatened with infection from an exceptionally contagious disease.
a. An owner shall be paid an indemnity amount based on the formula, only if the owner elects to be paid under the formula in lieu of the determination by appointed appraisers as otherwise provided in this section.
b. The formula shall provide for the payment of the fair market value of an animal based on market prices paid for similar animals according to categories or criteria established by the department, which may include payment based on the species, breed, type, weight, sex, age, purebred status, and condition of the animal. The department may provide for deductions based on other compensation received by the owner for the destruction of the animals. The department may exclude a claim if the person would be ineligible to receive compensation by three appointed appraisers as provided in this section.
If an owner elects to be paid an indemnity amount based on a method that provides either a determination by appointed appraisers or pursuant to a formula, the owner shall not be entitled to revoke the election, unless otherwise provided by the department. An owner's decision to delay or refuse to make an election under this section shall not affect the condemnation and destruction of infected animals under the program of eradication.
163.16. Limitation on right to receive pay
Unless an animal was examined at the time of importation into the state and found free
from contagious or infectious diseases as provided in this chapter, no person importing
the same and no transferee who receives such animal knowing that the provisions of this
chapter have been violated shall receive any compensation under section 163.15 for the
destruction of such animal by the department.
163.17. Local boards of health
All local boards of health shall assist the department in the prevention, suppression,
control, and eradication of contagious and infectious diseases among animals, whenever
requested to do so.
163.18. False representation
A person shall not knowingly make a false representation about the shipment of an animal
that is being or will be made, with the intent to avoid or prevent the animal's inspection
that is conducted in order to determine whether the animal is free from disease.
163.19. Sale or exposure of infected animals
No owner or person having charge of any animal, knowing the same to have any infectious or
contagious disease, shall sell or barter the same for breeding, dairy, work, or feeding
purposes, or permit such animal to run at large or come in contact with any other animal.
163.20. Glanders
No owner or person having charge of any animal, knowing the same to be affected with
glanders, shall permit such animal to be driven upon any highway, and no keeper of a
public barn shall knowingly permit any animal having such disease to be stabled in such
barn.
163.22. Annual estimate The department shall each year make an estimate of
expenditures to be made from the annual appropriation for the eradication of contagious
and infectious diseases among animals. Such estimate shall set aside:
1. A sufficient sum for the general administration of this chapter.
2. A sufficient sum for the inspection of herds for tuberculosis under chapter 165, except herds in counties which have been enrolled under the county area plan of eradication.
3. The remainder of said appropriation for allotment among the counties in accordance with the number of breeding cattle owned therein for the eradication of bovine tuberculosis in such counties.
163.23. False certificates of health--penalty
A veterinarian shall not issue a certificate of health for an animal knowing that the
animal described in the certificate of health was not the animal from which tests were
made as a basis for issuing the certificate. A veterinarian shall not
otherwise falsify a certificate of health.
163.24. Using false certificate
A person shall not conduct a transaction to import, export, or transport an animal within
this state or sell or offer for sale an animal if the person uses a certificate of health
in connection with the transaction knowing that the animal described in the certificate of
health was not the animal from which tests were made as a basis for issuing the
certificate of health. A person shall not otherwise use an altered or otherwise
false certificate in connection with such transaction.
163.25. Altering certificate
A person shall not remove or alter a tag or mark of identification appearing on an animal,
tested or being tested for disease, if the tag or mark of identification is authorized by
the department or inserted by any qualified veterinarian. A person shall not alter a
certificate of vaccination issued by a person authorized to vaccinate the animal.
163.61. Civil penalties
1. The department shall establish, by rule, civil penalties which may be administratively
or judicially assessed. The attorney general shall cooperate with the department in the
assessment and collection of civil penalties.
2. a. Except as provided in paragraph "b", a person violating a provision of
this chapter, or a rule adopted pursuant to this chapter, shall be subject to a civil
penalty of at least one hundred dollars but not more than one thousand dollars. In the
case of a continuing violation, each day of the continuing violation is a separate
violation. However, a person shall not be subject to a civil penalty totaling more than
twenty-five thousand dollars.
b. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph "a", a person who falsifies a
health certificate, veterinarian inspection certificate, or certificate of inspection
shall be subject to a civil penalty of not more than five thousand dollars for each
reference to an animal falsified on the certificate. However, a person who falsifies a
certificate of inspection issued pursuant to chapter 166D shall be subject to a civil
penalty as provided in this section or section 166D.16, but not both. A person shall not
be subject to a civil penalty totaling more than twenty-five thousand dollars for
falsifying a certificate, regardless of the number of animals falsified on the
certificate.
3. Moneys collected from civil penalties shall be deposited into the general fund of the
state.
163.62. Injunctive relief
The department or the attorney general acting on behalf of the department may apply to the
district court for injunctive relief in order to restrain a person from acting in
violation of this chapter. In order to obtain injunctive relief, the department shall not
be required to post a bond or prove the absence of an adequate remedy at law, unless the
court for good cause otherwise orders. The court may order any form of prohibitory or
mandatory relief that is appropriate under principles of equity, including but not limited
to issuing a temporary or permanent restraining order.
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