§ 22-279 — Quarantine of animals. Regulations. Orders. Emergencies. Notice to common carriers. Assistants. Violations. Penalties.

Connecticut § 22-279

• Jurisdiction: Connecticut
• Title 22: Agriculture. Domestic Animals
• Ch. 433: Diseases of Domestic Animals

Text

(a) The commissioner may quarantine all animals that the commissioner has reasonable grounds to believe (1) are infected with a communicable disease, (2) do not meet import, export or disease testing requirements of the department, or (3) are kept under unsanitary conditions that, in the opinion of the commissioner, endanger the public health or the health of such animals. The quarantine may (A) prohibit or regulate the sale or movement of such quarantined animals, including any mortalities, and all the products of such quarantined animals, and (B) require that such animals, including any mortalities, and the products of such animals be confined in a place designated by the commissioner for such time as the commissioner judges necessary. (b) (1) The commissioner may adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, and make orders concerning the importation, transportation, trailing, riding, driving, exhibiting, examining, testing, identification, quarantining or disposing of livestock to prevent the spread of contagious and infectious diseases among livestock and to protect the public from such diseases as may be transmissible to human beings, either directly or through the products of such animals. Such orders and regulations may provide for the conservation of livestock that is produced for use as food or clothing. (2) The commissioner shall give notice of any such order to any person named therein by leaving a copy of such order with, or at the last-known place of abode of, such person, if a resident of the state. If such person is not a resident of the state, such notice shall be provided by leaving a copy of such order with, or at the last-known place of abode of, an agent of such person, or the person that has custody of the animals described in such order, if such person or agent is located in the state. If such agent or person that has custody of such animals is not located in the state, the commissioner shall cause a copy of such order to be sent by registered or certified mail to the last-known address of the person named in such order or, alternatively, by electronic notice if previously consented to by the person named in such order. (3) The commissioner, in the instance of an emergency, as determined by the commissioner, may give notice of any order limiting or prohibiting the importation, transportation, trailing, riding, driving, exhibiting or disposing of livestock on any highway by publishing a copy of such order in a newspaper that is published or that has a substantial circulation in the town in which the highway affected by such order is located. (4) The commissioner shall give notice of any such order or regulation to any common carrier named in such order or affected by such order or regulation by leaving a copy of such order or regulation: (A) With the president, secretary or treasurer of the company that acts as such common carrier, (B) any person or firm acting as a common carrier, (C) at the last-known residence of any such person or a member of such firm in charge of any office of such carrier, or (D) at the electronic mail address of the common carrier if previously consented to by the common carrier. (5) The commissioner may employ assistants needed to enforce any such orders or regulations. (6) Any person including, but not limited to, any officer or agent of any corporation, who violates the provisions of: (A) This section, or (B) any order or regulation authorized by this section, or who obstructs or attempts to obstruct the commissioner, or any assistant of the commissioner, while engaged in the discharge of any duty undertaken pursuant to this section may be fined not more than five hundred dollars, per day per animal, for each day during which such violation continues, up to a maximum fine of twenty-five thousand dollars.

Legislative History

(1949 Rev., S. 3320; P.A. 81-231, S. 1, 6; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146(e); P.A. 04-189, S. 1; P.A. 23-187, S. 2.) History: P.A. 81-231 expanded the commissioner's quarantine powers to include animals that do not meet disease testing requirements and animals kept under unsanitary conditions and added Subsec. (b) establishing a penalty for violations; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 replaced Commissioner of Agriculture with Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 04-189 repealed Sec. 146 of June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, thereby reversing the merger of the Departments of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective June 1, 2004; P.A. 23-187 amended Subsec. (a) to make technical changes, add references to movement and mortalities of such animals and delete reference to commissioner's deputy or authorized agents, deleted existing Subsec. (b) re violation of quarantine, added Subsec. (b)(1) re adoption of regulations by commissioner, added Subsec. (b)(2) re the means for notice of any such quarantine order, added Subsec. (b)(3) re instances of an emergency, added Subsec. (b)(4) re notice to common carriers of such order, added Subsec. (b)(5) re employment of assistants, and added Subsec. (b)(6) re violations, effective June 28, 2023. Quarantine of farm held no legal justification for failure to carry out contract to supply milk. 92 C. 394.