901:1-17-12. Non-domestic animals

(A) No non-domestic animal shall be imported into the state of Ohio unless the animal is:

(1) Accompanied by a permit issued prior to entry and a certificate of veterinary inspection issued within thirty days prior to entry and is identified with official individual identification ; and

(2) Free of evidence of any contagious or infectious diseases or parasites harmful to humans or animals; and

(3) In full compliance with all state and federal agencies rules and regulations; and

(4) In compliance with the species specific requirements outlined in this rule.

(B) Animals which are destined for immediate slaughter do not need to comply with paragraph (A) of this rule so long as they are in full compliance with rule 901:1-17-10 of the Administrative Code.

(C) Animals which are defined as dangerous wild animals or restricted snakes in Chapter 935. of the Revised Code must be in compliance with all of the rules and requirements of that chapter and have a certificate of veterinary inspection in order to be imported into the state of Ohio.

(D) Bovidae including antelope, wild cattle, free roaming buffalo, and wild goats shall :

(1) Meet the following brucellosis requirements:

(a) Originate from a brucellosis certified free herd; or

(b) If six months of age or older, have a negative individual test within thirty days prior to entry conducted at a state or federally approved laboratory.

(2) Meet the following tuberculosis requirements:

(a) Originate from an accredited free state or zone; or

(b) Originate from a modified accredited advanced state or zone and meet the following:

(i) Originate from an accredited herd; or

(ii) Have an individual negative official tuberculosis test conducted within ninety days prior to entry; or

(c) Originate from a modified accredited state or zone and meet the following:

(i) Originate from an accredited herd; or

(ii) Originate from a herd that has completed a whole herd negative tuberculosis test within twelve months prior to entry; and

(iii) Have an individual negative tuberculosis test within sixty days prior to entry; or

(d) Originate from an accreditation preparatory state or zone; and

(i) Originate from an accredited herd; and either

(ii) Have an individual negative tuberculosis test within sixty days prior to entry; or

(iii) Originate from a herd that has completed a whole herd negative tuberculosis test within twelve months prior to entry and two additional individual tests conducted at least sixty days and no more than six months apart with the second negative test being within sixty days prior to entry. The second negative test is not required of the movement occurs within six months of the whole herd test.

(e) The animals listed in this rule may only be imported into Ohio for slaughter purposes in compliance with rule 901:1-17-10 of the Administrative Code if the animals originated from a non-accredited state or zone .

(f) All tuberculosis tests must be conducted by a licensed, accredited veterinarian.

(3) Animals which travel out of Ohio for exhibition purposes in a modified accredited, accreditation preparatory or non-accredited state or zone must meet the requirements set forth in paragraphs (C)(1) and (C) (2) of this rule in order to return to or be imported into Ohio.

(E) Cervidae including elk, caribou, moose, and deer (including but not limited to fallow, roe, axis, sika, red and white tail) shall :

(1) Meet the following brucellosis requirements:

(a) Originate from a certified brucellosis free herd; or

(b) If six months of age or older, have a negative individual test within thirty days prior to entry conducted at state or federally approved laboratory.

(2) Meet the following tuberculosis requirements:

(a) Originate from an accredited free state or zone; or

(b) Originate from a modified accredited advanced state or zone; and

(i) Originate from a tuberculosis accredited free herd; or

(ii) Originate from a qualified or monitored herd; or

(iii) Have an individual negative official tuberculosis test conducted within ninety days prior to entry;

(c) Originate from a modified accredited state or zone; and

(i) Originate from a tuberculosis free herd; or

(ii) Originate from a qualified herd or a herd that has a negative whole herd tuberculosis test within twelve months prior to entry; and

(iii) Have an individual negative tuberculosis test within ninety days prior to entry; or

(d) Originate from an accreditation preparatory state or zone; and

(i) Originate from an accredited herd; and

(ii) Have an individual negative tuberculosis test within ninety days prior to entry; or

(iii) Originate from a qualified herd or a herd that has completed a whole herd negative tuberculosis test within twelve months prior to entry and two additional individual tests conducted at least ninety days and no more than six months apart with the second negative test being within ninety days prior to entry. The second negative test is not required if they movement occurs within six months of the whole herd test.

(e) The animals listed above may only be imported into Ohio for slaughter in compliance with rule 901:1-17-10 of the Administrative Code if they originate from a non-accredited state or zone .

(f) All tuberculosis tests must be conducted by a licensed, accredited veterinarian; and

(3) Animals which travel out of Ohio for exhibition purposes in a modified accredited, accreditation preparatory or non-accredited state or zone must meet the requirements set forth in paragraphs (C)(1) and (C)(2) of this rule in order to return to or be imported into Ohio.

(4) Meet the following chronic wasting disease requirements:

All cervidae entering the state of Ohio shall have five years of chronic wasting disease monitoring status as recognized by the animal health official in the state of origin prior to entry.

(F) Suidae and tayassuidae including sporting swine, feral swine, and peccarie shall :

(1) Meet the following brucellosis requirements:

If four months of age or older, the animals must have a negative individual test within thirty days prior to entry conducted at a state or federally approved laboratory.

(2) Meet the following pseudorabies requirements:

(a) The animals have either:

(i) Originated from a country recognized by USDA to be free of pseudorabies; or

(ii) Shall have a negative individual pseudorabies test within thirty days prior to entry conducted at a state or federally approved laboratory .

(b) The swine have not been fed garbage within their lifetime.

(c) The swine have not been members of a herd of swine known to be infected with pseudorabies within the previous twelve months.

(d) The swine have not originated from a feral swine population or been exposed to swine captured from a feral swine population within the previous twelve months.

(G) Equidae including all wild horses, wild donkeys, and zebra shall meet the following testing requirements regarding equine infectious anemia:

(1) Have a negative individual test if twelve months of age or older conducted within twelve months prior to entry except suckling foals accompanied by a negative dam.

(2) All testing must be conducted at a state or federally approved laboratory .

(H) Commercial gamebirds, including but not limited to bobwhite, quail, coturmix quail, pure or hybrid ringneck pheasant, chukar, Hungarian partridge, wild turkey, ratites, and their eggs shall meet the following requirements:

(1) Pullorum and fowl typhoid. The animals, except for as outlined in paragraphs (F) (2) and (F)(3) of this rule, shall meet one of the following testing requirements:

(a) Originate from a flock or hatchery which is a participant in the national poultry improvement plan; or

(b) Test serologically negative within thirty days prior to entry ; or

(c) If the animals are imported for a sale, swap, or show, the animals may be tested and found negative upon arrival. This option does not apply to turkeys.

(2) In lieu of pullorum and fowl typhoid testing for doves, pigeons, and certain other birds as required in paragraph (F)(1) of this rule, the following statement can be placed on the certificate of veterinary inspection and shall be signed by the owner or the owner's representative:

"To my knowledge, birds listed herein are not infected with pullorum or fowl typhoid and have not been exposed to birds infected with pullorum or fowl typhoid during the past twelve months."

(3) A whole flock test or participation in the national poultry improvement plan is required prior to importing eggs and hatching birds.

(4) Ratites imported for feeding shall be quarantined to the premises of destination until the animals are moved for immediate slaughter.

(I) Wild turkeys of the species melagris gallopavo and their eggs shall:

(1) Meet the following pullorum and fowl typhoid requirements:

(a) In the case of live animals, they must either:

(i) Originate from a producer participating in the national poultry improvement plan; or

(ii) Test serologically negative within thirty days prior to entry .

(b) In the case of eggs and hatching birds, a whole flock test or participation in the national poultry improvement plan is required prior to importation .

(2) Meet the following mycoplasmosis requirements:

(a) In the case of live animals, they must either:

(i) Originate from a flock or hatchery which is a participant in the mycoplasmosis control phase of the national poultry improvement plan; or

(ii) Test serologically negative for mycoplasma gallisepticum, mycoplasma meleagridis, and mycoplasma synoviae within thirty days prior to entry.

(b) In the case of eggs and hatching birds, a whole flock test or participation in the mycoplasmosis control phase of the national poultry improvement plan is required prior to importation.

(J) Psittacine birds are required to contain the following statement on the certificate of veterinary inspection. This statement must be signed by the owner or the owner's representative:

The statement, "To my knowledge, birds listed herein are not infected with Newcastle disease or chlamydia and have not been exposed to birds known to be infected with newcastle disease or chlamydia within the past thirty days."

(K) Test-negative animals that have been exposed to test positive animals through transportation or husbandry practices will only be allowed entry into Ohio only by a permit issued by the department and with a consignee letter of consent.

Effective: 2/12/2018
Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 11/28/2017 and 02/12/2023
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 941.10
Rule Amplifies: 941.02, 941.041, 941.07, 941.09
Prior Effective Dates: 12/28/1976, 2/26/1996, 6/15/1998, 3/19/1999, 7/21/2000 (emer), 10/19/2000, 8/15/2001, 7/22/2002, 4/11/2005, 5/23/2011, 12/01/2011