Sec. 22-414. Licensing and supervision of public equine auctions. The Commissioner of Agriculture shall supervise commission sales stables where equines are sold
at public auctions. Any person, firm or corporation engaged in the business of selling
equines at auctions shall annually apply to the commissioner for a license upon a form
to be prescribed by him. The fee for a license to hold one public auction annually shall
be fifteen dollars and the fee for a license to hold more than one public auction annually
shall be fifty dollars. Each such license shall be issued for the period of one year from
July first and may be revoked for cause. If, in the judgment of the commissioner, any
provision of this section has been violated, he shall send notice by registered or certified
mail to the licensee, who shall be given a hearing, and, if violation is proven, his license
shall be revoked. All stables and sales rings shall be kept clean and shall be suitably
disinfected prior to each sale. The provisions of this section shall not apply to the private
sale of equines conducted by the owner thereof. Any person, or any officer or agent of
any corporation, who violates any provision of this section or who obstructs or attempts
to obstruct the Commissioner of Agriculture or his deputy or any of his assistants in the
performance of his duty shall be fined not less than one hundred dollars nor more than
five hundred dollars.
(P.A. 75-589, S. 1, 3; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146(e); P.A. 04-189, S. 1.)
History: 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Consumer Protection, effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 04-189 repealed Sec. 146 of June 30 Sp.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.
Sec. 22-415. Inhumane transportation of equines. Any person who carries or
causes to be carried or has the care of any equine in or attached to any vehicle or otherwise
in an unnecessarily cruel or inhumane manner, or in a way and manner which might
endanger the equine or knowingly and wilfully authorizes or permits such equine to be
subjected to unnecessary torture, suffering or cruelty of any kind in the transporting of
such equine, shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more
than five hundred dollars. The Commissioner of Agriculture shall adopt regulations
pursuant to chapter 54 pertaining to the transportation of equines upon the highways of
Connecticut as deemed necessary to prevent the cruel or inhumane treatment of equines.
(P.A. 75-589, S. 2, 3; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146(e); P.A. 04-189, S. 1.)
History: 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.
Cited. 218 C. 757, 765.
Sec. 22-415a. Equine infectious anemia: Definitions. As used in sections 22-415a to 22-415j, inclusive:
(1) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Agriculture;
(2) "Equine" means any member of the equine family which includes horses, ponies,
mules, asses, donkeys and zebras;
(3) "Equine infectious anemia" means a disease of equines caused by an infectious
virus which may be spread by blood-sucking insects, unsterile surgical instruments and
community use of equipment that may produce cuts or abrasions and which may cause
an equine to test positive to an official test;
(4) "Licensed veterinarian" means a veterinarian who is licensed pursuant to the
provisions of chapter 384;
(5) "Official test" means a serological test for equine infectious anemia that is (A)
approved by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, (B) conducted in a laboratory approved by the Commissioner of
Agriculture, and (C) administered by a licensed veterinarian, state veterinarian, or full-time employee with the livestock division of the state Department of Agriculture;
(6) "Reactor" means an equine whose blood serum reacts positively to an official
test for equine infectious anemia;
(7) "Freeze-brand" means a metal brand which produces a permanent mark with a
configuration of 16A that is three inches in height and is applied to the left neck or
shoulder area of any equine that is positive to the equine infectious anemia test in such
a manner that the brand is obvious and not obscured by a mane;
(8) "Isolation" means no biological contact with another equine.
(P.A. 88-151, S. 1, 11; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146(e), (f); P.A. 04-189, S. 1.)
History: June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 replaced Commissioner and Department of Agriculture with Commissioner and
Department 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.
Sec. 22-415b. Required testing for equine infectious anemia for equines exposed to the disease. The commissioner may require an equine to be tested for equine
infectious anemia at the expense of the owner if he reasonably determines that such
equine has been exposed to equine infectious anemia and poses a threat to other equines.
(P.A. 88-151, S. 2, 11.)
Sec. 22-415c. Requirements for the importation of equines into Connecticut.
Penalties. (a) Any equine imported into the state, except as provided in subsection (c)
of this section, shall have an official interstate health certificate and an official equine
infectious anemia test certificate which states that such equine has been officially tested
prior to being imported into the state and found to be negative to equine infectious
anemia within a period not exceeding twelve months prior to the date of entry. Such
certificates shall include the name and address of the owner, trainer or person responsible
for the equine; the name and registration number of the equine, if any; and the age,
breed, sex, color and positive identifying marks or scars of the equine, including a
complete description of such marks or scars.
(b) If an equine does not have the equine infectious anemia certificate required by
subsection (a) of this section or if the State Veterinarian or his agent determines that such
a certificate does not properly or accurately describe an equine, the State Veterinarian or
his agent may require the equine to be held at an area approved by him and retested at
the expense of the owner or be removed from the state.
(c) Any equine which does not have an official equine anemia test certificate may
be shipped into the state for immediate slaughter in accordance with section 22-272a.
Any equine which tested positive to equine infectious anemia on an official test may
be shipped into the state for research purposes or immediate slaughter in accordance
with said section after first obtaining a special permit from the State Veterinarian.
(d) Any person who violates any provision of this section shall be fined not more
than five hundred dollars for each violation. Any equine which does not have a valid
interstate health certificate shall be immediately quarantined and the State Veterinarian
shall order whatever tests necessary to determine the health of such equine. All costs
associated with any such quarantine as well as any tests conducted shall be paid by the
owner of such equine.
(P.A. 88-151, S. 3, 11; P.A. 93-22; P.A. 96-24, S. 2.)
History: P.A. 93-22 added Subsec. (d) imposing penalty for violation of this section and additional criteria for quarantine
of equines; P.A. 96-24 amended Subsec. (a) to modify preimportation testing requirements re equine infectious anemia.
Sec. 22-415d. Written permission for transfer of ownership of an equine that
tested positive. No person shall sell, lease, exchange, barter, or give away any equine
that tested positive to an official test for equine infectious anemia except upon written
permission from the commissioner.
(P.A. 88-151, S. 4, 11.)
Sec. 22-415e. Isolation; retesting. Freeze-brand. Any equine which reacts positively to the official test shall be isolated on the premises where such equine was tested.
Any reactor shall be retested, within fourteen days, by the State Veterinarian or his
representative to reaffirm the identity and reaction of such equine. All other equines on
such premises shall be quarantined. A quarantine shall be in effect until the reactor
is disposed of or quarantined to another area approved by the commissioner and any
remaining equines are tested, at a time determined by the State Veterinarian, and have
reacted negatively. Any reactor shall be permanently identified by the State Veterinarian
using a freeze-brand.
(P.A. 88-151, S. 5, 11.)
Sec. 22-415f. Disposal. Proposal for isolation area. (a) The owner of an equine
which tested positive on the second official test shall dispose of such equine, in accordance with subsection (b) of this section, within seven days of receipt of the second
positive equine infectious anemia test result or shall retain such equine under quarantine
and in isolation in an area approved by the State Veterinarian or his representative. The
owner of a reactor intending to retain such reactor shall submit a proposal for an isolation
area to the commissioner within seven days of receipt of the second positive equine
infectious anemia test result.
(b) Disposal of an equine which reacted positively to the official test shall be by
one of the following methods: (1) Humane destruction by a licensed veterinarian. The
euthanizing of such equine shall be witnessed by the State Veterinarian or his agent, or
the licensed veterinarian euthanizing said equine shall submit a signed statement to the
commissioner attesting to the destruction of the equine; (2) sale or donation to a research
facility with the approval of the State Veterinarian; or (3) identification and sale for
slaughter, accompanied by a permit issued by the commissioner for slaughter at an
establishment approved by the State Veterinarian, provided such equine meets state and
federal regulations.
(P.A. 88-151, S. 6, 11.)
Sec. 22-415g. Isolation area requirements. An equine in isolation pursuant to
sections 22-415e and 22-415f shall be confined to an enclosure or pasture whose boundaries are not less than two hundred yards from an enclosure or pasture harboring an
equine which has not had an official equine infectious anemia test or is found to be
negative to such test, provided the commissioner may approve confinement to an enclosure or pasture whose boundaries are less than two hundred yards upon determination
that such enclosure or pasture is sufficiently screened to preclude entry of biting insects.
No reactor may be moved from an isolation area except upon written authorization by
the State Veterinarian.
(P.A. 88-151, S. 7, 11.)
Sec. 22-415h. Equine semen imported into Connecticut. All equine semen imported into the state shall be from stallions that tested negative for equine infectious
anemia during the calendar year in which the semen was collected.
(P.A. 88-151, S. 8, 11.)
Sec. 22-415i. Inspection. (a) The Commissioner of Agriculture or his designated
agents may inspect the premises where an equine is in isolation to confirm compliance
with the provisions of section 22-415g and any relevant regulations adopted under section 22-415j.
(b) The Commissioner of Agriculture or his designated agents shall have access at
reasonable times to any paddock, stable, or building used for equine purposes if the
commissioner has reason to believe there is a violation of the provisions of sections 22-415a to 22-415j, inclusive, or the regulations adopted under section 22-415j.
(P.A. 88-151, S. 9, 11; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146(e); P.A. 04-189, S. 1.)
History: 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.
Sec. 22-415j. Regulations. The Commissioner of Agriculture shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provision of chapter 54, to carry out the purposes of sections
22-415a to 22-415j, inclusive.
(P.A. 88-151, S. 10, 11; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146(e); P.A. 04-189, S. 1.)
History: 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.