Animals (Prevention and Control of Amblyomma Variegatum and Associated Diseases) Regulations, 1993.

According to these Regulations, any person having in his possession or under his charge, and every veterinary surgeon examining any animal infected with, or suspected of being infected with, Amblyomma Variegatum, Heartwater or Dermatophilosis or the carcass of an animal so infected or suspected, is required to give notice to the Chief Veterinary Officer, or to an Agricultural Extension Officer, or to the officer in charge of the nearest police station. The Chief Veterinary Officer may give directions in relation to the steps, which should be taken in dealing with any infected animal and any other animal within any infected area or place. The owner or occupier of the infected place must detain on the premises any infected animal and any other animal which has been in the same stable or field, and he must prevent access of any other animal to any part of the premises which has been exposed to infection by an infected animal. The following actions are prohibited: to expose or place any animal infected or suspected of being infected in any market, fair, sale yard or other places where animals are exposed for sale; to carry, lead or drive any such animal on any highway or thoroughfare; to place, keep or graze, or permit such on the sides of any public road. Owners are obliged to bury the carcass of an animal, which dies in an infected area, within 12 hours of death and as near as practicable to the place where it died. Such animals have to be buried with lime in a pit, not less than seven feet deep, and as near as possible to the place where the animal died, and in no case less than 100 feet from dwellings, rivers, watercourses, drains or other channels. The Regulations give the Veterinary Officer the power to enter any land, premises or farm during normal working hours in order to inspect and to ascertain the infection of animals. Stray animals found within infected areas are to be seized by police officers, taken to premises designated by the Chief Veterinary Officer and treated for Amblyomma Variegatum, Heartwater or Dermatophilosis. They shall be kept for 36 hours, after which, if not claimed by their owner, may be slaughtered on instruction of the Chief Veterinary Officer. When the presence of Amblyomma Variegatum, Heartwater or Dermatophilosis is officially confirmed, the premises, place or locality is placed under quarantine. The quarantine includes all the animals in the premises. The notification of quarantine must be given in writing and handed to the owner of the farm. In addition, places where animals have been illegally moved from infected areas, are also placed under quarantine. An offence is committed by any person who contravenes or fails to comply with any provision of the Regulation, rendering him liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding $250 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months.