Animal Health Act.

This Act consists of 19 articles divided into 3 sections: General and veterinary measures; Compensation; Penalties and final provisions. The provisions of this Federal Act apply to: animal husbandry operations, hatcheries, animal trade (including markets and collection points), insemination stations, embryo transfer facilities, sales points and other commercial premises with places for animals and wild animals, as well as premises that process products of animal origin. The Act defines animal husbandry operations as all those operations in which animals are bred or kept for commercial purposes, in particular agricultural operations, zoos and breeding operations for non-agricultural animal species.
The Act indicates that, in order to protect human health or to prevent the occurrence of infectious diseases in animals, the Federal Chancellor may stipulate ordinance concerning in particular: veterinary control of animals and animal products with restrictions or prohibitions of marketing of these products intended for human consumption, veterinary inspection of premises and control of their hygienic conditions in order to prevent the risk of transmission of pathogens, labelling of animals and animal products, state of health of the animals with regard to the transmission of zoonoses to humans, killing of animals if necessary, taking into account the requirements of animal welfare, the possible impact on the environment, the current state of veterinary and human medical science.
The Act empowers the Chancellor to grant and revoke an export licence to the establishments that export live animals or animal products and to conclude departmental agreements with the highest veterinary authority of designated states or with the responsible bodies of international organizations. Import to Austria and intra-community trade of animals and animal products have to comply with specific requirements of the Act.
In case of killing or slaughtering of solipeds, ruminants, pigs or poultry (including hatching eggs, embryos and semen of animals) as a result of an official order or an examination, or in case of loss , damage or destruction of objects following inspection, the Act provides for compensation to be paid by the Federal Government to the person who was in possession of the animal or object. In order to avoid cases of economic disadvantage, the Federal Chancellor can also prescribe compensation for animal species other than those mentioned in the Act.
Whoever violates the provisions or prohibitions of this Act, commits an administrative offence, provided that the fact does not constitute a crime, punished with a financial penalty.