Animals (Diseases and Importation) Act, Chapter 7.17, Act no. 20 of 1955.

This Law, divided into four Parts and consisting of 32 sections, provides for creating a framework for controlling the importation of animals, birds, reptiles and insects; regulating the treatment and disposal of animals which are suffering or are suspected to be suffering from any disease. The Law define the following relevant terms: animal, including: any bovine, canine, equine, feline, goat, guinea pig, monkey, rabbit, sheep and swine and any bird (including poultry), fish, insect (including bees and any member of the class Insecta and of the class Arachnida), reptile; animal carcass; animal parts; fish, including turtle and crustaceans; fodder; inspector; litter; port of entry; prescribed disease; poultry; prescribed port area; suspected animal; veterinary authority; veterinary biological product, including semen of animals for use in artificial insemination. The Law concerns appointment of veterinary authority and inspectors. Part 2 of the Law concerns: control of diseased and suspected animals; segregation and notification of suspected animals; infected places and infected areas and measures to be taken to ensure the safety of the place; prohibition on declaring any defined port an infected area; slaughtering of diseased or suspected animals; control of animals suffering from a prescribed disease; disposal of animals; compensation awarded to the animal owner.
Part 3 of the Law concerns importation of animals and related matters, and covers the following: restriction on importation of animals, animal carcasses and other things; penalties for importation of animals, and animal carcasses without a permit; regulations prescribing conditions for importation of animals, including measures for disinfection and quarantine; Ministerial power to prohibit the landing in Santa Lucia of animals, animal parts, animal carcasses, veterinary biological products, fodder, litter, dung or other similar things, in order to prevent the introduction or the spread of any infectious disease; requirements for importing meat and its by-products; importation of animal equipment; regulation of animal movement in the interest of the animals' safety and welfare; requirement of quarantine station; measures for ensuring quarantining of animals. Part 4 concerns powers of apprehension; powers of inspectors; offences; penalties; transport through infected areas and prohibition on the use of roads.