The National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease will be the sole centre of expertise for foreign animal disease in Canada. It will provide diagnostic services to the CFIA for all foreign animal diseases as well as focusing on those emerging and zoonotic diseases requiring a Level 4 classified laboratory for safe study. The Centre is also tasked with responding to any foreign animal disease outbreaks. To prevent the introduction of these diseases, researchers must be able to identify them in live animals. CFIA's Level 3 and 4 facilities contain a total of 14 animal cubicles that will be used when studying live animals is the only option.
Animal care is monitored by a full-time animal care veterinarian and an animal care committee.
In addition to acting as an international source of knowledge for the diagnosis and management of animal diseases, an important element of the work at the Centre will involve the training of veterinarians and other animal health officials to recognize and react to disease outbreaks. A new policy and epidemiology team is located on-site to incorporate science into the development of foreign animal disease policy.