Wyoming Administrative Code › Agency 040 - Game and Fish Commission › Sub-Agency 0001 - Game and Fish Commission Regulations › Chapter 10 - IMPORTATION AND POSSESSION OF LIVE WARM-BLOODED WILDLIFE › Appendix I - LIVE WARM-BLOODED WILDLIFE INSPECTION PROCEDURES

Current through July 13, 2024
Section 1. General Requirements.
Live
				  warm-blooded wildlife of any species, game bird, or hatching eggs, that is
				  affected with or that has recently been exposed to or is originally from an
				  area under an active quarantine due to any pathogen, disease or parasite, shall
				  not be imported or transported into or through the state of Wyoming.
(a) Live warm-blooded wildlife that have the following
				  parasites shall not be imported or transported into or through the state of
				  Wyoming:
Meningeal worm (
Paraelaphostrongylus
				  tenuis
),
Tissue worm (
Elaphostrongylus cervi
),
Large American liver fluke (
Fascioloides
				  magna
) or;
Exotic lice (
Bovicola tibialis, Damalinia
(
Cervicola
)
forficula
),
(b) All shipments shall comply with Federal
				  regulations.
(c) The Wyoming State veterinarian and the Wyoming State
				  wildlife veterinarian may require additional testing.
Section 2. Certificate of Veterinary Inspection.
A certificate of veterinary inspection shall be completed by a United States
				  Department of Agriculture (USDA) accredited veterinarian from the state of
				  origin prior to importation or transportation of warm-blooded wildlife through
				  the state of Wyoming and shall be valid for thirty (30) days following the date
				  of inspection and issuance, except as otherwise specified, and shall accompany
				  the shipment of said wildlife. A certificate of veterinary inspection shall be
				  required for all live warm-blooded wildlife under provisions of this
				  regulation, unless otherwise exempt by this regulation.
(a) If a permit is required, the permit number shall appear
				  on the certificate of veterinary inspection.
(b) Falsification or inaccurate statements made on any forms
				  or documents that are required to document the health or disease status of a
				  species by the owner or manager of the supply source of a species may result in
				  denial of future import permits from that supply source. Any person who makes a
				  false statement on a certificate of veterinary inspection, or other form that
				  documents the health or disease status of a species, is in violation of this
				  regulation.
Section 3. Testing Requirements.
(a) Cervidae and required Bovidae
(i)
Brucella abortus
. Serology shall be
				  conducted on all elk, including donor animals for semen importation, and
				  required Bovidae. Tests shall be done within thirty (30) days prior to import
				  and the serum samples shall be tested at a USDA approved laboratory with test
				  protocols approved by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (Department). Any
				  positive or suspect reaction in a serum test shall be interpreted as indicative
				  of infection and the shipment shall be denied importation until resolved by the
				  Department and the Wyoming State veterinarian. Test data shall be recorded on
				  the certificate of the veterinary inspection accompanying the animal(s).
				  Retesting shall be conducted at forty-five (45) to one hundred twenty (120)
				  days if post-entry quarantine is required.
(ii)
Brucella suis
. All caribou and reindeer
				  shall be tested for Brucella suis biovar 4 with test protocols approved by the
				  Department, USDA and the Wyoming State veterinarian.
(iii) Bovine Tuberculosis (
Mycobacterium
				  bovis
)
(A) Cervidae, including semen from donor animals, and
				  required Bovidae, imported into the state shall be from herds not known to be
				  infected with or exposed to tuberculosis.
(B) Cervids, including semen from donor animals, that
				  originate from accredited herds may be imported into the state without further
				  tuberculosis testing, provided they are accompanied by a certificate stating
				  that such captive cervids originated from an accredited herd.
(C) Cervids, including semen from donor animals, and required
				  bovids imported into Wyoming that originate from non-accredited herds shall
				  test negative for tuberculosis in accordance with the USDA Uniform Methods and
				  Rules for Tuberculosis in Cervidae requirements for interstate movement prior
				  to importation (
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/home
).
(D) In all cases of Cervidae and required Bovidae
				  investigated for tuberculosis, the herd quarantines and follow up procedures
				  shall be as prescribed by the Department, the Wyoming State veterinarian and
				  the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Uniform Methods and Rules
				  for Tuberculosis in Cervidae.
(iv) Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). Any captive cervids
				  imported into Wyoming must originate from a USDA certified herd that has been
				  certified to be free of CWD for a minimum of five (5) years previous to the
				  requested date of importation.
(v) Johne's Disease/Paratuberculosis (
Myobacterium
				  avium
subspecies paratuberculosis)
(A) All cervids and bovids imported into the state shall be
				  from herds not known to be affected with or exposed to Johne's
				  disease/paratuberculosis and shall comply with the following requirements:
(I) The certificate of veterinary inspection shall include a
				  statement that no animal on the premise of origin is known to be infected with
				  or to be exposed to
Mycobacterium avium
subspecies
				  paratuberculosis.
(vi) Elaphostrongylinae parasites: meningeal worm
				  (
Parelaphostrongylus tenuis
) and tissue worm
				  (
Elaphostrongylus cervi
)
(A) All Cervidae and required Bovidae, except members of the
				  subfamily Bovinae, imported into the state shall be from herds not known to be
				  infected with or exposed to
P. tenuis
or
E.
				  cervi
.
(B) Cervidae and required Bovidae shall be examined for
				  Elaphostrongylinae infection in the absence of anthelmintic treatments that
				  could mask detection of the parasites; and,
(C) Prior to entry, all Cervidae and required Bovidae shall
				  be held in pre entry quarantine for sixty (60) days and two fecal tests for
P. tenuis
and
E. cervi
larvae shall be made
				  by an approved laboratory using the Baermann technique within the quarantine
				  period. The first test shall be conducted at least thirty (30) days and not
				  more than forty (40) days before the second test. During this period, test
				  animals shall be held in quarantine and isolated from all other animals not
				  included in the shipment. Animals tested for importation into Wyoming shall be
				  certified by an accredited veterinarian that the animals have not been treated
				  with or exposed to anthelmintics during the time period beginning at least
				  thirty (30) days before the first fecal test. The certificate of veterinary
				  inspection accompanying cervids and required bovids imported into Wyoming shall
				  include a statement that the animals included in this inspection have not been
				  exposed to anthelmintics within the past ninety (90) days. Fecal samples of at
				  least 30 grams per sample shall be collected by an accredited veterinarian from
				  the rectum and identified to the animal by the official animal identification
				  number. If any animal tests positive for
P. tenuis
or
E. cervi
larvae on either of the two fecal tests, the entire
				  consignment shall not be allowed to be imported.
(D) Post-entry, animals shall be held for one hundred fifty
				  (150) days in on-site post-entry quarantine during which time they shall be
				  certified by an accredited veterinarian to have not been treated with or
				  exposed to anthelmintics. The animals shall be available for inspection by
				  personnel of the Department and the Wyoming State veterinarian during this
				  time. Fifty (50), one hundred (100), and one hundred fifty (150) days after
				  importation, fecal samples shall be tested by the Baermann technique in an
				  approved laboratory and found negative for the presence of
P.
				  tenuis
and
E. cervi
larvae. Fecal samples shall be
				  collected from the rectum and identified to each animal by its official
				  identification number by a veterinarian accredited in Wyoming. If any animal
				  tests positive for
P. tenuis
or
E. cervi
larvae to any of the fecal tests, the entire consignment shall be destroyed or
				  removed from the state of Wyoming within ten (10) days.
(E) Precautions shall be taken to prevent accidental
				  infection of gastropods with Elaphostrongylinae larvae while animals are held
				  in post-entry quarantine. Precautions should follow, but not be limited to the
				  following procedures:
(I) The post-entry quarantine site shall be prepared prior to
				  the entrance of the imported animals to prevent the presence of the gastropod
				  intermediate hosts of Elaphostrongylinae larvae by keeping the animals on a
				  hard surface, such as asphalt or concrete, or by spraying a four (4) meter wide
				  tract around the perimeter of the holding compound with a molluscicide and also
				  spraying the molluscicide within the quarantine area.
(II) If any animal tests positive for
P.
				  tenuis
or
E. cervi
larvae during the post-entry
				  period, additional site treatments shall be required as determined by the
				  Department and the Wyoming State veterinarian after the consignment has been
				  removed.
(vii) Large American Liver Fluke (
Fascioloides
				  magna
). All Cervidae and required Bovidae to be imported into the
				  state shall be from sources not known to be infected with or exposed to
Fascioloides magna
and shall comply with the following test
				  requirements:
(A) Two negative fecal tests using sedimentation techniques
				  shall be conducted by an approved laboratory prior to importation. The two
				  tests shall be conducted thirty (30) to forty-five (45) days apart, and the
				  second test shall be conducted within thirty (30) days of importation. Fecal
				  samples shall be collected from the rectum by an accredited veterinarian and
				  identified to the animal by an official identification number.
(I) Any animal with a positive fecal test shall not be
				  imported.
(viii) Ticks, Mites, Lice. All Cervidae and required Bovidae
				  to be imported into the state shall be examined for ectoparasites, particularly
				  exotic parasites including
Bovicola tibialis
and
Damalinia
(
Cervicola
)
forficula
.
(A) Animals infested with native ticks, mites or lice shall
				  be treated and determined to be free of ticks, mites and lice by an accredited
				  veterinarian prior to import into Wyoming.
(I) Animals infested with exotic lice may not be imported
				  into Wyoming, even after treatment.
(ix) Hybridization Testing. All elk including donor animals
				  for semen importation shall be tested prior to importation for evidence of
				  hybridization with species other than North American elk.
(A) Laboratory tests for hybridization shall only be accepted
				  from laboratories approved by the Department. Copies of test results shall be
				  forwarded to the Department before approval for importation may be
				  granted.
(b) Furbearing Mammals. A certificate of veterinary
				  inspection shall be required including a statement that the furbearing
				  animal(s) have not been exposed to rabies, nor have they originated from an
				  area under quarantine for rabies. They shall also be free of ectoparasites,
				  including mange mites.
(c) Game Birds. Documentation of veterinary inspection and
				  disease testing shall occur prior to transportation of game birds into or
				  through the state of Wyoming. Disease testing as listed in this subsection
				  shall be documented on a National Poultry Improvement Program Form VS 9-3 or a
				  certificate of veterinary inspection and shall only be valid for thirty (30)
				  days following the date of inspection and issuance. For groups of birds to be
				  imported from the same source in a single shipment, testing shall be required
				  for at least twenty-five percent (25%) (one of every 4) of those birds provided
				  that at least twelve (12) are tested (i.e., testing shall be required on twelve
				  (12) birds or twenty-five percent (25%) of the shipment, whichever number is
				  larger).
(i) Mycoplasma. Game birds shall test negative within thirty
				  (30) days prior to importation for
Mycoplasma gallisepticum
,
M. synoviae
,
M. meleagridis
.
(ii) Salmonella. Game birds shall test seronegative within
				  thirty (30) days prior to importation for
S. pullorum
(Pullorum disease) and
S. gallinarum
(fowl Typhoid).
(iii) Newcastle Disease and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
				  (HPAI). If the state of origin has documented cases of virulent Newcastle
				  Disease or Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in the past one (1) year, wild
				  birds shall be tested for these diseases.
(iv) A game bird certificate of origin signed by the supplier
				  of the game birds shall be submitted by the supplier to the Department,
				  Attention: Permitting Officer, 5400 Bishop Boulevard, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82006
				  on a form prescribed by the Department attesting that the game birds or game
				  bird eggs and premises of origin are free of infectious, contagious and
				  communicable diseases. Including, but not limited to, Newcastle disease,
				  pullorum, avian cholera, avian tuberculosis, duck viral enteritis and West Nile
				  virus, and the premises have been disease free for at least the immediately
				  preceding twelve (12) consecutive months.
(A) Game birds and premises of origin shall have been free of
				  infectious and communicable diseases for at least one (1) year immediately
				  preceding the date of shipment into the state and the premises shall not have
				  experienced an undiagnosed mortality of more than ten percent (10%) of the game
				  birds during the same one (1) year period. Minimum requirements specified in
				  Chapter VIII, Import Proclamation Pertaining to Livestock, Poultry, Other
				  Animals and Certain Biologics, obtainable from the Wyoming Livestock Board
				  (
										307-777-7515) shall be met.
(v) The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission strongly advises
				  game bird permittees to acquire game birds and eggs from producers who
				  participate in the National Poultry Improvement Program.
(d) Raptors. A certificate of veterinary inspection is
				  required prior to importation certifying the birds represent a low risk of
				  pathogen spread to wildlife. The certificate of inspection shall be valid for
				  thirty (30) days following the date of inspection.
(e) Wild Sheep and Goats
(i)
Brucella ovis
. All wild sheep and goats
				  shall be serologically tested and found negative to
Brucella
				  abortus
,
Brucella melitensis
and
Brucella
				  ovis
by an ELISA test or other test approved by the Department and
				  Wyoming State veterinarian within thirty (30) days prior to entry. Test results
				  shall be part of the official certificate of veterinary inspection accompanying
				  the animal(s).
(ii) Johne's Disease/Paratuberculosis (
Mycobacterium
				  avium
subspecies paratuberculosis). All wild sheep and goats imported
				  into the state shall be from herds not known to be affected with or exposed to
				  Johne's disease/paratuberculosis and shall comply with the following
				  requirements:
(A) The certificate of veterinary inspection shall include a
				  statement that no animal on the premise of origin is known to be infected with
				  or to be exposed to
Mycobacterium avium
subspecies
				  paratuberculosis.
Section 4. Additional Disease Testing.
Additional or alternate disease testing may be required at the discretion of
				  the Department. It shall be the importer's responsibility to contact the
				  Department for confirmation that no additional testing is required prior to
				  entry.
Section 5. Additional Reference Material.
USDA APHIS (
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/home
)
USDA APHIS Notifiable Diseases and Conditions
(
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/nvap/NVAP-Reference-Guide/Animal-Health-Emergency-Management/Notifiable-Diseases-and-Conditions
)
Wyoming Department of Agriculture (
https://wyagric.state.wy.us/
)
Wyoming Livestock Board (
https://wlsb.state.wy.us/public/animal-health
)
Wyoming Livestock Board; State Veterinarian (
https://wlsb.state.wy.us/public/animal-health
)