This consolidation is unofficial and is for reference only.

For the official version of the regulations, consult the original documents on file with the Office of the Registrar of Regulations , or refer to the Royal Gazette

Part II .

Regulations are amended frequently.

Please check the list of Regulations by Act to see if there are any recent amendments to these regulations filed with our office that are not yet included in this consolidation.

Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this electronic version, the Office of the Registrar of Regulations assumes no responsibility for any discrepancies that may have resulted from reformatting.

This electronic version is copyright ©

, Province of Nova Scotia , all rights reserved. It is for your personal use and may not be copied for the purposes of resale in this or any other form.

Animal Health and Protection Regulations

made under

Section 4 of the

Animal Health and Protection Act

R.S.N.S. 1989, c. 15

O.I.C. 2021-107 (effective April 27, 2021), N.S. Reg. 67/2021

amended to O.I.C. 2025-13 (effective January 21, 2025), N.S. Reg. 10/2025

Table of Contents

Please note: this table of contents is provided for convenience of reference and does not form part of the regulations.

Click here to go to the text of the regulations .

Citation

Definitions

Designation of inspectors

Chief Veterinary Officer

Provincially notifiable disease

Provincially reportable disease

Mandatory reporting of notifiable and reportable diseases

Establishment of quarantine area

Establishment of a surveillance zone

Powers of inspectors

Owner obligations

No interference, obstruction, provision of false information or withholding of

information

Receipt by owner of written notice by Chief Veterinary Officer or inspector

Citation

1 These regulations may be cited as the Animal Health and Protection Regulations .

Definitions

2 In these regulations,

“Act” means the Animal Health and Protection Act ;

“animal” includes animal by-product and animal product;

“animal by-product” includes blood and any of its components, bones, bristles,

feathers, flesh, hair, hoofs, horns, offal, hides, furs, skin and wool;

“animal product” includes butter, cheese, cream, milk, eggs, meat, ova, semen and

antlers;

“Chief Veterinary Officer” means the provincial veterinarian as described in

Section 4;

“custodian” means a person who has custody of an animal;

“Department” means the Department of Agriculture;

“disease” means a syndrome, disease agent, parasite, pest, invasive species, toxin

or contaminant that affects the health of an animal and is a threat to the public

interest, including animal health and human health, or the economic interests of the

animal industry;

“inspector” means a person designated as an inspector under these regulations;

“laboratory” includes the employees and representatives of the laboratory;

“outbreak of disease” means the presence of disease in animals which, in the

opinion of the Chief Veterinary Officer, requires extraordinary means for control;

“owner” means a person who possesses or has charge of an animal;

“premises” means lands and buildings where animals are situated and includes

sales barns and auction markets, but does not include a private dwelling;

“provincially notifiable disease” means an animal disease as described in

Section

“provincially reportable disease” means a reportable disease as described in

Section 6;

“quarantine” means the isolation of premises and the prohibition of the movement

of animals, animal products, hay, straw, fodder, or any other thing to or from the

premises;

“vehicle” means any vehicle transporting animals and includes railroad cars;

“veterinarian” means a veterinarian licensed by the Nova Scotia Veterinary

Medical Association.

Designation of inspectors

3 The Minister may designate inspectors to administer the Act and these regulations.

Chief Veterinary Officer

(1) The Minister must appoint a provincial Chief Veterinary Officer to administer the

Act and these regulations.

(2) In the absence of the Chief Veterinary Officer, the Minister may temporarily

delegate the powers and duties of the Chief Veterinary Officer to another

veterinarian.

(3) The Chief Veterinary Officer or an inspector, in exercising powers under these

regulations, may be accompanied by any person they consider necessary to enable

them to exercise those powers.

Provincially notifiable disease

(1) A provincially notifiable disease is a disease designated as a provincially notifiable

disease by the Minister upon the recommendation of the Chief Veterinary Officer.

(2) The following factors may be considered when determining whether a disease

should be designated as a provincially notifiable disease:

(

a) the potential for the creation of trade barriers;

(

b) the potential for the disease to spread;

(

c) any other factors that concern the public interest.

(3) If a disease is designated as a provincially notifiable disease, notice of that

designation must be posted on the Department’s website.

Provincially reportable disease

(1) A provincially reportable disease is a disease designated as a reportable disease by

the Minister upon the recommendation of the Chief Veterinary Officer.

(2) The following factors may be considered when determining whether a disease

should be designated as a provincially reportable disease:

(

a) whether there is a requirement to implement control or eradication measures

to minimize the risk of the disease spreading;

(

b) whether products derived from a diseased animal are or might be unsafe or

unfit for use or consumption;

(

c) whether the disease may be a threat to animal health, public health or the

health of other living organisms;

(

d) threats to the economic interests of the animal industry;

(

e) whether the disease may be transmitted between animals and humans.

(3) If a disease is designated as a provincially reportable disease, notice of that

designation must be posted on the Department’s website.

Mandatory reporting of notifiable and reportable diseases

(1) All owners, custodians, veterinarians and laboratories that suspect or confirm that

any animal is suffering from a provincially notifiable disease must report the

suspicion or confirmation to the Chief Veterinary Officer in writing within 24

hours.

(2) All owners, custodians, veterinarians and laboratories that suspect or confirm that

any animal is suffering from a provincially reportable disease must immediately

report the suspicion or confirmation to the Chief Veterinary Officer by telephone

and provide a written report to the Chief Veterinary Officer no later than 24 hours

after reporting by telephone.

(3) Any report of suspected or confirmed disease made to the Chief Veterinary Officer

under this

Section must include all of the following information:

(

a) the name and contact information of the person who is making the report;

(

b) a description of the animal that is the subject of the report;

(

c) the civic address or premises identification number of the location of the

animal, or any other directions necessary to find the animal;

(

d) the species of the animal;

(

e) the animal’s presumptive diagnosis;

(

f) the name and contact information of the owner of the animal, if known;

(

g) any additional information required by the Chief Veterinary Officer, if

known, including,

(

i) the name and contact information of the animal’s veterinarian,

(ii) the type of operation at which the animal is located,

(iii) a description of the identifier that distinguishes the animal or group

of animals within the herd or group, such as a tag number, animal

identifier, group lot number or pen number,

(iv) the total number of animals of the same species at the animal’s

location,

(

v) a list of the other species of animals, and the number of animals of

each species, present at the animal’s location,

(vi) the total number of animals of all species that appear to be infected

with the disease at the animal’s location,

(vii) whether diagnostic samples have been submitted to a laboratory for

testing,

(viii) the results of any laboratory tests.

(4) If the Chief Veterinary Officer receives a report under subsection (1) or (2), the

Chief Veterinary Officer may

(

a) authorize an inspector to conduct an inspection; and

(

b) take any steps necessary to suppress and control an outbreak of the disease.

Establishment of quarantine area

(1) The Chief Veterinary Officer may order that an area or specific premises where

there is an outbreak of disease be established as a quarantine area and may set out

the geographical limits of that area.

(2) A quarantine area established under subsection (1) is subject to any restrictions

regarding conduct in the quarantine area that are stipulated by the Chief Veterinary

Officer, including restrictions regarding any of the following:

(

a) the movement of persons into, from or within the quarantine area;

(

b) the possession of animals or things within the quarantine area;

(

c) the transportation of animals or things within the quarantine area;

(

d) the handling or managing of quarantined animals or things.

(3) A notice must be prepared regarding the establishment of a quarantine area under

subsection (1) in a form prescribed by the Chief Veterinary Officer.

(4) A notice prepared under subsection (3) must be

(

a) delivered to the owner or occupier of the premises in the quarantine area; or

(

b) if the form cannot be delivered to the owner or occupier of the premises in

the quarantine area, posted on the property.

Establishment of a surveillance zone

(1) The Chief Veterinary Officer may order that an area around a quarantine area be

established as a surveillance zone and may set out the geographical limits of that

area.

(2) A surveillance zone established under subsection (1) must be

(

a) established using a form prescribed by the Chief Veterinary Officer; and

(

b) subject to any restrictions determined by the Chief Veterinary Officer.

Powers of inspectors

10 An inspector appointed under

Section 5 of the Act may

(

a) enter any premises or vehicle

(

i) to inspect that premises or vehicle,

(ii) to collect samples for the purpose of testing for or diagnosing any

disease, or

(iii) for the purpose of treatment and control of any disease;

(

b) determine identification procedures to be employed and publicize those

procedures;

(

c) require the production for inspection of any books, records or other

documents that contain or that an inspector believes may contain any

information regarding the keeping or transporting of animals infected or

suspected of being infected with a disease and examine and make copies of

those documents in whole or part;

(

d) inspect any animal infected or suspected of being infected with a disease;

(

e) seize, analyze and detain any of the following until they are released either

by an inspector or upon the final disposition of any prosecution instituted

for contravention of the Act or these regulations:

(

i) any animal or specimen infected with or suspected of being infected

with a disease,

(ii) any part or dung of any animal infected with or suspected of being

infected with a disease,

(iii) any hay, straw, litter, specimen or other thing related to an animal

that is contaminated or suspected of being contaminated or otherwise

associated with a disease;

(

f) for the purpose of conducting an examination or inspection of an animal in

order to determine whether the animal is infected with a disease, stop and

inspect any vehicle and its load if an inspector believes the animal is or has

been transported in the vehicle;

(

g) direct the means by which an animal infected or suspected of being infected

with a disease may be moved or transported from or into a quarantine area;

(

h) prohibit the movement or transportation of animals infected or suspected of

being infected with a disease;

(

i) prohibit the sale or disposition of an animal infected with a disease;

(

j) under the direction of the Chief Veterinary Officer,

(

i) impose any restrictions with respect to the quarantine area that an

inspector deems advisable,

(ii) order the manner of destruction and disposal of an animal infected

with a disease,

(iii) order the slaughter of an animal infected with a disease and prescribe

the manner and place of the slaughter,

(iv) order the method of disposal of carcasses or contaminated material

and the cleansing and decontamination of infected premises,

(

v) vaccinate or order the vaccination of an animal,

(vi) order the removal of animals from a quarantine area or outbreak area

directly to meat plants, slaughterhouses or abattoirs for immediate

slaughter despite subsection 8(2);

(

k) carry out any measures that the Chief Veterinary Officer deems advisable to

eradicate, control or prevent an outbreak of a disease.

Owner obligations

(1) The owner of an animal that is suspected of having a disease must provide

appropriate facilities and render any necessary assistance to an inspector to enable

the inspector to properly examine the animal and collect necessary specimens.

(2) If an owner fails to provide appropriate facilities, an inspector may, at the owner’s

expense, remove the suspect animal to a location where the examination may take

place.

(3) An owner must comply with any order or direction made under this Act or these

regulations.

No interference, obstruction, provision of false information or withholding of information

(1) A person must not interfere with or obstruct another person in the exercise of their

powers or the performance of their duties under the Act.

(2) A person must not knowingly provide the Chief Veterinary Officer or inspector

with false information or neglect or refuse to provide information required by the

Chief Veterinary Officer or inspector to exercise their powers or perform their

duties under the Act or these regulations.

Receipt by owner of written notice by Chief Veterinary Officer or inspector

13 Any written notice by the Chief Veterinary Officer or an inspector that is required by

these regulations is deemed to be received by the owner or occupier

(

a) on the day it is delivered in person to the owner or occupier;

(

b) on the day it is posted in a prominent place on the premises of the owner or

occupier; or

(c) 5 days after it was sent by prepaid certified mail to the last known address

of the owner or occupier.

Legislative History

Reference Tables

Animal Health and Protection Regulations

N.S. Reg.

67/2021

Animal Health and Protection Act

Note: The

information in these tables does not form part of the regulations and is

compiled by the Office of the Registrar of Regulations for reference only.

Source Law

The current consolidation of the Animal Health and Protection Regulations made

under the Animal Health and Protection Act includes all of the following regulations:

N.S.

Regulation

In force

date*

How in force

Royal Gazette

Part II Issue

67/2021

Apr

27, 2021

date specified

May 7,

10/2025

Jan

21, 2025

date

specified

Feb 7,

The following regulations are not yet in force and are

not included in the current consolidation:

N.S.

Regulation

In force

date*

How in force

Royal Gazette

Part II Issue

*See subsection 3(6) of the Regulations Act for

rules about in force dates of regulations.

Amendments by Provision

ad. = added

am. = amended

fc. = fee change

ra. = reassigned

rep. = repealed

rs . = repealed and substituted

Provision affected

How affected

2, defn . of “disease” .........................

rs . 10/2025

2, defn . of “veterinarian” .................

am. 10/2025

3 ........................................................

am. 10/2025

4(3) ...................................................

am. 10/2025

10(a)(ii) ............................................

am. 10/2025

10(a)(iii) ...........................................

am. 10/2025

Note that changes to headings are not included

in the above table.

Editorial Notes and Corrections:

Note

Effective

date

Repealed and Superseded:

N.S.

Regulation

Title

In force

date

Repealed

date

82/1987

Animal

Health and Protection Regulations

Feb 1,

Apr

27, 2021

Note: Only regulations

that are specifically repealed and replaced appear in this table. It may not reflect the entire history of

regulations on this subject matter.