{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-257.550","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 257.550","heading":"Kentucky Cervid CWD Surveillance and Identification Program.","body":"(1) There shall be a ban on the importation of live members of the animal family\nCervidae into the Commonwealth that have not been subject to a program of\nsurveillance and identification for cervid chronic wasting disease (CWD) that meets\nor exceeds:\n(a) The r equirements of the Kentucky Cervid CWD Surveillance and\nIdentification (CCWDSI) Program set forth in this section and in\nadministrative regulations promulgated by the Kentucky Department of\nAgriculture; and\n(b) Any other health requirements as regulated by  the Kentucky Department of\nAgriculture or the United States Department of Agriculture for cervids.\n(2) The Kentucky Department of Agriculture shall be responsible for authorizing\nimportation of the members of the animal family Cervidae into the Commonweal th\nthat have been subject to a program of surveillance and identification for cervid\nCWD that meets or exceeds:\n(a) The requirements of the Kentucky CCWDSI Program set forth in this section\nand in administrative regulations promulgated by the Kentucky Department of\nAgriculture; and\n(b) Any other health requirements as regulated by the Kentucky Department of\nAgriculture or the United States Department of Agriculture for cervids.\n(3) Members of the animal family Cervidae shall not be eligible for importation into the\nCommonwealth unless the program of surveillance and identification for cervid\nCWD to which they have been subject:\n(a) Has been certified by the exporting state's state veterinarian or agency having\njurisdiction over that state's surveillance and identification program;\n(b) Has been approved by the Kentucky state veterinarian as meeting or exceeding\nthe standards imposed under the Kentucky CCWDSI Program; and\n(c) Meets, at a minimum, the following requirements:\n1. The program shall require cervid o wners to obtain identification and\nlaboratory diagnosis from brain tissue as directed by the exporting state's\nstate veterinarian or agency with jurisdiction for cervids twelve (12)\nmonths of age or greater that:\na. Display clinical signs of CWD;\nb. Die, including deaths by slaughter or by hunting, including hunting\non hunting preserves; or\nc. Are ill or injured, regardless of whether the illness or injury results\nin death; and\n2. The program shall require cervid owners to obtain cervids from herds\nthat have been monitored for at least five (5) years and that have\ncomplied with the standards contained in the Kentucky CCWDSI\nProgram.\n(4) Cervids originating from a state that has reported a confirmed case of CWD in wild\nor captive cervids shall not be im ported into Kentucky until the United States\nDepartment of Agriculture approves:\n(a) Regulations that allow importation from states with confirmed cases of CWD;\nand\n(b) A live test for CWD that is available for live testing of cervids.\n(5) Importation of m embers of the animal family Cervidae into the Commonwealth\nshall be consistent with this section and with administrative regulations\npromulgated by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture in cooperation with the\nKentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.","path":["KRS Chapter 257"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=12405","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:53:06Z","sha256":"e11bdf63e282d93f23ba39be792fbf50fb0ecdc2e0a7e145e341fc34bd7a7854","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-257.540","next":"us-ky/krs-257.552"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}