(a) The Commissioner of Agriculture may, with the approval of the Governor, from time to time prohibit the importation or introduction into the Virgin Islands, or into any particular port thereof, of animals or of flesh, hides, hoofs, horns or other parts of animals, or of hay, straw, fodder or other articles either generally or from any place named in the order, for such period as he deems to be necessary where in his opinion such action is necessary for the purpose of preventing the introduction of any contagious or infectious disease among animals in the Virgin Islands.
(b) All animals permitted to enter the Territory must have a valid certificate of veterinary inspection. For the purposes of this section “certificate of veterinary inspection” means an official document issued by a federal, state, territorial, or tribal accredited veterinarian certifying that the animal of record has been inspected and found to be free of disease and pests and is satisfactorily permitted to travel within the same state, between states, or internationally.
(c) Any animal brought into the Territory without a valid certificate of veterinary inspection required by subsection (b) is subject to quarantine, at the owner’s expense, until a valid certificate of veterinary inspection is issued.