Title 7 › Chapter 109— ANIMAL HEALTH PROTECTION › § 8303
After telling the Treasury Secretary and giving public notice as soon as they can, the Secretary can ban or limit the import or entry of animals, things, or vehicles, or stop using a vehicle or facility, when needed to stop pests or diseases of livestock from getting into or spreading inside the United States. The Secretary can also stop the movement of animals that wandered into the United States. The Secretary may limit use of a transport if it is not clean or does not have safe space for animals. The Secretary can make rules and orders to do these things. They can require imported animals to be kept in quarantine under the Secretary’s supervision so health can be checked. The Secretary can order animals, their offspring, items, or vehicles that threaten livestock health, were brought in illegally, or strayed in to be destroyed or sent out of the country. The Secretary can also require cleaning of vehicles, people who handled the import, and any items used. If an owner does not follow an order, the Secretary can act to remove or destroy the animals or items and charge the owner for the costs.
Full Legal Text
Agriculture — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Legislative History
Reference
Citation
7 U.S.C. § 8303
Title 7 — Agriculture
Last Updated
Apr 3, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60