Reporting of Animal Diseases with Zoonotic Potential by Veterinarians

As required under M.G.L. c. 129, § 28 any veterinarian or local board of health with knowledge of the existence of a domestic animal affected with, or suspected to be affected with a contagious disease must report the disease to the Department of Agricultural Resources (DAR), Bureau of Animal Health. DAR will immediately notify the Department of any suspicion or occurrence of any such disease if it is potentially infectious to humans. Notwithstanding requirements to report such cases to DAR, veterinarians shall also report to the Department within 24 hours any case of anthrax, plague, West Nile virus infection, or Eastern equine encephalitis virus infection diagnosed in an animal. The Department will notify the local board of health of all such reports within 24 hours.