Exotic animal sale regulation advanced

Senators gave first-round approval March 4 to a bill that would redefine and expand the state’s authority to regulate exotic animal sales in Nebraska.

North Platte Sen. Tom Hansen, sponsor of LB884, said the bill would more closely regulate the type of livestock animals being sold, purchased, bartered or otherwise transferred through exotic animal auctions or swap meets.

“I take very seriously the health of our livestock,” Hansen said.

As introduced, LB884 would adopt the Exotic Animal Auctions and Swap Meets Act and would define an exotic animal as one that is not commonly sold through licensed livestock auction markets pursuant to the Livestock Auction Market Act. The definition would include miniature cattle, horses and donkeys, as well as sheep, goats, alpaca, llamas and pot-bellied pigs.

The bill would require exotic animal auctions or swap meets to register with the state Department of Agriculture in the same manner as livestock markets and retain or contract with a licensed accredited veterinarian to be available during each sale.

The bill also would require each animal that changes ownership to be accompanied by a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI), which would indicate that the animal has been subject to veterinary inspection within 30 days of change of ownership.

An Agriculture Committee Amendment, adopted 28-0, would rename the act as the Exotic Animal Auctions or Exchange Venue Act. The amendment also would require verification that a permit applicant has contracted for the services of an accredited veterinarian and would limit the bill’s CVI provision to bovine, camelid, caprine, ovine or porcine animals.

Finally, the department could deny a permit based on an incomplete application, previous violations of the act or an applicant’s inability to fulfill the responsibilities of a permit holder.

Ogallala Sen. Ken Schilz, chairperson of the committee, said exotic animal auction venues are growing in popularity in Nebraska and the intermingling of native and exotic species creates a vector for the introduction and spread of disease.

Sen. Dave Bloomfield of Hoskins called the committee amendment an improvement on the bill as introduced.

“Given the makeup of Nebraska agriculture, it is vitally important that we protect our livestock herds,” he said. “That is the intent of the bill and it goes a long way toward doing that.”

The bill advanced to select file on a 30-0 vote.