(a) This article shall be called the Captive Cervid Farming Act.

Terms Used In West Virginia Code 19-2H-1

  • Department: means the West Virginia Department of Agriculture. See West Virginia Code 19-2H-2
  • Identification system: means a process or procedure that allows an individual cervid to be continuously recognized as a unique animal throughout its lifetime. See West Virginia Code 19-2H-2

(b) The Legislature finds that captive cervid farming is primarily an agricultural business and that captive cervids should be regulated like other livestock.

(c) The Legislature further finds that the Department of Agriculture possesses the knowledge, training and expertise to regulate captive cervid farming as an agricultural business and to adequately protect the health and safety of animals and the general public. Matters related to licensure, the sale of venison, animal health and testing, fencing, interstate and intrastate movement, animal identification system, recordkeeping, animal husbandry, equipment and other related matters shall be regulated by the department.