Control of animal diseases.

(1) The department shall take such measures as may be necessary and proper for the control, suppression, eradication, and prevention of the spread of contagious, infectious, and communicable disease and to protect animals in the state. The department shall also quarantine such animals as it shall find, or have reason to believe, to be infected with or exposed to any such disease.

(2) No animal shall be imported into the state, moved within the state, or the ownership thereof transferred within the state without the owner, broker, or transferor first obtaining such health tests, official certificates of veterinary inspection, or other certificates and documents as shall be required by rules adopted by the department. Evidence of compliance with this subsection shall accompany the owner or agent having jurisdiction of such animals imported, moved intrastate, or to which ownership is being transferred. However, unless an emergency is declared, the department may not require Florida residents to carry evidence of compliance in intrastate travel for privately owned domestic canines or domestic felines which are not offered for sale. The department may provide by rule specific exceptions to this subsection upon finding that certain importations, intrastate movements, or transfers pose no threat to affected industries in Florida.

(3) A person who forges, counterfeits, simulates or alters, or who knowingly possesses, uses, presents or utters, any forged, counterfeited, altered or simulated official certificate of veterinary inspection or any other document relating to animal health requirements or substitutes, represents, or tenders an official certificate of veterinary inspection or any other document relating to animal health requirements of one animal for another animal commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(4) Official certificates of veterinary inspection may be completed only by a veterinarian accredited under the National Veterinary Accreditation Program. The department may, as prescribed by rule, deny a veterinarian the authority to issue health certificates for the importation, movement, or transfer of ownership of animals into or within the state as required by this section for one of the following causes:

(a) The revocation of such veterinarian’s license to practice veterinary medicine in the state;

(b) Forging, counterfeiting, altering, or misrepresenting an official certificate of veterinary inspection; or

(c) Failure to report, or the negligent handling of, any reportable disease.