Photo by Christine Anderson Fauteux, Hardwick, MA
© 2008 Hardwick Fair Association
Originated in 1762
The Oldest Fair in the United States
On
the Common
Hardwick, Massachusetts
2008 Animal Health Rules
No animal will be admitted unless it meets the requirements below. No
animal is to be unloaded until the animal and its paperwork have been
inspected and approved for entry. All animals must be accompanied by a
valid health certificate, dated Jan. 1, 2008 or later, and signed by an
accredited veterinarian certifying that the animals are clinically free
of infectious or contagious disease and exposure from such disease.
Certificates must be on veterinarian’s letterhead stationery, which
clearly identifies contact information for the veterinarian signing the
certification. Certificates written on plain paper are not acceptable.
General Rules: All livestock must have proper ID and must be in
proper physical condition, be properly identified and free of visual
evidence of infectious, contagious or parasitic disease at time of
arrival. Specific diseases and conditions that will disqualify an animal
for entry are identified for each species in the following sections of
the rules. Animals of any species with open or draining wounds will not
be approved for entry. Evidence of infectious, contagious or parasitic
disease, or failure to produce the necessary documents for health
certification, vaccination or testing will result in the animal’s
rejection for entry. THE INSPECTOR’S DECISION IS FINAL.
Out-of-state animals** All animals entering a Massachusetts
fairground from out of state must be accompanied by a valid health certificate, signed by an accredited veterinarian certifying that the
animals are clinically free of infectious or contagious disease and
exposure from such disease. Documents of health certification must be
written on relevant State or Federal health forms only. These
certificates must be available upon request to fair inspectors. Health
certificates must be dated January 1, 2008, or later. These documents
will be acceptable for the entire fair season in Massachusetts. TB and
Brucellosis testing is not required for animals from TB acc. &
Brucellosis-free States. All other states must call for requirements.
(617-626-1795)
Cattle:* Cattle must be identified by ear tag, tattoo, registration
or microchip. All cattle must be free of visual evidence of the
following diseases: foot rot, mange, pink-eye, ringworm, warts, cow-pox
and open or draining wounds. While not required, it is strongly
recommended that all cattle be currently vaccinated for rabies.
Sheep:* All sheep must possess a USDA approved individual
identification tag or tattoo based on the federal scrapie eradication
program. Information is available from the USDA APHIS office in Sutton,
MA or 508-865-1421. No sheep will be allowed entry from flocks in which
scrapie has been diagnosed or in which animals are under surveillance
for scrapie during the previous eighteen months. No sheep will be
permitted entry from flocks in which soremouth has existed or in which
soremouth vaccine has been administered in the previous 60 days. Sheep
must be free from visual evidence of foot rot, sore mouth, pink-eye,
ringworm, and open or draining wounds. While not required, it is
strongly recommended that sheep be currently vaccinated against rabies.
Horses:***All Massachusetts Department of Agriculture rules and
regulations for horses must be followed, as per State website
(www.mass.gov/agr/animalhealth)
All equines entering a
Massachusetts fairground must have a valid health certificate signed by
an accredited veterinarian certifying that the animals are clinically
free of infectious or contagious disease and exposure from such disease.
Documents of health certification for out of state animals must be
written on relevant state or federal health forms only. In state animals
may be accompanied by a certificate of examination on a veterinarian’s
letterhead stationery which clearly identifies the contact information
for the veterinarian signing the certification. Certificates written on
plain paper are not acceptable. These certificates must be available
upon request to fair inspectors. Health certificates must be dated
January 1, 2008 or later. These documents will be acceptable for the
entire fair season.
All equines must be free of visual evidence of the following diseases
and conditions: mange, ringworm, soring, strangles, and open or draining
wounds.
All equines originating from within and outside of the Commonwealth must
have a negative USDA approved EIA test (i.e., Coggins test or ELISA
test) dated within twelve (12) months of entry.
*Show management states that an in-state Coggins must be within 12 months, out of* *state 6 months. ***While not required, it is strongly recommended that all equines be vaccinated for rabies, tetanus, and EEE within one year of the fair.