CWD and Cervidae regulations in North America NEW

Updated as of October 2021

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State/Province	Agency (with jurisdiction over captive cervids) and Contacts	Standard Regulations (listed only if different or in addition to those listed in Summary below)	Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Regulations for Captive Cervids	New Regulations in Development	CWD Testing for Captive Cervids	CWD Testing for Free-ranging Cervids	Baiting Banned?	Feeding Banned?	Ban on Importation and Movement of Cervid Carcasses/Parts or Animal Products?	CWD Found in Captive Cervids	CWD Found in Free-Ranging Cervids
AAA - Summary	In thirteen states and five of the Canadian provinces listed, the state's Department of Agriculture, or equivalent, has jurisdiction over captive cervids. The Department of Fish and Game, or equivalent has jurisdiction in eleven states and five of the provinces listed. Captive cervid farms are jointly managed by both agencies in twenty-six states and one of the eleven listed Canadian provinces. In Canada, The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), manages the national CWD control program for captive cervids, and the national standards and audit portions of the voluntary herd certification program (VHCP).	Standard Regulations are: 1)Certification of Veterinary Inspection (health certificate), 2)Import or Entry Permit, 3)Negative brucellosis test (within 30-60 days of import), 4)Negative tuberculosis test (within 30-90 days of import)	Thirty states and seven of the Canadian provinces listed prohibit the importation of live cervids from any county, region and/or state where CWD has been detected; have regulations that can prohibit importation from CWD areas; require that the state exporting the cervid be enrolled in an official CWD monitoring and certification program; and/or require only that there has been no diagnosis of CWD in the originating herd or imported cervid. Twenty states and three of the Canadian provinces listed have banned all cervid imports. One of the Canadian provinces listed have no specific rules listed. In Canada, national disease control of CWD falls primarily under the Health of Animals Act, and Health of Animals Regulations.	This column lists newly adopted or in development regulations regarding CWD in the States and Canada. The CFIA has updated its national CWD disease control program, and is updating the national standards for the voluntary herd certification program. CFIA's federal import requirements for live cervids from the USA were updated in October of 2017.	Forty-four states and nine of the Canadian provinces listed perform some degree of captive cervid testing for CWD where captive cervids are legal. In addition, a portion of the surveillance testing and all confirmatory testing from across Canada takes place at CFIA's national reference lab for CWD.	Forty-nine states and ten of the Canadian provinces listed perform some level of CWD testing on wild cervids. Of those seven states and one province perform testing for targeted animals only. Currently, a portion of the surveillance and all confirmatory testing from across Canada takes place at CFIA's national reference lab for CWD.	Twenty-three states and three Canadian provinces do not allow the baiting of cervids. Sixteen states and three provinces have certain restrictions on baiting.	Eleven states and one of the Canadian provinces listed do not allow the feeding of cervids and nineteen states and three provinces have certain restrictions.	Twenty-four states and six provinces ban the import of hunter-harvested cervid carcasses and certain parts from any state or province. Twenty-two states ban the import of cervid carcasses and certain parts only from states or provinces where CWD has been detected. Four states and five provinces have no particular ban in place. See each state or province for specific rules.	CWD has been found in captive cervids in eighteen states and three Canadian provinces (CO, IL, IA, KS, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NY, OH, OK, PA, SD, TX, UT, WV, WI, Alberta, Quebec, and Saskatchewan.	CWD has been found in free -ranging cervids in twenty-five states and two Canadian provinces (AR, CO, IA, IL, KS, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, ND, NE, NM, NY, OH, PA, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI, WV, WY, Alberta and Saskatchewan).
Alabama	Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Contacts: Chris Cook 205-339-5716 chris.cook@dcnr.alabama.gov (wild cervids); Lt. Michael East 334-242-3467michael.east@dcnr.alabama.gov (captive cervids)	Cervid imports have not been allowed since 1973. It is illegal to have penned deer, many high fenced areas do exist. Licensed game breeders can buy and sell deer with permit, but no importation is allowed. Approximately 13 "grandfathered" propagators are permitted to keep, breed, and release deer into an enclosure. Permitted propagators can't add animals to their captive facility from the wild. Propagation permits are no longer issued.	Cervid imports have not been allowed since 1973.	CWD Strategic Surveillance and Response Plan updated February 2021	Mandatory testing of animals 12 months of age or older that die in captive herds.	Sampling began in 2001. As of 9-30-21, 2,140 free-range deer tested in FY21. Samples include target animals, road kills, hunter harvested animals, and animals that die in licensed game breeder facilities. No positive animals have been found to date. Plans are to continue surveillance efforts. Education efforts have also made the public more aware of the need to report deer that may be doing poorly or may not be acting normally. Those deer are submitted for testing as well. Mandatory testing of animals 12 months of age or older that die in captive herds. As of September 30, 2021, 458 captive deer tested in FY21.	No, as long as the hunter has a Baiting Privilege License. This is required for all hunters (no exemptions) using bait while hunting deer or feral pigs.	No	The importation of body parts of any member of the family Cervidae, including but not limited to deer, elk, moose and caribou, is prohibited from all states, territories, or possessions of the United States of America. Importation of body parts is also prohibited from all foreign countries. The family Cervidae includes but is not limited to white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, moose, caribou, fallow deer, axis deer, sika deer, red deer, and reindeer. This regulation shall not apply to importation of: meat that has been completely deboned; cleaned skull plates with attached antlers, if no visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present; raw capes or hides, if no visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present; upper canine teeth, if no root structure or other soft tissue is present; and finished taxidermy products or tanned hides.	No	No
Alaska*	Dept of Natural Resources-Division of Agriculture responsible for game farm permits and inspecting fencing. Dept of Environmental Conservation-Division of Environmental Health responsible for animal health regulations. Dept of Fish & Game-Division of Wildlife Conservation responsible for free-ranging cervids. Contact: Department of Environmental Conservation (captive cervids) Dr. Bob Gerlach Bob.Gerlach@alaska.gov, ADF&G-Division of Wildlife Conservation (free-ranging cervids) Kimberlee Beckmen, kimberlee.beckmen@alaska.gov	Imported cervids must have a certificate of veterinary inspection, state import permit, individual animal id traceable to the premises of origin, originate from a herd designated by a state as free of brucellosis and tuberculosis or has tested negative for brucellosis and tuberculosis not earlier than 60 days before importation , originate from a CWD low risk herd as defined by 9 CFR 55.23 (five years of surveillance) that is enrolled in an official CWD monitoring and surveillance program that is consistent with 9 CFR 55.23.	Imported cervids must have a certificate of veterinary inspection, state import permit, individual animal id traceable to the premises of origin, negative TB and Brucellosis, originate from a CWD low risk herd as defined by 9 CFR 55.23 (five years of surveillance) that is enrolled in an official CWD monitoring and surveillance program consistent with 9 CFR 55.23.	Intrastate movement of captive cervids requires permit from State Veterinarian.	Voluntary Certification Program that is consistent with 9 CFR 55.23 (5 years to achieve CWD low risk certified status) has been established and supports testing for captive cervids.	Targeted and voluntary hunter harvested surveillance of deer and elk began in 2003 with moose and caribou targeted surveillance added in 2004. Hunter harvest surveillance discontinued in 2009. Targeted surveillance scaled back to within 5 miles of an elk facility in March 2012. CWD surveillance other than clinical suspects has been discontinued. In 2013 -1966 SBT deer, 89 elk, 119 caribou and 740 moose have been tested, all negative for CWD. Surveillance discontinued in 2014. Only clinical suspects or necropsy cases tested.	No baiting allowed.	No feeding allowed.	The importation of whole carcasses and certain carcass parts from cervidae (including mule deer, white-tailed deer, black-tailed deer and elk) and other CWD susceptible species into the state of Alaska is banned. Importation of carcass parts from such species is restricted to: de-boned meat (cut and wrapped, commercially or privately); quarters or other meat portions with no portion of the spinal column (including dorsal root ganglion) or head attached; processed meat (cut and wrapped commercially or privately); hides with no heads attached; clean and disinfected skull plates; antlers with no meat or tissue attached; clean and disinfected whole skull (European mount) - no meat or nervous tissue (brain, cranial nerves) attached; and teeth (upper canines or buglers).	No	No
Alberta, Canada	Provincial contact for captive cervids: Animal Health and Assurance Branch: Dr. Keith Lehman, Chief Provincial Veterinarian, e-mail: keith.lehman@gov.ab.ca, Ph 780-427-6406.	Provincial regulations allow the raising of elk, white-tailed deer, mule deer and moose. Cervid farming is closely regulated. Farms are inspected and issued a license every five years. Animals must have official identification. A provincial database records all animal inventories and movements that are reported by the farmers and audited by the province. Import protocols are in place to decrease the risk of importing cervids that carry CWD or other diseases of concern for the province.	Alberta Mandatory CWD Surveillance Program in captive cervids since 2002. Also, mandatory submission of hunter-killed deer heads in designated CWD surveillance areas.	The Alberta Mandatory CWD Program has been in place since 2002. It was reviewed and updated in 2011. The principles of the program remain unchanged. In follow up to changes in federal CWD control programs, Alberta will implement control measures under the provincial Animal Health Act for control of the disease on farms that will no longer fall under federal controls. The program will include ordering animals from positive premises to slaughter and restocking restrictions for positive premises.	Mandatory surveillance on all deaths of captive cervids over 1 year of age including slaughter from August 2002 to present. Before that time, voluntary surveillance was conducted on captive cervids between October of 1996 and August of 2002. Link to surveillance results: https://www.alberta.ca/mandatory-chronic-wasting-disease-surveillance-program.aspx	Ongoing surveillance on wild cervids since fall 1996 - primarily hunter-kills plus clinical cases and road kills. The first positive wild deer was found in September 2005; the first positive hunter-kill was shot in December 2005. The Fish and Wildlife Division uses increased fall hunting opportunities in designated CWD risk areas to monitor occurrence and spread of CWD. Mandatory submission of deer heads is required in designated high risk areas. To get an update on CWD on wild cervids, please visit: alberta.ca/cwd	No baiting of cervids allowed.	No ban at this time.	In 2008 the Fish and Wildlife Division initiated voluntary carcass handling and transportation guidelines in CWD risk areas and in conjunction with carcasses coming to Alberta from CWD risk areas outside the province.	One elk herd and one WTD herd in 2002, two elk herds in 2015, one elk herd in 2016, and one elk herd in 2018. In 2019, one elk herd and two white tail deer herds (linked) have had positive detections. In 2020, CWD detected in ten elk farms in seven separate investigations (three linked to other detections). In 2021, CWD detected on two premises (farmed elk).	Primarily mule deer, with spillover documented in white-tailed deer, a few elk, and moose. Details available at alberta.ca/cwd
Arizona	Game and Fish Department. Contact: Anne Justice-Allen, 623-236-7351, ajustice-allen@azgfd.gov	Effective 30 August 2003, No cervid can be imported into Arizona except for zoos under specific conditions.	Effective 30 August 2003, No cervid can be imported into Arizona except for zoos under specific conditions. Cervids held under special license must be identified with a microchip or tattoo as prescribed by rule; census of all cervids on property (births, deaths, and exportation) must be included in the report. Any cervid that dies must be submitted for CWD testing within 72-hours of death. Movement of cervids within the state is regulated. The Department is authorized to seize, destroy, and dispose of any cervid (at the owner's expense) held illegally.	Rules related to CWD were instituted on 30 August 2003. A new rule took effect 1 July 2013. Additional rules regarding carcass importation and use of bait have been instituted since 2013	The holder of a private game farm or zoo license is required to submit all cervids over one year of age that die or are killed for CWD testing. This rulemaking also requires permanent marking of all animals on site and annual reports providing information on births, deaths, or other transactions involving captive cervids.	As of April 2021, CWD has not been detected in Arizona. The Department continues to conduct surveillance using a cooperative program and with hunters, taxidermists, and meat processors for sampling harvested deer as well as collecting samples from road killed and abnormal animals.	Yes, according to Article 3 R12-4-303, edible baits and cervid urine based attractants may not be used to take deer or elk. normal livestock feeding and supplementation is exempted.	Yes, according to Title 13-2927, it is unlawful to intentionally, knowingly or recklessly feed, attract, or otherwise entice wildlife into an area (except for tree squirrels and birds).	Yes, according to Article 3 R12-4-305, out-of-state hunters can only bring in boneless portion of meat or packaged meat, finished taxidermy mounts, skulls without any soft tissue (including velvet), teeth (whistlers), and cleaned hides. A private game farm license holder may transport a cervid lawfully killed or slaughtered at the license holder's game farm to a licensed meat processor. An individual may possess or transport only the following portions of a cervid lawfully killed or slaughtered at a private game farm: boneless portions of meat or packaged meat, finished taxidermy mounts, skulls without any soft tissue (including velvet), teeth (whistlers), and cleaned hides.	No	No
Arkansas	Game and Fish Commission regulates imports relating to wildlife, Livestock & Poultry Commission regulates imports relating to livestock. A Memorandum of Agreement between the two agencies delegates final permitting authority to Game and Fish. Contact: Dr. Jenn Ballard, AGFC 501-223-6366; jennifer.ballard@agfc.ar.gov	09/26/02: Total ban on importation of live cervids. 4/18/13: Restrictions on importation of cervid carcasses from all locations outside of Arkansas. CWD-related Widlife/Hunting Regulations available at https://www.agfc.com/en/hunting/big-game/deer/cwd/cwd-regulations/.	09/26/02: Total ban on importation of live cervids.	A 2021-2025 CWD Management and Response Plan was approved and is available at: https://www.agfc.com/en/hunting/big-game/deer/cwd/.	All captive cervids that die from illness, slaughter, hunting or any other cause shall be reported within 24 hours and submitted for CWD testing.	CWD was identified in February 2016 in both white-tailed deer and elk populations. Spatial distribution and apparent prevalence monitoring continue inside the CWD Management Zone. Drop off containers for free CWD testing are available statewide for voluntary testing of white-tailed deer. Mandatory CWD testing for hunter harvested elk.	Baiting is seasonally restricted inside the CWD Management Zone. Baiting is not allowed on public land statewide. Private land baiting outside of the management zone is unrestricted.	Feeding of wildlife is banned inside the CWD Management Zone and on public land statewide. Feeding of wildlife on private land is unrestricted outside of the CWD Management Zone.	Not allowed to import, transport or possess any portion of a cervid carcass from any area outside the boundaries of Arkansas except: antlers and/ or antlers attached to clean skull plates or cleaned skulls (where no meat or tissues are attached to skull), meat with bones removed, cleaned teeth, finished taxidermy products, hides, and tanned products. Regulation also applies to any cervid taken from a captive facility or from within any enclosure regardless of state. Regulations also to carcasses of deer/elk harvested from within the state's CWD Management Zone.	no	Yes, elk and WTD
British Columbia, Canada	Provincial contact for captive cervids: Plant and Animal Health Branch: Dr. Rayna Gunvaldsen, Executive Director Plant and Animal Health Branch, Chief Veterinary Officer, e-mail: rayna.gunvaldsen@gov.bc.ca, Ph 604-556-3013.	Prohibition of live cervid imports since 1980's. BC Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (FLNRORD) has jurisdiction over free ranging cervids. The BC Wildlife Act has a regulation to prevent the import of live cervids or cervid parts harvested outside of BC and has a regulation to prevent the use of cervid biological materials as scents and attractants. BC has implemented a new condition to the general hunting license (resident and non-resident) requiring submission of mule deer and white-tailed deer heads, harvested from a defined high-risk area, for CWD testing.	No game farming of native cervids in BC: fallow deer and reindeer only; Intra-provincial animal movements are controlled by the Ministry of Agriculture.	FLNRORD leads a Provincial CWD Advisory Committee and two regional working groups of relevant government agencies, First Nations and stakeholders that collaboratively provide input on CWD program delivery. A new hunting license condition has been approved (Jan 2021) for mandatory submission of deer heads for testing. New ban on baiting ungulates in the Kootenay Region (SE BC). Additional regulatory amendments are being considered for the 2021 season. The Surveillance and Response Plan for CWD in BC (June 2019) is available online: www.gov.bc.ca/chronicwastingdisease.	All CWD testing of captive cervids is voluntary.	Majority of testing is voluntary. Mandatory submission of white-tailed deer and mule deer in specific management units (representing high risk areas of BC). Surveillance is focused in high risk areas adjacent to CWD positive jurisdictions. All cervids submitted to the program are tested. Samples are mainly from hunters but include road kills, opportunistic mortalities and euthanized animals. Sampling of wild cervids began in 2001, with over 6000 animals tested and no positives to date.	New regulation bans the baiting and feeding of wild ungulates in the Kootenay Region (SE BC). Consultation is underway to expand regulation to include all of BC. The use of scents and attractants is restricted to synthetic products. Under the BC Wildlife Act it is an offense to use any part or derivative of a deer, elk, moose or caribou if the part or derivative originated from outside of BC.	New regulation bans the baiting and feeding of wild ungulates in the Kootenay Region (SE BC). Consultation is underway to expand regulation to include all of BC. Not common practice to supplemental feed in BC, primarily used for emergency feeding in winter. Authorized under permit only.	It is prohibited to import intact deer, elk, moose or caribou carcasses into BC from another jurisdiction. The carcass must be processed so that high risk material is left behind. High risk material includes the head, hide, hoof, spinal column, internal organ or mammary gland of cervids that were killed outside of BC. Meats as well as hide, antlers and skulls that have all soft tissues removed are permitted. Consultation is underway to expand the regulation to include prohibiting the import of bones.	No	No
California*	Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW) has authority over all captive cervids and issues the permits required for possession. Department of Food & Agriculture (DFA) becomes the lead over captive cervids only if a disease outbreak occurs which could impact livestock (TB and brucellosis). Contact: Brandon Munk (CDFW), 916-358-1194, brandon.munk@wildlife.ca.gov	All cervids are considered "detrimental species" under California's restricted species laws (CA Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section 671) and permitting requirements are strictly regulated by the CA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife following prior written approval from the Wildlife Investigations Lab. Native deer farms are prohibited. Fallow deer are strictly regulated under a fallow deer farming permit. All cervids permitted for importation require specific pre-entry disease testing and/or herd testing/certification.	No cervids allowed for import that originate from CWD positive states, or have a history of contact with captive elk, or any other potential risk.	Regulation banning the import of hunter-harvested cervids adopted in June 2003 (CA Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section 712). Citations are being issued to hunters not compliant with this regulation, and meat processors are not allowed to accept out-of-state whole cervid carcasses not compliant with regulation.	CWD is listed by the CA Department of Food & Agriculture as a reportable disease. A slaughter surveillance program for farmed fallow deer has been developed.	Developed surveillance in 1999 for hunter killed, road kill and mortalities investigated by the Wildlife Investigations Laboratory. Approximately 5,000 deer and elk have been tested. Currently, California is developing a risk-based surveillance strategy and increasing surveillance sampling statewide.	CA Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section 251.3, effective 09/01/79: Prohibition against taking resident game birds and mammals by the aid of bait.	CA Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section 251.3, effective 07/01/96: Prohibition against feeding big game mammals.	CA Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section 712, effective 6/05/03: Ban on importation of hunter harvested deer and elk carcasses. Except, portions of meat with no part of spinal column or head attached; hides or capes with no spinal column, brain tissue, or head attached; clean skull plates, no brain tissue may be present; antlers with no meat or tissue attached; finished taxidermy mounts with no meat or tissue attached; and upper canines.	No	No
Colorado	Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) regulates wildlife imports and has authority over commercially raised mule deer and other commercially raised wildlife species. The Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) has authority over alternative livestock (fallow deer and elk). Authority over possession, importation, and movement of alternative livestock (elk and fallow deer) is shared, and CWD management in alternative livestock facilities requires CDA and CPW approval of the herd plan. Moratorium on new licensing of cervid ranches by CPW; CDA is licensing new alternative livestock facilities. Contact: Mary Wood, CPW, 970-472-4473, mary.wood@state.co.us Regulations: Krista Heiner, CPW 303-866-3203 x4609, krista.heiner@state.co.us CDA: Wayne East, 303-869-9149, wayne.east@state.co.us	All cervids must be free of infectious and contagious disease; must be treated for internal/external parasites within 21 days prior to entry, must be marked with USDA official ear tag, and originate from a bovine TB-free accredited herd. All elk must test negative for evidence of red deer hybridization.	60 months CWD-free status from qualifying surveillance program required for importation and intrastate movement of captive cervids. CPW and CDA jointly review all requests for cervid movement - both agencies must approve; CDA issues the movement/importation authorization.	NA	Mandatory surveillance required on any captive cervid death (>12 months of age) whether natural death, slaughter or hunt park kill (fresh and fixed tissue).	CWD testing available statewide for successful deer and elk hunters for a fee. Fee waived for any mandatory submission. Director has authority to administratively impose mandatory hunter testing by unit to meet sampling objectives. Mandatory hunter testing rotates around the state each year to achieve adequate sample sizes for monitoring in selected population units. Between 2017 and 2021 all deer populations in the state were sampled via rotating mandatory testing with roughly 7,000 samples tested per year. For current testing information please refer to the following site: https://cpw.state.co.us/learn/Pages/ResearchCWD-Submission.aspx	Big Game baiting illegal.	Feeding of certain wildlife species, including big game, is illegal.	In January 2008 the Wildlife Commission struck the regulation on transportation of carcass parts and encouraged an educational effort focused on disposal of carcass trim.	Yes, in elk	Yes, in mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk, and moose.
Connecticut*	Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Agriculture	No cervid imports allowed. No movements within state without permit.	No cervid imports allowed.	All use of natural deer urine products is prohibited, particularly for the purposes of taking or attempting to take or attract deer, or for the surveillance or scouting of deer.	Captive cervid owners required to (a) have 2 forms of tagging and (b) have perimeter fence specifications.	WTD surveillance program to perform random testing on hunter harvested cervids and road kills from High-risk populations statewide.	Hunters are allowed to use bait in 2 out of 12 Deer Management Zones.	NA	Ban on importation of hunter-harvested deer and elk from CWD endemic states (unless deboned).	No	No

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