Section 77-8-3 - Importation; notice; inspection; fees. - New Mexico Statutes

77-8-3. Importation; notice; inspection; fees.

A.     A person intending to bring sheep or goats into the state from another country or state shall give notice of his intention to the director by certified letter or delivery in person or by telephone to the director or other authorized official of the board so that the notice is received prior to the proposed day of entry. The notice shall state the number of head, the date and place the sheep or goats will be loaded and their destination. The director shall then issue a permit for entry of the sheep or goats into the state, stating in the permit the applicable board rules to be complied with before or after entry into the state.   

B.     The shipment shall be accompanied by a health certificate issued by a federal or state inspector or authorized veterinarian that the sheep or goats are healthy and free from disease. On arrival, the owner or person in charge of the sheep or goats shall not commingle the imported sheep or goats or release them to pasture until the inspector examines the sheep or goats as to their sanitary condition and inspects and makes a record of all the marks and brands on the sheep or goats, which record shall be forwarded to the board office and used for future reference. The inspector shall issue the owner or person in charge of the sheep or goats a copy of the brand inspection certificate if the inspector is satisfied all requirements have been met.   

C.     An inspection fee to be fixed by the board shall be charged and paid by the owner or person in charge of the sheep or goats to the board and received by the inspector for the inspection and certificates. If the inspector suspects that the sheep or goats are infected with a disease or finds that the owner or person in charge has not met the entry requirements, the inspector shall require the owner or the person in charge to comply with the provisions of Section 77-8-2 NMSA 1978 or other applicable statutes and rules. The provisions of this section shall not apply to sheep or goats loaded on transport vehicles that are being transported from some country or state to another country or state through New Mexico if the sheep or goats are not to be unloaded in this state except in approved rest stations or other quarantine pens for the purpose of feeding and watering the sheep or goats for a period of time not to exceed twenty-four hours.