§103. Importation, except at quarantine ports, prohibited; slaughter of infected animals; appraisal; payment

The importation of all animals described in this subchapter into any port in the United States, except such as may be designated by the Secretary of Agriculture, with the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury, as quarantine stations, is prohibited. The Secretary of Agriculture may cause to be slaughtered such of the animals named in this subchapter as may be, under regulations prescribed by him, adjudged to be infected with any contagious disease, or to have been exposed to infection so as to be dangerous to other animals. The value of animals so slaughtered as being so exposed to infection but not infected may be ascertained by agreement of the Secretary of Agriculture and the owners thereof if practicable; otherwise, by the appraisal by two persons familiar with the character and value of such property, to be appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture, whose decision, if they agree, shall be final; otherwise, the Secretary of Agriculture shall decide between them, and his decision shall be final. The amount of the value thus ascertained shall be paid to the owner thereof out of money in the Treasury appropriated for the use of the Bureau of Animal Industry; but no payment shall be made for any animal imported in violation of the provisions of this subchapter. If any animal subject to quarantine according to the provisions of this subchapter are brought into any port of the United States where no quarantine station is established, the collector of such port shall require the same to be conveyed, by the vessel on which they are imported or are found to the nearest quarantine station, at the expense of the owner.

(Aug. 30, 1890, ch. 839, §8, 26 Stat. 416.)

References in Text

This subchapter, referred to in text, was in the original “this Act”, meaning act Aug. 30, 1890, ch. 839, 26 Stat. 415, as amended, which is classified to sections 18, and 101 to 105 of this title and section 181 of Title 19, Customs Duties. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.

Transfer of Functions

Functions of Bureau of Animal Industry transferred to Secretary of Agriculture by Reorg. Plan No. 1 of 1947, §301, eff. July 1, 1947, 12 F.R. 4534, 61 Stat. 952, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

For abolition of the offices of collector of customs, see note set out under section 44 of this title.

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in sections 104, 136a of this title; title 16 section 1540.