Wildlife Diseases - Authority & Jurisdiction - Oklahoma

A. 1. The State Board of Health may adopt such rules as it deems necessary for the quarantine, isolation, impounding, immunization and disposal of an animal to prevent and control any zoonotic disease. Rules of the Board shall consider, but not be limited to: a. prior rabies vaccinations, b. the degree of exposure to rabies, c. the history and prior behavior of the animal prior to exposure, and d. the willingness of the individual so exposed to submit to post-exposure antirabies immunization. 2. The President of the State Board of Agriculture and the Director of Wildlife Conservation shall be requested to make recommendations on pertinent phases affecting their official duties before such rules are promulgated by the State Board of Health. B. 1. Whenever the State Commissioner of Health or a designee determines that any zoonotic disease exists in any area or that a person has suffered an exposure to any such disease, the Commissioner shall have authority to issue an order declaring a quarantine, isolation, impounding, immunization or disposal of any animal determined to be the source of such disease or exposure according to rules promulgated by the State Board of Health. The Commissioner shall, assisted by the State Board of Agriculture and the Director of Wildlife Conservation, cause such quarantine, isolation, impounding, immunization or disposal to be enforced.;

Citation: 63 Okl.St.Ann. § 1-508;