Board of Animal Health (B.A.H.)

The Minnesota Board of Animal Health (B.A.H.) is a state agency governed by a five member board. Three of the five board members are required, by law, to be livestock producers; 2 members are veterinarians (currently, these members are livestock veterinarians). Each board member is appointed by the Governor for a four-year term; the board, in turn, appoints a veterinarian as the executive director. (Board names are on the B.A.H. website, as is the staff.)

The purpose of B.A.H. is to protect the health of Minnesota's domestic animals by “preventing, controlling and eliminating animal diseases.” While "animal health" may be broadly defined by citizens, the B.A.H. interprets its mission as disease eradication with animals (primarily livestock) and how that may impact humans.

This agency has programs targeted to cattle, deer and elk, dogs and cats, horses, poultry, sheep and goats, swine.

The State Veterinarian for Minnesota is Dr. Bill Hartmann. 

Regarding dogs and cats:

• The Board of Animal Health requires a kennel license for facilities, such as humane societies or pounds, that house impounded, stray or abandoned dogs and cats. In past year, the Board has licensed around 125 kennels.
• The Board of Animal Health is responsible for administering the commercial dog and cat breeder law, which licenses and regulates commercial dog and cat breeders.
• The Board of ANimal Health adminsiters certificates of veterinary inspection for all domestic animals that are exported from or imported into Minnesota. This certificate shows “that all dogs and cats 3 months of age and over have been vaccinated or re-vaccinated for rabies with a licensed vaccine.”

LINKS:

• B.A.H.: General information