UPDATED August 25, 2020, US Virgin Islands – The Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture (VIDA) invites community members to a discussion regarding the regulations for livestock owners in the Territory on June 30, 2020 at 5:30 pm. This virtual meeting was held via Zoom.

To view a video recording of this meeting, please click here.

This meeting is the first step in educating farmers on pertinent livestock regulations and enforcing with law. VIDA will be working with farmers and community members to follow best practices for raising healthy animals and producing a safe and wholesome food product. We will specifically cover the following subsections in preparation for enforcement:

  • Proper feeding and care:
    • Owners are responsible for providing the proper feed, shelter, water, and veterinary care for their animals at all times.
  • Stray animals:
    • “(1) that animals straying on public highways and other places private or public, constitute a danger to the public health, safety and convenience, are destructive of property, increase traffic hazards and expose such animals to inhumane suffering.”
  • Identification and registration of animals:
    • “(a)No person shall own, keep or harbor any donkey, horse, mule, sheep, cattle, hog, or goat, two months old or older, unless such animal is branded, tagged, [micro-chipped,] or tattooed …”
  • Impound:
    • “(a) Any animal found running at large, or tied on public property, or on private property without the consent of the owner of the property, shall be taken up by animal wardens …”

For more information, please visit our website: http://doa.vi.gov/livestock-meetings/. For any questions, please email info.doa@doa.vi.gov.

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