The Division of Animal Industry is responsible for enforcing animal health regulations in Florida and protecting the state from animal pests and diseases, which could have major economic and public health consequences. The division director serves as the State Veterinarian and is responsible for enforcing animal health regulations in Florida and protecting the state from animal pests and diseases. The division conducts active animal disease prevention, surveillance, control programs, and disease diagnostics. Through these activities, the division plays a critical role in safeguarding animal and public health and maintaining market access for Florida's animals and animal products. The division also serves as the lead agency for Animal and Agricultural Issues, Emergency Staffing Function-17 (ESF-17), under Florida's Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan.

• Bureau of Animal Disease Control (BADC) administers Florida's animal disease control and eradication programs. In cooperation with United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the bureau protects the state from animal pests and diseases, which could have major economic and public health consequences.
• Bureau of Diagnostic Laboratory-Bronson Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (BADDL) provides scientific expertise in the detection and investigation of animal diseases that affect human and animal health. The BADDL is located in Kissimmee.

In Fiscal Year 2021-2022,

• the division conducted 10,618 animal site inspections, which was below the performance standard of 11,000;
• the BADDL conducted 91,215 tests, above the performance standard of 80,000;
• the state veterinarian received 191 reports of suspected or positive dangerous, transmissible diseases, above the performance standard of 179; and
• employees spent 9,981.34 hours on animal and agricultural emergency activities, above the performance standard of 7,954.

Avian Influenza. Since July 2022, there have been multiple Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) confirmed cases in non-commercial poultry flocks in Florida. HPAI, often called “bird flu,” is a virus found among various species of birds. HPAI viruses are highly contagious among birds and can be deadly, especially in domestic poultry, which includes chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail, ducks, geese and guinea fowl. In addition, HPAI infects a wide variety of other birds, including wild migratory waterfowl.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers the human risk from the current HPAI virus strains found in North America to be low, with no detected human infections. To protect Florida’s poultry, the division regularly monitors domestic poultry for evidence of avian influenza viruses. Samples are regularly collected from backyard flocks, show birds, commercial poultry, and live bird markets.

Websites of Interest
Florida Department of Health, Animal Contact and Human Health
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Surveillance for Wild Bird Die-Offs
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal Health
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal Disease Information
COVID-19 and Animals, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Performance Information

Chapters 585, 570, 535, and 534, and ss. 823.04, 823.041, and 20.14, Florida Statutes

Division of Animal Industry, 850-410-0900
Website