NO animal will be admitted to the fairgrounds unless it meets the requirements below.  NO animal is to be unloaded or enter a barn or tie-out stall until the animal and its paperwork have been inspected and approved for entry.

1. All animals must be in proper physical condition, be properly identified and free of visual evidence of infectious, contagious or parasitic disease at time of arrival.  Specific diseases and conditions which will disqualify an animal for entry are identified for each species in the following sections of the rules. Animals of any species with open or draining wounds will not be approved for entry.

2. Evidence of infectious, contagious or parasitic disease or failure to produce the necessary documents for health certification, vaccination or testing will result in the animal's rejection for entry.  THE INSPECTOR'S DECISION IS FINAL.  

3. REMINDER:  ALL sheep and goats of any age or sex brought to show or exhibition from either out of state or within state must possess a USDA approved individual identification tag, tattoo, or electronic implant consistent with the requirements of the Federal Scrapie Eradication Program and the Massachusetts Emergency Order 1-AHO-06.  Information on approved tags, tattoos and electronic implants is available from the USDA APHIS office in Sutton , MA at 508-363-2290.

4. All livestock must have proper ID. For animals identified by microchip, readers must be available to the Inspectors.

5. SEE INDIVIDUAL REQUIREMENTS FOR EACH SPECIES LISTED BELOW.

B. Out of State Animals

1. All animals entering a Massachusetts fairground from out of state must be accompanied by a valid health certificate signed by an accredited veterinarian certifying that the animals are clinically free of infectious or contagious disease and exposure from such disease. Documents of health certification must be written on relevant state or federal health forms only. These certificates must be available upon request to fair inspectors.

2. Health certificates must be dated January 1, 2009 or later. These documents will be acceptable for the entire fair season in Massachusetts . TB and Brucellosis testing is not required for animals from TB-Accredited and Brucellosis-Free States . Current brucellosis and TB status in the exhibitor’s state can be obtained from the state veterinarian’s office in each state.  If the exhibitor’s state is not TB-Accredited or Brucellosis-Free, then the exhibitor must call the Massachusetts Bureau of Animal Health for entry requirements (617-626-1795).

C. Poultry

1. No poultry will be admitted to a fairground until it has been individually inspected. 

2. All poultry must be free of visual evidence of the following diseases:  infectious bronchitis, coryza, pullorum-typhoid, fowl-pox, external parasites and laryngotracheitis.

3. Each bird must be accompanied by written proof (ID card or test report) that the breeding flock was blood-tested negative for pullorum-typhoid within one year prior to entry date.

4. Birds from quarantined states will not be permitted entry.

5. All birds over 16 weeks of age as of January 1, 2009 shall be individually leg banded with a state leg band. This includes out of state exhibitors.

6. No bird vaccinated for laryngotracheitis within thirty days of the fair will be admitted. 

D. Cattle, Goats and Camelids (Llamas, Alpacas, etc.)

1. All animals entering a Massachusetts fairground from out of State or within the state must be accompanied by a valid health certificate signed by an accredited veterinarian certifying that the animals are clinically free of infectious or contagious disease and exposure from such disease. Cattle and Camelids must be identified by either ear tag, tattoo, registration or microchip. Note that all goats and kids presented, regardless of age, must be individually listed and identified on the health certificate.  These certificates must be available upon request to fair inspectors. Documents of health certification for out of state animals must be written on relevant state or federal health forms only.  In-state animals may be accompanied by a certificate of examination on a veterinarian’s letterhead stationery which clearly identifies the contact information for the veterinarian signing the certification. Certificates written   on plain paper are not acceptable. Health Certificates must be dated January 1, 2009 or later. These documents will be accepted for the entire fair season in Massachusetts .

2. All of the above animals must be free of visual evidence of the following diseases and conditions: foot rot, mange, pink-eye, ringworm, warts, cow-pox and open or draining wounds.

3. In addition, all Goats must also be free of sore mouth and scrapie exposure.  Based on the Federal Scrapie Eradication Program (FSEP), goats of any age or sex brought to show or exhibition from either out of state or within state must possess a USDA approved individual identification tag, tattoo, or electronic implant consistent with the requirements of the FSEP and the Massachusetts  Emergency Order 1-AHO-06.  Information on approved tags, tattoos, and electronic implants is available from the USDA-APHIS office in Sutton , MA at 508-363-2290.

4. Blue Tongue testing is required for Camelids originating from outside the Commonwealth.  Exception:  Animals from a USDA declared " Low Incident State " are exempt.  Note: New England and New York are low incident states.

5. While not required, it is strongly recommended that all cattle be currently vaccinated for rabies.

E. Swine

1. All swine entering a Massachusetts fairground must be accompanied by a valid health certificate signed by an accredited veterinarian certifying that the animals are clinically free of infectious or contagious disease and exposure to such disease.  Documents of health certification for out of state animals must be written on relevant state or federal health forms only. In-state animals may be accompanied by a certificate of examination on a veterinarian’s letterhead stationery which clearly identifies the contact information for the veterinarian signing the certification. Certificates written on plain paper are not acceptable. These certificates must be available upon request to fair inspectors. Health certificates must be dated January 1, 2009 or later. These documents will be accepted for the entire fair season in Massachusetts . All swine must be identified by an official ear tag or registration.

2. Swine must be free of visual evidence of the following diseases and conditions: erysipelas, atrophic rhinitis, mange and open or draining wounds.

3. No person shall import into Massachusetts from outside the state any swine which have been pseudorabies vaccinated. M.G.L. c. 129 §14E.

4. No person shall import into Massachusetts swine from Stage l or Stage ll Pseudorabies States.

5. All swine shall originate from qualified pseudorabies-free herds, or monitored herds in qualified pseudorabies free States only.  The pseudorabies status of the exhibitor’s state can be obtained from the state veterinarian’s office in each state.

F. Sheep

1. Sheep entering a Massachusetts fairground must have a valid health certificate signed by an accredited veterinarian certifying that the animals are clinically free of infectious or contagious disease and exposure from such disease. Documents of health certification for out of state animals must be written on relevant state or federal health forms only. In-state animals may be accompanied by a certificate of examination on a veterinarian’s letterhead stationery which clearly identifies the contact information for the veterinarian signing the certification. Certificates written on plain paper are not acceptable.  These certificates must be available upon request to fair inspectors. Health certificates must be dated January 1, 2009 or later. These documents will be acceptable for the entire fair season.

2. No sheep will be allowed entry from flocks in which Scrapie has been diagnosed or in which animals are under surveillance for Scrapie during the previous eighteen months.  Based on the Federal Scrapie Eradication Program (FSEP) and the Massachusetts Emergency Order 1-AHO-06, sheep of any age or sex brought to show or exhibition from either out of state or within the state must possess a USDA approved individual identification tag, tattoo, or electronic implant consistent with requirements of the FSEP.  Information on approved tags, tattoos, and electronic implants is available from the USDA APHIS office in Sutton , MA at

508-363-2290.

3. No sheep will be permitted entry from flocks in which Soremouth has existed or in which Soremouth Vaccine has been administered in the previous sixty days. 

4. Sheep must be free from visual evidence of foot rot, sore mouth, pink eye, ringworm, and open and draining wounds.

5. While not required, it is strongly recommended that sheep be currently vaccinated against rabies. 

G. Equine

1. All equines entering a Massachusetts fairground must have a valid health certificate signed by an accredited veterinarian certifying that the animals are clinically free of infectious or contagious disease and exposure from such disease. Documents of health certification for out of state animals must be written on relevant state or federal health forms only.  In-state animals may be accompanied by a certificate of examination on a veterinarian’s letterhead stationery which clearly identifies the contact information for the veterinarian signing the certification. Certificates written on plain paper are not acceptable. These certificates must be available upon request to fair inspectors. Health certificates must be dated January 1, 2009 or later. These documents will be acceptable for the entire fair season.

  2. All equines must be free of visual evidence of the following diseases and conditions: mange, ringworm, soring, strangles, and open or draining wounds.

  3. All equines originating from within and outside of the Commonwealth must have a negative USDA-approved EIA test (i.e., Coggins test or ELISA test) dated within twelve months of entry.

* 4. While not required, it is strongly recommended that all equines be vaccinated for rabies, tetanus and EEE within one year of the fair.

H. Rabbits

1. Rabbits must be free of visual evidence of the following diseases: snuffles, wet tail, skin and ear infections.

I. Dogs and Cats

  1.  All dogs and cats must be free of visual evidence of the following diseases:  kennel cough, distemper, hepatitis, parvo, ringworm and mange.

  2.  All Massachusetts dogs and cats and those originating from out of this State must have a valid and current vaccination certificate for rabies.