Private Acts of 1945 Chapter 186

SECTION 1.  That the County Court of any county in the State of Tennessee, having a population of not less than 41,100 nor more than 41,200, according to the Federal Census of 1940, or any subsequent census, is authorized to co-operate with the State of Tennessee Veterinarian and the United States Department of Agriculture in the eradication of Bangs Disease among cattle within the county.

SEC. 2.  That the County Court of any county coming within the provisions of this Act is authorized to appropriate any sum of money up to Six Thousand ( $6,000.00) Dollars annually, to be used for the testing of cattle of the county and co-operating with the State of Tennessee Veterinarian and the United States Department of Agriculture in the eradication of Bangs Disease among cattle in such county.

SEC. 3.  That when such appropriation shall have been made by the County Court of any such county, the County Court of such county shall be authorized to employ a veterinary inspector, or veterinary inspectors, who shall be a graduate, or graduates, of a veterinary college whose graduates are eligible to the position of veterinary inspector in the United States Bureau of Animal Industry, accredited, and licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the State of Tennessee.  Said Inspector, or Inspectors, shall be paid such salary as shall be fixed by the County Court of Blount County, Tennessee, and in the performance of his duties, as hereinafter set out, he shall collaborate with the State Veterinarian and the Inspector in charge of the United States Bureau of Animal Industry within the State.  His term of office shall be at the pleasure of the County Court of Blount County, Tennessee.  He shall file monthly with the County Court Clerk of the county where employed, a sworn statement showing the number of days engaged and the amount of expenses incurred in the performance of his official duties, and the judge or chairman shall cause to be drawn a warrant on the county treasurer for the payment of his salary and expenses.  Said Inspector shall be paid only for the number of days he is actually engaged in the performance of his duties under the provisions of this Act based upon a monthly salary and a thirty day month.

SEC. 4.  That when the County Court makes the appropriation as hereinabove provided, and employs an inspector, as hereinabove provided, it shall become mandatory upon the owners of all the cattle within said such county to submit their cattle to a Bang's Disease test under the supervision of said Inspector.

SEC. 5.  That the veterinary inspector, hereinabove provided for, is hereby empowered to enter upon any premises, barn, stable, shed or other place where cattle are housed or kept, for the purpose of applying tests for Bang's Disease to ascertain whether or not the animals so tested are affected with Bang's Disease; and the owners of such cattle shall render such reasonable assistance as may be required to enable the Inspector, or his agent or representative, to apply the test with accuracy and dispatch.

SEC. 6.  That all cattle which hereafter react to a Bang's Disease test shall, immediately on such reaction, be marked by branding on the left jaw the letter "B", said letter to be not less than two (2) inches, or more than three (3) inches, in length; and such reactors shall be tagged in the left ear with a special tag approved by the State Veterinarian; and all cattle so identified shall be slaughtered within a period of thirty (30) days immediately following such reaction, such slaughter to be under the direction of the State Veterinarian or the County Inspector.

SEC. 7.  That whenever the work of the Bang's Disease eradication and control shall have been undertaken in accordance with the provisions of this Act, the County Inspector shall issue, and cause to be enforced, such quarantining regulations as may be required to prevent the introduction into and the spread within such county of Bang's Disease.  It shall be the duty of sheriffs, constables, prosecuting attorneys, and their deputies, within their respective jurisdiction, to render all necessary assistance to enable the State Veterinarian, or his duly authorized agents, to enforce the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 8.  That it is not the intention of this Act to repeal or modify any general Act touching the subject matter herein stated, except insofar as the same may be in conflict, but this Act shall be construed to be supplementary to any general Act now existing, or which may hereafter be adopted upon the subject of Bang's Disease.

SEC. 9.  That is shall be the duty of County Inspectors, selected under the provisions of this Act, to co-operate and collaborate with the State Veterinarian and the United States Department of Agriculture, and its representatives, in the control and eradication of Bang's Disease.

SEC. 10.  That the violation of any of the provisions of this Act is hereby made a misdemeanor and shall be punishable by a fine of not less than Twenty-Five ($25.00) Dollars, nor more than One Hundred ($100.00) Dollars, or by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than sixty (60) days, or by both fine and imprisonment for each offense.

SEC. 11.  That this Act take effect from and after its final passage, the public welfare requiring it.

Passed:  February 9, 1945.