Livestock Disease Reporting in Arizona: Rules Every Producer and Veterinarian Must Know

Arizona’s livestock industry supports billions of dollars in agricultural output each year, and protecting that industry starts with one critical obligation: knowing when — and how — to report a sick animal. Whether you raise cattle on open range in Cochise County or manage a small poultry operation outside Phoenix, state law holds you accountable for recognizing and reporting certain diseases before they spread.

Livestock disease reporting in Arizona is governed by the Arizona Department of Agriculture (AZDA) and its Office of the State Veterinarian, working alongside federal agencies like USDA-APHIS. Missing a report is not just a procedural oversight — it can trigger quarantines, financial losses, and legal penalties. This guide walks you through every step of the process so you stay compliant and protect your operation.

Reportable Livestock Diseases in Arizona

Arizona maintains a formal list of animal diseases that must be reported to state and federal authorities whenever they are suspected or confirmed. Per Arizona Administrative Code R3-2-402 (Mandatory Disease Reporting by Veterinarians and Veterinary Laboratories), these diseases must be reported when suspected or confirmed to the State Veterinarian. The list covers both state-level reportable diseases and those that align with federal USDA-APHIS requirements.

The diseases span multiple livestock species and categories of severity. Broadly, Arizona’s reportable disease list includes:

• Foreign animal diseases (FADs): Foot-and-mouth disease, African swine fever, classical swine fever, Newcastle disease, rinderpest, and peste des petits ruminants
• Federally reportable diseases: Bovine spongiform encephalopathy in cattle, brucellosis in cattle, bison, swine, and cervidae, tuberculosis, vesicular stomatitis, and equine infectious anemia
• Zoonotic diseases of concern: Anthrax, rabies, leptospirosis, Q fever, and tularemia
• Poultry diseases: Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI), and exotic Newcastle disease
• Parasitic and vector-borne diseases: Theileriosis (Theileria parva or T. annulata) and brucellosis, along with anaplasmosis and babesiosis

Any person who identifies symptoms of vesicular disease in livestock must immediately report it to the Arizona Department of Agriculture. Vesicular diseases receive this heightened urgency because they can be clinically indistinguishable from foot-and-mouth disease, one of the most economically devastating livestock diseases in the world. For a broader look at diseases that affect cattle specifically, see bovine disease and our overview of zoonotic disease risks that can cross from animals to humans.

Who Is Required to Report a Livestock Disease in Arizona

Arizona’s mandatory reporting obligations fall on several categories of individuals and organizations. Understanding whether the duty applies to you is the first step toward compliance.

Licensed veterinarians and veterinary laboratories carry the primary legal obligation. As per Arizona Administrative Code R3-2-402, veterinary professionals are mandated to report potential zoonotic diseases in animals to state agencies. This applies to both private practitioners and those working in diagnostic laboratory settings. If a lab test confirms or strongly suggests a reportable disease, the laboratory itself must report — not just the attending veterinarian.

Livestock producers, owners, and operators also bear reporting responsibilities under Arizona law. The director or the director’s authorized representative exercises general supervision over the livestock interests of the state, protects the livestock industry from theft, and protects the livestock and poultry industries from contagious and infectious diseases. Producers who observe suspicious illness in their herds are expected to contact the AZDA or a licensed veterinarian without delay.

Accredited veterinarians have additional federal obligations. These diseases must be reported immediately to the AVIC (Area Veterinarian in Charge) and the State Animal Health Official to be in compliance with 9 CFR 161.3(f). This dual-reporting requirement means accredited veterinarians must notify both Arizona state authorities and the appropriate USDA-APHIS federal contact.

• Licensed veterinarians (private practice and institutional)
• Veterinary diagnostic laboratories
• Livestock owners, ranchers, and producers
• Feedlot and dairy operators
• Slaughter facility personnel
• Accredited veterinarians (with additional federal reporting duties)

Signs and Symptoms That Trigger a Report in Arizona

You do not need a confirmed laboratory diagnosis to be required to report. Arizona’s rules use the standard of “suspected or confirmed,” meaning clinical signs alone can be enough to trigger your obligation. Recognizing those signs early is essential.

Vesicular and oral lesions are among the highest-priority symptoms. Blisters, erosions, or ulcers on the tongue, gums, lips, snout, teats, or feet of cattle, swine, sheep, or goats must be reported immediately. These signs overlap with foot-and-mouth disease and vesicular stomatitis, both of which are reportable.

Sudden or unexplained mass mortality in any livestock species warrants an immediate call to the AZDA. A cluster of unexplained deaths — particularly if they occur rapidly and without an obvious cause — may indicate anthrax, highly pathogenic avian influenza, or another emergency-level disease.

The following clinical presentations should prompt you to contact authorities:

• Rapid onset of high fever combined with vesicles or ulcers on the mouth or feet
• Sudden death in multiple animals without prior signs of illness
• Severe respiratory distress, especially in poultry flocks (possible avian influenza)
• Neurological signs in horses such as ataxia, circling, or head pressing (possible equine encephalitis or West Nile virus)
• Jaundice, bloody urine, or acute kidney failure in cattle, horses, or swine (possible leptospirosis)
• Swollen lymph nodes, fever, and weight loss in cattle or bison (possible tuberculosis or brucellosis)
• Abortion storms — multiple animals in a herd aborting in a short period (possible brucellosis or Q fever)
• Severe diarrhea with rapid dehydration in swine (possible African swine fever or porcine epidemic diarrhea virus)

Leptospirosis is a flu-like illness caused by a bacterium, and cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, and goats are all at risk for contracting it. Because leptospirosis is also a zoonotic disease, any suspected case in livestock carries an added urgency for human health protection. You can also review our resources on Newcastle disease and diseases in pet birds for additional context on avian illness patterns.

How to Report a Livestock Disease in Arizona

Arizona provides multiple channels for submitting a disease report, and the method you use may depend on the urgency of the situation. Acting quickly is always the right call when you observe signs consistent with a reportable disease.

Primary contact — AZDA Office of the State Veterinarian:

You can reach the Arizona Department of Agriculture at 602-542-4293 or through their website at agriculture.az.gov. The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AGFD) can be reached at 623-236-7351, and the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) can be contacted at 602-364-3676. For zoonotic disease concerns, you should also contact ADHS at vbzd@azdhs.gov any time animal-to-human transmission is suspected.

Submitting the official report form:

Submit the report via fax to 602-542-4290 or by email to diseasereporting@azda.gov. The AZDA Reportable Disease Form is available for download directly from the State Veterinarian’s Office page on the AZDA website. Fill out the form completely, including the species affected, number of animals, clinical signs observed, and the date symptoms were first noticed.

Step-by-step reporting process:

1. Isolate affected animals immediately to prevent potential spread to the rest of your herd or neighboring operations.
2. Document your observations — note the number of animals affected, species, age, clinical signs, onset date, and any recent movements or purchases.
3. Call the AZDA State Veterinarian’s Office at 602-542-4293 during business hours, or follow emergency contact protocols for after-hours situations.
4. Complete and submit the Reportable Disease Form via fax (602-542-4290) or email (diseasereporting@azda.gov).
5. Notify USDA-APHIS if you are an accredited veterinarian or if federal authorities request direct contact.
6. Preserve samples and records — do not dispose of carcasses or biological material until instructed by state or federal investigators.

The State Veterinarian’s Office protects the livestock, poultry, and aquaculture industries directly, and the public indirectly, through the prevention, early detection, containment, and eradication of economically important livestock, poultry, and fish diseases. Cooperating fully with investigators from the moment you make contact accelerates that protective mission.

For comparison, see how other states handle this process: livestock disease reporting in Florida, livestock disease reporting in California, and livestock disease reporting in Colorado.

Reporting Deadlines and Timeframes in Arizona

Arizona uses a tiered timeframe system based on the severity and nature of the disease. Understanding which tier applies to your situation ensures you meet the deadline and avoid a compliance violation.

Diseases on the federal list must be reported immediately to the AVIC and the State Animal Health Official to be in compliance with 9 CFR 161.3(f). “Immediately” in regulatory practice means as soon as you reasonably suspect the disease — not after waiting for lab confirmation. For foreign animal diseases in particular, even a clinical suspicion triggers the same-day obligation.

Arizona has a state mandatory record retention schedule of between five and seven years to be compliant with ADT requirements and satisfy state law. This means even after you submit your report, you are required to maintain supporting documentation — animal movement records, purchase receipts, treatment logs — for up to seven years in case of a follow-up investigation.

What Happens After You Report in Arizona

Submitting a report sets a structured government response in motion. Knowing what to expect helps you cooperate effectively and manage your operation through the investigation period.

Initial response and investigation: After receiving your report, the AZDA State Veterinarian’s Office will assign an investigator or field veterinarian to assess the situation. The AZDA Animal Services Division, Office of the State Veterinarian, is responsible for implementing the animal disease traceability system for the state of Arizona. This traceability system allows investigators to quickly reconstruct animal movement history, which is critical for containing any potential outbreak.

Quarantine and movement restrictions: If the investigation supports a probable or confirmed diagnosis of a serious reportable disease, the AZDA director has broad authority to impose quarantine. This includes establishment of quarantine and its boundaries, notice of quarantine, and all things necessary to effect the object of the quarantine and to protect the livestock and poultry industries from and prevent the spread of contagious or infectious diseases. A quarantine order restricts movement of animals, equipment, and personnel on and off your premises.

Federal coordination: For diseases with federal reporting requirements, Arizona coordinates directly with USDA-APHIS. All traceability data is used internally by the AZDA to aid in disease investigations, and data is shared with USDA-APHIS-VS when requested. If USDA-APHIS becomes involved, you may receive visits from federal veterinary investigators in addition to state personnel.

Laboratory testing and sample collection: Investigators will typically collect biological samples — blood, tissue, nasal swabs, or fecal material — for submission to a diagnostic laboratory. The Arizona Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (AZDL) in Tucson is the primary state facility. After-hours specimen drop-off is available, and after-hours assistance with unloading an animal carcass is available between 5 PM and 8 PM on weekdays, and 9 AM to 8 PM on weekends and holidays.

Depopulation and indemnity (in severe cases): For certain foreign animal diseases, state and federal authorities may authorize depopulation of affected and exposed animals. Federal indemnity programs through USDA-APHIS may provide compensation to affected producers, though eligibility depends on cooperation with the investigation and compliance with all reporting and quarantine requirements.

For a look at how post-report processes work in neighboring states, review our guides on livestock disease reporting in Illinois and livestock disease reporting in Michigan.

Penalties for Failing to Report in Arizona

Arizona takes non-compliance seriously, and the consequences for failing to report a reportable livestock disease can be significant — both legally and operationally. The penalties apply whether the failure was intentional or the result of negligence.

Professional consequences for veterinarians: Failure to comply with the reporting requirements could result in consequences as per Arizona Revised Statutes 32-2232 and 32-2233. These statutes govern veterinary professional conduct and can result in disciplinary action by the Arizona State Veterinary Medical Examining Board, including license suspension or revocation for willful non-compliance.

Civil penalties under Arizona agricultural law: The AZDA director holds broad enforcement authority over livestock operations. The director may review any order of the administrative law judge and shall review each order involving subsequent violations during a period of probation; the period of a sanction begins on the date of determination of the violation at a hearing, and civil penalties are deposited in the state general fund.

Operational and financial consequences: Beyond formal legal penalties, failing to report can expose your operation to far greater financial harm. If a disease spreads due to delayed reporting, you may face:

• Loss of eligibility for federal indemnity payments if depopulation becomes necessary
• Quarantine orders that halt all animal movement and sales from your premises
• Civil liability if neighboring operations suffer losses traceable to your delayed report
• Increased regulatory scrutiny and mandatory inspections on your operation going forward

Criminal exposure in serious cases: The director may establish a central investigation group to investigate reports of crimes related to livestock and other violations; livestock officers and other employees of the department are required to report all cases of apparent crimes related to livestock to the associate director. In cases where willful non-reporting contributed to a disease outbreak, criminal referrals to law enforcement are possible.

Staying informed about disease risks across species helps you recognize problems earlier. Our resources on tick-borne disease prevention and Lyme disease in dogs illustrate how vector-borne diseases that affect companion animals can also signal environmental conditions relevant to livestock health. Producers managing mixed operations with both livestock and working dogs should also be aware of conditions like autoimmune disease in dogs that, while not reportable, may indicate broader herd health stressors worth monitoring.

Livestock disease reporting in Arizona is not a bureaucratic formality — it is the first line of defense for your herd, your neighbors’ operations, and the broader food supply. Knowing the diseases on the list, recognizing the signs, and acting within the required timeframes puts you in a strong position to protect what you have built and stay on the right side of state and federal law.