Reportable animal diseases

Depending on your role, you may be required to report certain diseases to the competent authorities if you believe an animal is infected.

Once notified, the government can take action to protect animal and public heath in the region.

You are required to report if you are:

• An animal owner or keeper
• A veterinarian
• A head of an animal health laboratory

For more information, including definitions, consult the Regulation to designate contagious or parasitic diseases, infectious agents and syndromes, the Animal Health Protection Act and the Act respecting the conservation and development of wildlife and its associated regulations.

Certain diseases must be reported to one or more ministries. Refer to the relevant list to learn who to contact.

Animal owners and keepers

Animal owners and keepers must report to a veterinarian any signs that indicate the presence of a designated contagious or parasitic disease, infectious agent or syndrome. Some diseases must be directly reported to the Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs. Refer to the list of reportable diseases for animal owners and keepers (PDF 281 Kb) for who to contact if your animal has been diagnosed with or appears to have a reportable disease.

Any animal owner or keeper who submits a sample for testing to a lab outside Québec must report results indicating the presence of a certain diseases to the Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation (MAPAQ) as soon as they receive them. The notice on reporting positive test results (PDF 299 Kb) spells out which diseases and test results must be reported, what must be included in the report and how to submit a report. Any results of follow-up tests carried out to better characterize the disease in the sample must also be reported.

The animal owner or keeper must also answer all of the questions of the person in charge of applying the Animal Health Protection Act to monitor and combat the disease.

Veterinarians

Veterinarians must immediately report any clinical signs that indicate the presence of a designated contagious or parasitic disease, infectious agent or syndrome.

Veterinarians who submit a sample for testing outside of Québec or who perform or supervise the testing outside of a lab must also report any results indicating the presence of a reportable disease. Any results of follow-up tests carried out to better characterize the disease in the sample must also be reported.

For any positive test results for a designated disease, veterinarians must, upon request from the person in charge of applying the Animal Health Protection Act, provide the necessary information for monitoring and combating the disease.

A waiver of professional secrecy is provided for veterinarians concerning the information required to fulfill their reporting obligation with the MAPAQ on contagious or parasitic diseases, pathogens and syndromes designated under regulation.

The list of reportable diseases for veterinarians (PDF 334 Kb) spells out which diseases and test results must be reported, what must be included in the report and how to submit a report.

Depending on the disease, veterinarians must immediately contact one or both of the following ministries:

Veterinarians can also fill out the online form to facilitate quick communication with the relevant parties.

Fill out the online form

Heads of animal health laboratories must immediately report any lab results that indicate the presence of a designated contagious or parasitic disease, infectious agent or syndrome.

Any results of follow-up tests carried out to better characterize the disease in the sample must also be reported.

The list of reportable diseases for heads of animal health laboratories (PDF 231 Kb) spells out which diseases and test results must be reported, what must be included in the report and how to submit a report.

Many diseases that must be reported to Québec authorities must also be reported to the federal government. Visit the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s page on Animal health to learn more about which diseases should be reported to them.