Cyprus Veterinary Services The Veterinary Services are functioning under the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment and are regulated by the National Veterinary Legislation which is fully in line with the EU Acquis. There are four District Veterinary Offices located in the towns of Nicosia, Limassol, Pafos and Larnaka / Famagusta, assisted by 8 satellite rural Veterinary Stations. Divisions A. Animal Health and Animal Welfare Division It is responsible for: 1. The prevention, control and eradication of Animal Diseases particularly those causing epizootics. 2. The import of live animals and animal products from Third countries and intracommunity trade i.e. between EU member states. 3. The preparation, keeping and execution of contingency plans focusing on the control and eradication of certain dangerous epizootics. 4. Offering clinical services to sick animals through Veterinary Officers or private Veterinarians under Government agreement. 5. The identification and registration of animals by application of ear tags to the bovine and sheep/ goat population. 6. The registration and mapping of all farms. This is of great importance for effective control and eradication of animal diseases. 7. Animal Welfare in close cooperation with non-government animal welfare societies. Special attention is given to farmed animals during their stay in their holdings, during transport and at the pre-slaughter and slaughter period. 8. The functioning of Border Inspection Posts at Larnaka Airport and Limassol harbor. B. Veterinary Public Health Division (PHD) It is responsible for: The hygiene production and placing on the market of most foods of animal origin, like red meat, white meat, meat products , meat preparations , fishery products, milk and milk products and egg products. The harmonization of all establishments/vehicles producing, processing, transporting, storing foods of animal origin with the EU Acquis. The sampling of products of animal origin or animal feeds for physical and/ or laboratory testing. The protection of the consumer from animal diseases transmitted to man from the animal, like echinococcus, brucellosis, scrapie, and others. C. Veterinary Laboratories They comprise: The Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory : Responsible for the successful diagnosis and control of most of animal diseases. Main divisions and works of this lab is the Bacteriology and Serology, Virology (including special laboratory for diagnosis of the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy BSE) , Histopathology, Post Mortem / Microbiology , Biological Products production ( Vaccine, Serums, etc.)and the animal feeds laboratory. The Public Health Laboratory : Responsible for the successful testing and judging whether a food is fit for human consumption, including examination of residues in foods of animal origin.