Section 26-2-102. Inspection of animals prior to slaughter or preparation; examination and slaughtering of diseased animals; examination and inspection of method; right of Commissioner to deny or suspend inspections

   (a) For the purpose of preventing the use in commerce of meat food products which are adulterated, the Commissioner shall cause to be made, by inspectors appointed for that purpose, an examination and inspection of all cattle, sheep, swine, nontraditional livestock, rabbits, goats, horses, mules, and other equines before they shall be allowed to enter into any slaughtering, packing, meat-canning, rendering, or similar establishment in this state in which slaughtering and preparation of meat and meat food products of such animals are conducted for commerce.

(b) All cattle, sheep, swine, nontraditional livestock, rabbits, goats, horses, mules, and other equines found on such inspection to show symptoms of disease shall be set apart and slaughtered separately from all other cattle, sheep, swine, nontraditional livestock, rabbits, goats, horses, mules, or other equines; and, when so slaughtered, the carcasses of said cattle, sheep, swine, nontraditional livestock, rabbits, goats, horses, mules, or other equines shall be subject to a careful examination and inspection, all as provided by the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commissioner.

(c) For the purpose of preventing the inhumane slaughtering of livestock, the Commissioner shall cause to be made, by inspectors appointed for that purpose, an examination and inspection of the method by which cattle, sheep, swine, nontraditional livestock, rabbits, goats, horses, mules, and other equines are slaughtered and handled in connection with slaughter in the slaughtering establishments inspected under this article. The Commissioner may refuse to provide inspection to a new slaughtering establishment or may cause inspection to be suspended temporarily at a slaughtering establishment if the Commissioner finds that any cattle, sheep, swine, nontraditional livestock, rabbits, goats, horses, mules, or other equines have been slaughtered or handled in connection with slaughter at such establishment by any method not in accordance with paragraph (2) of Code Section 26-2-110 and Code Section 26-2-110.1 until the establishment furnishes assurances satisfactory to the Commissioner that all slaughtering and handling in connection with slaughter of livestock shall be in accordance with such a method.

Ga. L. 1969, p. 1028, § 3; Ga. L. 1974, p. 453, § 1; Ga. L. 1981, p. 657, § 1; Ga. L. 1995, p. 244, § 17; Ga. L. 1996, p. 1219, § 6; Ga. L. 2008, p. 458, § 13/SB 364.