General Law of the National Animal Health Service of Costa Rica

This Law is responsible for regulating the protection of animal health, veterinary public health and the operation of the National Animal Health Service (Senasa). Its objective is multiple and ranges from preserving and promoting animal health in harmony with the environment to ensuring the sanitary safety of foods of animal origin to protect human health. In addition, it seeks to comprehensively control and regulate the safety and harmlessness of these foods throughout the production chain, implement measures to control zoonoses, and monitor the use and exchange of animals and derived products, guaranteeing the supervision of veterinary medicines and foods for animal consumption. Additionally, the Law establishes that Senasa will be the competent body under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock to administer and apply the provisions contained therein, highlighting its role in the planning, execution and evaluation of programs and services at the national and international level. Senasa has broad powers that include the administration of sanitary and veterinary measures, the establishment of quality control procedures, and coordination with different national and international entities.