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About Us

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture (NJDA), through its Division of Animal Health (DAH), operates the New Jersey Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory (AHDL). The AHDL provides diagnostic testing services to support disease control programs, health management, and productivity of livestock, equine, poultry, fish, and wildlife. The AHDL serves New Jersey's companion animal owners by providing fast, accurate, convenient, and cost effective services to diagnose diseases in dogs, cats, exotics, and other pets. The AHDL serves as an expert veterinary diagnostic resource to state agencies, federal agencies, veterinarians, clinics, animal organizations, and universities.

The AHDL is housed in the New Jersey Public Health, Environmental, and Agricultural Laboratory (NJPHEAL) facility. The facility houses bio-safety level-2 (BSL-2) and bio-safety level-3 (BSL-3) laboratories. Some of the capabilities include: a modern necropsy room; PCR laboratories; and BSL-3 space to handle dangerous pathogens and highly toxic chemicals, increasing the AHDL's capacity to respond to highly consequential animal diseases like avian influenza, foot-and-mouth-disease, and classical swine fever. The AHDL is a member laboratory of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahln/ and Veterinary Laboratory Investigation and Response Network (Vet-LIRN) http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/ScienceResearch/ucm247334.htm  .

The AHDL provides services through its laboratory sections, which include Accessioning, Administrative, Bacteriology, Molecular Diagnostics, Pathology, Serology, and Virology.