The information below is for general use
only to provide basic information regarding import policies and contact
information but may no longer be accurate. The reader is encouraged
to thoroughly investigate all aspects of importation and to contact the
appropriate authorities prior to proceeding with any transportation of
horses and/or semen. The following information was last updated August,
2003.
POLICY DOCUMENTATION
MAY 2002
IMPORT HEALTH REQUIREMENTS OF CANADA FOR HORSES EXPORTED FROM THE UNITED STATES
The following are the health requirements for permanent and temporary exportation of horses
from the United States to Canada. For actual shipment use either the VS 17-140 or the
VS 17-145. See other information for further details.
CERTIFICATION STATEMENTS
-
The animal was inspected within 30 days prior to export and found to be healthy and free
from evidence of communicable disease and exposure thereto;
Either:
-
The animal has resided in the United States or Canada since birth;
or
-
The animal has met all of the import requirements of the United States and has resided in
the United States for the past 60 days;
or
-
The animal was authorized for importation by the Animal Health Division, Agriculture
Canada (required for horses from countries other than Canada that have resided in the
United States less than 60 days);
or
-
OR SLAUGHTER HORSES ONLY: United States origin
horses need to have a required owner/shipper certificate, one
certificate for each horse.
TEST REQUIREMENTS
Negative agar-gel immunodiffusion (Coggins) test or ELISA for equine infectious anemia within
6 months prior to exportation. (No test is required for nursing foals up to 5 months of age
exported with dam or for horses exported for immediate slaughter.) Nursing foals must be issued
their own health certificate, due to the use of an identification diagram.
OTHER INFORMATION
1. Canadian origin horses may re-enter Canada accompanied by Canadian health certificate
WITHOUT veterinary inspection if:
2. Canadian origin horses may re-enter Canada accompanied by Canadian health certificate
WITH veterinary inspection if:
-
They were inspected by a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) veterinarian
upon entry to the United States and they return to Canada within 60 days of the
date of entry into the United States. This means that there must be proof of
inspection and date of entry to the United States (in the form of a USDA Import
Inspection Certificate, VS Form 17-30) when the animal is presented to the
Agriculture Canada veterinarian upon return.
-
The EIA test is still valid.
3. No known reactors to a test for equine infectious anemia shall be certified to Canada for
immediate slaughter.
4. Individualized health certificate dated August 1991, on file with area office should be
used for export of horses to Canada except horses for immediate slaughter for which VS
Form 17-140 should be utilized.
VS Form 17-140 can be used for multiple-horse consignments on a single
certificate IF ALL OF THE FOLLOWING PROVISIONS ARE MET:
a) This certificate can be used for one-way export only - the horses must be sent for
permanent export. They will not be allowed re-entry into the USA with the 17-140
certificate.
(b) All horses must be from a single consignor, they must be consigned to the same
destination, and they must come from the same premises of origin.
(c) All horses must have current EIA test charts, and these charts must be attached to the
17-140. These charts must have accurate drawn descriptions of the horse, adequate to
unambiguously identify the animal and link it to the certificate.
(d) All horses must be identified on the 17-140 with a written description.
(e) All horses must have a visual numerical identification - e.g., mane tag, back tag, or
necklace-type tag. Each horse in the lot must be numbered differently, and this number
must be entered alongside the horse's written description on the 17-140. This same
number must be hand-written on the relevant EIA test chart in order to link that horse
with the testing records.
