Import Requirements for Horses Entering the US
from Canada
1. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
Horses enter the United States (US) from Canada for several different
purposes. Generally, horses entering the US from Canada must be
accompanied by an official veterinary health certificate and evidence of a
negative test for Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) within 180 days prior to
export. The following types of entry into the US from Canada have been
established. Import requirements for each type are slightly different, and
are detailed below:
• Horses from Canada presented for permanent entry into the US
• Horses from Canada entering the US temporarily for 30 days or
less
• US origin horses traveling into Canada for 30 days or less and
returning to the US
• US origin horses traveling into Canada for publicly recognized
exhibitions and returning to the US in 90 days or less
Horses may also be imported from Canada to the US for immediate
slaughter. Slaughter horses must enter with a veterinary health certificate,
and must also comply with the requirements of 9 CFR 88, Commercial
Transportation of Equines for Slaughter. Horses not in compliance with
both 9 CFR 93 Subpart C and 9 CFR 88 will be refused entry into the US.
For additional information, see Import Requirements for Horses from
Canada Entering the US for Immediate Slaughter [link]
2. HEALTH CERTIFICATIONS
A. Horses from Canada entering the US either permanently or
temporarily must be accompanied by a health certificate endorsed
by a salaried veterinarian of the Canadian government stating that
the horses have:
i. Been in that country for 60 days immediately preceding
importation.*
ii. Been inspected and found free of contagious diseases and
insofar as can be determined, exposure thereto during the 60
days immediately preceding exportation.
iii. Not been vaccinated with a live, attenuated, or inactivated
vaccine during the 14 days immediately preceding
exportation.
iv. Not been on premises where African horse sickness, dourine,
glanders, surra, epizootic lymphangitis, ulcerative
lymphangitis, equine piroplasmosis, equine infectious anemia
(EIA), contagious equine metritis (CEM), vesicular
stomatitis, or Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis has
occurred during the 60 days immediately preceding
exportation, nor have these diseases occurred on any
adjoining premises during this same period of time.
v. Not been in a country where CEM is known to exist, nor have
had any contact, breeding or otherwise, with horses from such
a country, for the 12 months preceding exportation.
vi. been found negative to Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA)
within 180 days prior to export on a sample tested by an
approved laboratory.
*Horses from Canada who have been in Canada less than 60 days
must be accompanied by an original copy of export health
certificate from country of origin. If original is not available, a
copy endorsed by Canadian government veterinary officials is
acceptable. In addition, they must be accompanied by certification
from Canadian government veterinary officials that the horses have
been tested for dourine, glanders equine infectious anemia,
piroplasmosis, and have been released from quarantine. Import
testing requirements for Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM) if
required have been met in Canada, and the horse should be
accompanied by documentation certifying to the testing. The
official export health certificate statements in i. – v. above will
certify the horses for the time period they have been in Canada.
For horses from Canada imported into the US for less than 30 days
under Temporary Customs Authorization, the health certificate is
valid for an unlimited number of importations for 30 days from the
date on the health certificate.
B. Horses of US origin exported to Canada with a US-issued export
health certificate valid for a period of 30 days from the date of issue
may reenter the United States an unlimited number of times during
the 30-day period, without USDA veterinary port inspection, at any
Custom land border port of entry designated for animals from
Canada, if accompanied by the original export health certificate.
C. Horses from the US which have been exhibited at the Royal
Agricultural Winter Fair at Toronto or other publicly recognized
expositions in Canada, including racing, horse shows, rodeo,
circus, or stage exhibitions in Canada, and have not been in that
region for more than 90 days are eligible for return to the US
without Canadian health certificates, if they are accompanied by
copies of the original US export health certificate, issued and
endorsed in accordance with the export regulations for traveling to
Canada. The health certificate shall also certify that the horse has
been tested with negative results for EIA within 180 days prior to
return to the United States.
3. PRE-EXPORTATION REQUIREMENTS
All horses entering from Canada must be negative for Equine Infectious
Anemia on a test taken within 180 days of entering the US.
4. PERMIT INFORMATION
An import permit is not required for Canadian horses entering the US, or
for US horses traveling into Canada and returning to the US.
5. PORTS OF ENTRY
Horses from Canada which are subject to inspection must enter through
one of the following designated ports of entry:
Eastport, Idaho; Houlton and Jackman, Maine; Detroit, Port Huron and
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan; Baudette and International Falls, Minnesota;
Opheim, Raymond, and Sweetgrass, Montana; Alexandria Bay, Buffalo,
and Champlain, New York; Dunseith, Pembina, and Portal, North Dakota;
Derby Line and Highgate Springs, Vermont; Oroville and Sumas,
Washington.
6. PORT INSPECTION
Horses from Canada presented for permanent entry into the US will be
inspected by a VS port veterinarian at the border. A fee will be charged for
this inspection.
US origin horses traveling into Canada for publicly recognized exhibitions
and returning to the US in 90 days or less will be inspected at the US port
of entry and must be found free of communicable diseases. A fee will be
charged for this inspection.
Horses from Canada entering the US temporarily for 30 days or less, and
US origin horses traveling into Canada for 30 days or less are not subject
to port inspection.