Horse Shipping
Aircraft, & Stalls - As the types of aircraft and stall differ from each part of the world; it would be too difficult to list all the various types here for your review. However, we would refer you to International Air Transport Association, Live Animal Regulations Publication which is an excellent source material of approved equipment. They issue the Live Animal Regulations book on a yearly basis, in English, French and Spanish. Contact the Publications Assistant, 2000 Peel Street, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3A,2R4, Phone No.514 985 6326 or Fax 514 844 9089.
Grooms - An attendant is required to accompany horses by air. Mersant International strongly recommends the use of AATA/NPTC Registered & Assessed Equine Attendants.
Insurance - Horses travel at owner's risk! Whether on a van, ship, or aircraft, horses travel entirely at the owner's risk.
Therefore we strongly urge all owners to obtain mortality insurance on their horse, to include the purchase price, and the cost of shipping whenever possible. References for Insurance carriers are available upon request.
TO REQUEST AN ESTIMATE - please click here to inquire
IMPORT
US DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE REQUIREMENTS:
QUARANTINE Locations:  | New York ( Newburgh )
| | Miami
| | Los Angeles |
Import Horse Shipments: The Process
Horses entering USA from abroad must meet two separate import criteria: 1. US Customs
2. US Department of Agriculture.
Horses arriving from anywhere outside the USA, for entry into the USA, must be quarantined upon arrival and must be accompanied by an International Health Certificate, endorsed by the Ministry of Agriculture of Country of Origin of the Animal. The horse must arrive into the USA with no visible signs of communicable disease, skin rashes, or infections of any kind. All horses arriving in the USA are subjected upon arrival to a quarantine period, and must test negative to the following diseases, before they are eligible for entry into the USA; 1/ Dourine, 2/ Glanders, 3/ Equine Piroplasmosis ( equi and caballi ), 4/ Equine Infectious Anemia ( EIA). The samples must be tested at the USDA Lab in Ames, Iowa. Any horse testing positive after arrival to any one of these diseases will be REFUSED ENTRY into the USA. The owner, at his expense, will have to immediately make arrangements to export the horse back to the country of origin, or agree to have the USDA euthanize the animal. The normal quarantine period is between 24 and 72 hours, pending the result of the blood tests. However, the USDA charges a minimum of $810.00 for a three day stay regardless of whether the horses stay one, two or three days. After the minimum three day stay, should horses be held in quarantine, the charge is $195.00 per day from days 4 through 7 and $166.00 per day from days 8 and over.
In addition to the charge for board, there is an additional USDA User Fee for Blood tests that currently amounts to $80.00 per horse thereby making the complete quarantine charges for a minimum stay per horse $890.00.
There are three levels of USDA Entry Quarantine: 1. Three days, for horses entering from any country not infected with either VEE (Venezuelan Equine Encephomyilitis) or AHS (African Horse Sickness)
2. Seven days, for horses entering from countries reporting VEE within last year. Cost of Quarantine $ 1590.00 plus blood tests.
3. Sixty days for horses entering from a region where African Horse Sickness has been reported during the last 12 months. Cost of Quarantine is $10,388.00 plus blood tests. Only available at New York’s Newburgh Quarantine Facility.
Plus, if horses, with the exception of Thoroughbred Horses in Training, from the countries of England, Ireland, France, and Germany, are arriving from a Country currently on the list in Washington, for * Contagious Equine Metritis ( CEM ) than an additional quarantine period will be required after the USDA quarantine has been completed. * see CEM Section, for details.
From certain countries an Import Permit is required prior to arrival of the animal. The permit is issued by USDA, upon written request.
The USDA in Ames Iowa, does allow the ability to prescreen the blood of a projected imported horse, prior to arrival. To avail yourself of this service, a permit is issued, samples drawn according to instructions on the permit, and sent to USDA Lab in Ames, Iowa. This prescreen is a precaution, and the testing of the blood is charged, based on series of rates for USDA User Fees, applicable to the testing involved. Please be advised, however, that a negative blood test, prior to arrival, can not be considered as proof of negative on the arrival of the horse into the USA. The only test that will be considered for the importation of the horse is the one drawn at time of arrival of the animal upon entry. However the prescreening is highly recommended by Mersant as a useful tool prior to purchase and or shipping. Mersant strongly advises all clients to pretest their horses prior to shipment to the U.S.
NOTE WELL: To Reserve Space at the Quarantine Stations, a check in full payment of the minimum stay must be presented to the USDA in order to guarantee your arrival date. Please note the USDA has recently established a new policy with regards to the cancellation of a reservation. It now states:
If we cancel a reservation 30 Business days from the reservation date then you are subject to a 25% forfeiture of a per horse stall rate.
If we cancel a reservation between 15-29 business days from reservation, then you are subject to a 50% loss of 810.
If we cancel a reservation inside of 15 Business Days then you will loose 100% of your deposit.
U. S. Customs Clearance upon arrival!
All goods entering the United States must be cleared through U.S.Customs. This includes livestock. A U.S. Customs Bond must also be posted upon entry.
Mersant International Ltd., is a licensed customs broker as well as freight forwarder and is qualified to handle all U.S. Customs paperwork on behalf of our clients.
To accomplish this, we are required by U.S. Customs to have a completed U.S Customs Limited Power of Attorney on file for each importer as well as the Social Security Number of an individual or Federal Identification Number of a corporation. In the event the client is a foreigner, Mersant will apply to the U.S. Customs Service for a Customs Importer Number which will allow us to complete the U.S. Customs Entry.
The Department of Treasury currently does not assess any duties on horses being imported into the country; however, they do assess a U.S. Customs User Fee on all non American goods entering the country, including horses. This fee is based on the value of the horse and is calculated at a rate of .0021% , the minimum being $25.00, and the maximum, per entry, $485.
The owner/agent of the horse (s) being imported must supply Mersant with true and correct information regarding the value which will be shown on the commercial invoice and submitted to U.S. Customs at the time of entry.
FOREIGN AGENT & PREPARATION:
It is very important that prior to the shipment of a horse from a foreign country, a careful review and coordination of all requirements necessary, be done on your behalf. Mersant is linked to the most prestigious and competent agents throughout the world in order to provide you with the most dedicated and knowledgeable representation available.
If your documentation is improperly prepared, your horses could be held in Quarantine, at additional expense to you, or be refused entry upon arrival in the United States. Please contact us prior to leaving the USA and we will recommend an agent in the area you wish to travel.
BREED REGISTRIES:
The Jockey Club
821 Corporate Drive
Lexington, Kentucky, 40503
Phone: 859-223-4320
Fax: 859-224-2710
Arabian Horse Registry of America, Inc.
12000 Zuni Street
Westminster, Colorado, 80234
Phone: 303-450-4748
Fax: 303-450-2841
The U.S.Trotting Association
750 Michigan Avenue
Columbus, Ohio, 43215
Phone: 614-224-2291
Fax: 614-228-1385
International Sporthorse Registry
And Oldenburg Verband, N.A.
939 Merchandise Mart
200 World Trade Center
Chicago, Illinois, 60654
Phone: 312-527-6544
Fax: 312-527-6573
American Quarter Horse Association
P.O. Box 200
Amarillo, Texas 79168-0001
Phone: 806-376-4811
Fax: 806-376-8304
United States Icelandic Horse Congress
38 Park Street
Montclair, New Jersey, 07042
Phone: 201 783-3429
Fax: 201-783-0777
EXPORT:
US CUSTOMS
Invoices -- At time of export, a commercial invoice must be prepared stating the value of the animal being shipped, clearly showing the name and address of the purchaser/consignee, and the name and address of the seller/ shipper. This document is prepared by Mersant International, based on information provided by the owner/agent of the animal being prepared to be exported.
Declarations -- A Shipper’s declaration is prepared by Mersant International based on information provided by the owner/ agent of the animal being shipped. It is then presented with related documents to US Customs, along with other pertinent export documentation, at the time of departure.
US DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE- Preparing a horse for exportation
Required blood tests & Required health certificates, varies from country to country- please contact Mersant or the US Area Vet in Charge of your state, for the latest requirements by country.
THE FOLLOWING ARE THE CURRENT MEMBERS OF THE E.U. (EUROPEAN UNION COUNTRIES) | UNITED KINGDOM
| | SWEDEN
| | REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
| | FINLAND
| | FRANCE
| | AUSTRIA
| | NETHERLANDS
| | GERMANY
| | DENMARK
| | GREECE
| | BELGIUM
| | PORTUGAL
| | LUXEMBOURG
| | SPAIN
| | ITALY
| | CYPRUS
| | CZECH REPUBLIC
| | ESTONIA
| | HUNGRY
| | LATVIA
| | LITHUANIA
| | MALTA
| | POLAND
| | SLOVAKIA
| | SLOVENIA
| | FINLAND
| | ROMANIA |
THE FOLLOWING ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR HORSES DESTINED TO THE EUROPEAN UNION, FROM THE UNITED STATES, AS OF JAN, 2008
The European Union currently has two classifications of horses traveling to the EU from USA:
PERMANENT HEALTH STATUS
In order to prepare a horse for export under the permanent health status, the following is required: - A minimum of Thirty (30) day isolation, under the supervision of the USDA in the state of isolation.
- Vaccination against Eastern and Western Equine Encephalomyelitis within six (6) months or at least thirty (30) days prior to export.
- Subjected to a negative coggins test for Equine Infectious Anemia within thirty (30) days of export.
- In the case of an uncastrated male, a blood (or virus isolation test on a semen sample) test for Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA) needs to be taken with a negative result within twenty-one (21) days of export.
TEMPORARY HEALTH STATUS
In order to prepare a horse for export under the temporary health status, the following is required: - Vaccination against Eastern and Western Equine Encephalomyelitis within six months or at least thirty (30) days prior to export.
- A coggins test for Equine Infectious Anemia with a negative result within 90 days of export.
- Tested for Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA) within 21 days of export with negative result.
Please carefully note the following information!
1. ALL BLOOD TESTS AND HEALTH CERTIFICATES SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY AN ACCREDITED VET, REGISTERED WITH THE USDA IN THE STATE OF PRACTICE.
2. ALL HEALTH CERTIFICATES SHOULD CLEARLY INDICATE THE COMPLETE MARKINGS AND BRAND/ TATTOO OF EACH ANIMAL, BOTH IN GRAPHIC DIAGRAM/ AND WRITTEN FORM.
3. ALL HEALTH CERTIFICATES MUST BE PRESENTED TO THE US DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE AREA VET IN THE STATE OF ORIGIN OF THE EXPORTED HORSE FOR SEAL AND ENDORSEMENT.
4. ANY HORSE ARRIVING AT PORT OF EXPORT WITHOUT SIGNED, AND SEALED DOCUMENTS , CLEARLY INDICATING DESCRIPTION OF HORSE TO BE EXPORTED WILL BE PREVENTED FROM LEAVING THE USA BY THE USDA PORT VETERINARIAN.
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