International Health Certificates for Live Animal Movement

International health certificates (IHC’s) are legal documents that confirm that an animal has complied with the import requirements of a country and is fit for entry. The import requirements are outlined by the destination country, with IHC’s providing information regarding health and identification of the animal.

Sounds simple? It is relatively simple, provided you pay attention to the exact clauses. For example, health certificates depend on the credentials of the veterinarian. The credentials and qualifications required of a vet vary depending on the animal species being transported and the requirements of the destination country. 

While some IHC’s can be issues by a state licensed veterinarian (which is good enough for most places), certain requirements will need them to have extra qualifications and accreditation, such as a USDA accreditation (without which no IHC’s can be accredited for pet travel to the USA). 

Before a vet can issue an IHC to a pet parent, they must complete a thorough, pre-travel physical examination, and ensure all necessary vaccinations, testing procedures, and treatments are complete. When a vet signs and stamps an IHC, they are claiming responsibility for the information provided on the IHC, which is why it is often called an IHC ‘endorsement’.

Most countries importing pet animals will require the IHC to be endorsed by the animal welfare board/ministry of forestry/department of agriculture or other similar government body that operates in the destination country and manages the import/export of pet animals.

When such a government body reviews the documentation for a pet, they are looking for a few verifications: 

• Verification of compliance with the importing country’s pet import requirements. 
• Verification of completion of required inspections, exams, treatments, lab tests, and these processes were conducted by an authorized and accredited veterinarian. 
• Verification of completion of the IHC and the accuracy of the information provided on it. 

Upon completion of verification, an IHC is endorsed, and the certification along with the documentation is provided to the pet owner/exporter. 

Time is a Major Factor to Consider

Given the widespread nature of the requirements for pet import and the fact that some of these processes, tests, and examinations require time to be completed, one requires adequate time to comply with such requirements. For example, if you live in a high-rabies country, you will need ample time to accommodate the vaccina administration, sample extraction, and cool off periods before you can provide these details on an IHC. Som pre-travel verifications and testing processes can take months (depending on where you live and where you’re going), so plan your travel well to avoid any mishaps later in the process. 

Certification Statements and Endorsements are Crucial 

A certification statement is included on the IHC (or in a country’s export requirements), which the vet issuing the IHC attests to. Statements of this nature relate to the health of the pet being exported or the disease status of the animal’s country of origin (low-rabies country vs high rabies country for example). Do note that an IHC will not be issued until all the stipulated requirements of the importing country are complied with. 

Some countries require country-specific IHC’s. For such countries, the necessary certification statements must be included on that IHC, and such IHC’s are often available on the country’s government website for people to download and complete. 

If such a pre-completed IHC is not available, the certification statements must be added to a regular IHC before it is issued. All certification statements must be typed out as they appear in the issued requirements. 

Laboratory Testing Procedures 

If a country has listed certain testing procedures as an import requirement, then laboratory testing results must be included on the IHC when being submitted for endorsement by the government body’s vet. Test results should comply with the pet import requirements of the importing country. Animal details pertaining to identification on the test results must match the animal identification details on the IHC. 

Certain countries require you to get your pet’s blood sample tested at accredited laboratories which are recognized by the destination country’s authorities. Such labs have rigorous health, safety, and quality checks, which ensures the test results are reliable. For example, for pet travel to the EU, you will need to get your pet’s sample tested by an EU-accredited laboratory. 
 
The number of checks and balanced involved while transporting a pet across borders may seem excessive, but all such checks and requirements are in place to safeguard the ecosystem of a country. Provided you pay attention to the import laws, research, and plan, you should have little trouble complying with the import requirements and enjoy a safe journey with your pet.