Import Restrictions Announced for Horses from Florida Entering Canada

Ottawa, ONâ€”The Breeds & Industry Division of Equine Canada would like to inform all stakeholders of the Canadian horse industry that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has imposed import restrictions on horses from Florida entering Canada due to a 2008 outbreak of equine piroplasmosis in the state of Florida.

Effective immediately the following conditions for horses from Florida for all end-uses, other than Canadian horses returning to Canada, will require an import permit. A veterinarian must inspect the horse(s) within 15 days preceding the date of importation.

The horse(s) must be certified for equine piroplasmosis as follows the horse(s) have not been on a premises where equine piroplasmosis (clinical or serology) has occurred during the 60 days immediately preceding exportation to Canada, nor has this disease occurred on any adjoining premises during the same period of time, and they must have tested negative using a cELISA test or, where applicable, an alternate test acceptable to CFIA for equine piroplasmosis, during the fifteen (15) days prior to the date of importation into Canada.

For horses for all end-uses from states other than Florida, the following requirements will apply during the previous twenty-one (21) days, the animal(s) in this shipment has/have not been in the state of Florida.

All the above-mentioned conditions, except for the import permit, will be certified by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDF).

In order to apply for an import permit, Canadian importers will have to contact one of the following CFIA area offices:

For the Atlantics
Dr. Allan McLean
Animal Health Staff Veterinarian

Atlantic Area
Telephone: (506) 851-7871
Fax: (506) 851-3700
Internet: mcleanaw@inspection.gc.ca

For QuÃ©bec
Dr. Alain Lajoie
Program Specialistâ€” Importation
Program Networkâ€”Quebec
Telephone: (514) 283-3815 (4210)
Fax: (514) 283-6214
Internet: lajoiea@inspection.gc.ca

For Ontario
Dr. Susan Wray
Program Specialistâ€”Import
Program Networkâ€”Ontario
Telephone: (519) 826-2810
Fax: (519) 837-9771
Internet: wrays@inspection.gc.ca

For the West
Dr Gary Kruger
Veterinary Program Specialist
Program Networkâ€”West
Telephone: (403) 292-5825
Fax: (403) 292-6629
Internet: krugerg@inspection.gc.ca

Current import requirements for horses entering Canada may be found using the CFIA Automated Import Reference System (AIRS) at http://airs-sari.inspection.gc.ca. To determine specific import requirements for each horse, specific parameters that refer to each horseâ€™s circumstances will need to be entered and customized import requirements will be provided.