Whether you are selling and shipping your horse or traveling to a show, our vets can help to ensure that you have the equine health certificates needed to transport your equine friend without delay.
The Importance of Health Certificates
Export documents are required for any horse crossing an international border, as well as for horses being exported to another state.
A Certificate of Veterinarian Inspections is required to help reduce disease spread from one area and from one horse to another. An inspection for illness by your vet helps to identify obvious or even subtle signs of disease that may not have otherwise been detected.
Requirements for health certificates are different for each state, and our Turlock veterinary practice regularly reviews shipping requirements for all species. Interstate health certificates, international health certificates, passports, and brand inspections are available.
How do I acquire a health certificate for my horse?
A current negative Coggins test and a brand inspection are necessary first steps in getting a health certificate for your horse. Our vets at Taylor Veterinary Emergency can do this for you during your horse's appointment, or we can accept a recent Coggins from your previous vet.
Our equine vets are certified brand inspectors. We are able to provide you with one-way, annual, or lifetime brands. You must have proof of ownership at the time of the appointment for any brand inspections.
Valid proof of ownership includes a bill of sale or registration with both the owner’s and the horse’s names on it.
The port of crossing is required information for all international health certificates being issued.
How long do health certificates remain valid?
Unlike your horse's Coggins test, which typically needs to be done within 12 months of travel (for international it's within six months), in most cases, your horse's health certificates are only valid for about 30 days.
This is why, when you are planning to travel with or ship your horse, organization and preparation are essential.
Contact Taylor Veterinary Emergency to discuss your travel plans and talk about when you need to secure your horse's travel documentation.