Transporting to Canada

Cathyleabo · Postby **Cathyleabo** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 11:32 am

Does anyone know what documents are needed to transport a horse from the US to Canada?
Thanks

Bondama · Postby **Bondama** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 12:35 pm

Truecolours is in Canada - I bet she knows.

Tucumcari · Postby **Tucumcari** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 2:14 pm

Coggins and international health

Derby Lyn · Postby **Derby Lyn** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 2:21 pm

international health papers are only good for 30 days. Are you doing the transportation yourself or are you hiring someone? If you are going into the US with a horse then make sure you go when the vet is there. They will want the vet to check your horse. They are not so strict going into Canada. They will want to stamp your papers when you go through the boarder, to date when the horse went through.
Here is a good link for all the info:
http://www.superiorhorse.net/customs.html

Mood Swings · Postby **Mood Swings** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 6:43 pm

What Tuc said

AscotStud · Postby **AscotStud** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 10:30 pm

make sure you get the vet to make your papers up as temporary, regardless on wether it is or not. You don't want them trying to figure out how much GST to tack onto the value of the horse if the papers are marked permanent export.

Tucumcari · Postby **Tucumcari** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 8:09 am

Absoloutely marked temporary! Like Ascot said!!!

madelyn · Postby **madelyn** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 10:32 am

I have taken several horses across the border into Canada, and had some come back into the US.

The horse will need a current Coggins, which will be accompanied by a health certificate specifically for "Export to Canada." The PITA part of that is it is a multipart form which cannot be faxed and must be signed by the USDA vet in your state capitol. They charge for that ($48 the last time I did one) and you have to take it there. In KY, the office is in Frankfort.

If the export is temporary, you must provide an explanation. Otherwise it is assumed permanent and you can be stuck at the border for hours while they figure out what GST to charge you before you can continue (it is paid there on the spot).

Evenheaven · Postby **Evenheaven** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 10:43 am

We just had a mare ship in from Canada last month. She had a Canadian health certificate, proof of neg. coggins and that was that. Relatively painless.
I shipped a horse to Truecolours last year and going into Canada was a breeze with the canadian health cert. and proof of neg. coggins. The PIA was coming back after she was confirmed in foal. Had to stop and see the FDA vet to "inspect" her (even though he never left his office and was so near sighted, there was no way he could see anything at all) and pay a $3 cash "donation" for using the facility and then pay an additional $38 even though Dona had everything in order since my mare technically lives here in the states. Just make sure all your t's are crossed and your i's dotted and expect to have delays coming back to the states

DEACON · Postby **DEACON** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 11:07 am

I just shipped one of my stallions last week to Canada to stand. The only thing i needed was a international health certificate and current coggins. The health certificate was $38.00 plus $20.00 for the coggins. I was surprise how simple it was to get it done. :lol:

wilf · Postby **wilf** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 12:03 pm

Your coggins cannot be older than 6 months to get into Canada, the International Health Cert must be Federally Stamped. When you go through the border the agents generally have no idea what to do so you give them a copy and go on with it. No vet checks at all. Going back into the States is a pain since 9/11/01,they require brokerage which adds plenty to your basic costs.

Cathyleabo · Postby **Cathyleabo** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 1:04 pm

I work in Salem, the state capital, so that is a big help. It sounds like timing the Int'l health certificate exam and coggins with the planned crossing is the most difficult part.
I considered meeting the person in the parking lot on the US side and giving them the paperwork. I would wait until they were passed through, of course.
Thank you all for your help.

TrueColours · Postby **TrueColours** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 4:11 am

Sorry - late to the party as usual!

The other "good" thing to remember about crossing into Canada is that you dont have to see a vet of any description so you can pass over the border 24/7. Going INTO the States, you are limited to the days and hours of the USDA, so its Monday to Friday, 8:30 - 4:30 otherwise you pay horrendous after hours fees ...

Temporary is your best bet for sure *IF* in fact is that the horse is entering Canada temporarily as a mare being bred, etc

They are getting stickier about things. When I brought Sato in many years ago to stand, on a leased basis, I was held up for over 2 hours at Canada Customs as they kept trying to get me to admit that I "BOUGHT" him and he wasnt still owned by the Tyler's. Jerry then got phone calls from Canada Customs enquiring about the "horse he sold to Canada" and for several months later, I would get calls from people wanting to "breed their mare to him." And "isnt he the stallion you just bought from Michigan a few months ago???" AFter about 6 months they finally laid off and neither Jerry nor I got any calls any longer

Also remember that as well as the 5% gst you will be charged on the invoice value of the horse, they are also deemed "livestock" and you will also have to pay 8% sales tax on their declared value upon importation as well. Again - *IF* they are being declared as permanent entries

Hope this all helps!

Tucumcari · Postby **Tucumcari** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 1:55 pm

And usually if you are using a decent ve they are aware of the appropriate ways to get the papers done as they should be. Never had a problem getting a horse across the line either by land or by air. I had a little hassle with a groom once, but that was short lived he was legal.