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Animal and Animal Product Import

Live Poultry

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Procedures for Importing Live Poultry

ADVISORY: Until further notice, there is a temporary ban on the importation of pet birds from Afghanistan, Albania, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Cambodia, Cameroon, Czech Republic (regions (kraj) of Kralovehradecky and Pardubicky ONLY), Djibouti, Germany (the following kreis ONLY): Muldental, Torgue-Oschatz, Dobeln, Saalfeld-Rudolstadt, Schwandorf, Neustadt A.D. Aisch, Bamberg, Kitzingen, Erlangen-Hochstadt, Oberhavel, Havelland, Ostprignitz-Ruppin, Potsdam-Mittelmark, Uckermark, Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Prignitz, Jerichower Land, Gorlitz and Bautzen, Ghana, Hong Kong, Hungary (Bacs-Kiskun and Csongrad counties ONLY), India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire), Japan, Jordan, Laos, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Myanmar, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestinian Autonomous Territories, Peoples' Republic of China, Poland (voivodships [provinces] of Warminsko-Mazurskie, Mazowiekie, and Kujawsko-Pomorskie ONLY), Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Sudan, Sweden (Kalmar county ONLY), Thailand, Togo, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom (counties of Norfolk, and Suffolk, England), and Vietnam.

Poultry imported from Canada into the United States are not required to be quarantined. However, the poultry must be accompanied by a veterinary health certificate issued within 30 days of importation and endorsed by a full-time salaried veterinarian of the Canadian government. The poultry must be inspected by a USDA veterinarian at the first U.S. port of entry.

An import permit is not required for poultry imported from Canada through a U.S. - Canadian land border port. However, if the poultry enters the United States through an airport, an import permit (VS Form17-129) (fillable pdf 75kb) is required.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines poultry to include chickens, doves, ducks, geese, grouse, guinea fowl, partridges, pea fowl, pheasants, pigeons, quail, swans, and turkeys. All birds of these species are subject to the import requirements for poultry, and are not considered by the USDA to be pet birds.

Requirements

  • 30-day quarantine at a USDA Animal Import Center
  • Animal Import Permit (VS Form17-129) (fillable pdf 75kb)
  • Veterinary Health Certificate issued by a full-time salaried veterinarian of the agency responsible for animal health of the national government of the exporting country
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Certification
  • FDA Imported food requirement
  • Import Procedures (from all countries except Canada)

    • All poultry must be quarantined for a minimum of 30 days at a USDA Animal Import Center. The poultry must also be accompanied by a USDA import permit (VS Form17-129) (fillable pdf 75kb), issued prior to shipment of the birds. The importer must contact a USDA Animal Import Center to apply for the import permit and reserve quarantine space in the facility. The addresses for the USDA Animal Import Centers are listed below.

    New York Animal Import Center
    USDA, APHIS, VS
    474 International Blvd
    Rock Tavern, NY 12575
    Phone: (845) 564-2950
    Fax: (845) 564-1075

     
    Miami Animal Import Center
    USDA, APHIS, VS
    6300 NW 36 Street
    Miami, FL 33122
    Phone: (305) 526-2926
    Fax: (305) 526-2929
     
    Los Angeles Animal Import Center
    USDA, APHIS, VS
    11850 South La Cienega Boulevard
    Hawthorne, CA 90250
    Phone: (310) 725-1970
    Fax: (310) 725-9119
    • The poultry must be accompanied by a current veterinary health certificate issued within 30 days of importation and endorsed by a full-time salaried veterinarian of the agency responsible for animal health of the national government of the exporting country. The health certificate must be translated into English.
    • The poultry must be inspected by a USDA port veterinarian at the first U.S. port of entry. The importer must arrange for this inspection at least 72 hours in advance by contacting the USDA port veterinarian at the telephone number listed on the import .
    • The importer must retain the services of a customs broker to facilitate the importation and, in some cases, to transport the poultry from the port of entry to the USDA Animal Import Center. The importer should contact the Import Center for a list of customs brokers to provide these services.
    • During the quarantine period, all poultry will be tested to determine if they are free of certain communicable diseases of poultry. The cost for this diagnostic testing will be charged to the importer and is separate from the quarantine fee.
    • Total payment of the quarantine and diagnostic testing fees is required when the import permit (VS Form17-129) (fillable pdf 75kb) application is submitted. The payment amount will be provided to the importer by the USDA Animal Import Center. The daily user fee rate for standard care, feed, and handling of poultry quarantined in a USDA Animal Import Center is as follows:

      Doves, pigeons, quail $   3.50
      Chickens, ducks, grouse, guinea fowl, partridge, pea fowl, pheasants $   6.25
      Large poultry and waterfowl (game cocks, geese, swans, turkey) $ 15.00

    Poultry Import from Canada

    Poultry imported from Canada into the United States are not required to be quarantined. However, the poultry must be accompanied by a veterinary health certificate issued within 30 days of importation and endorsed by a full-time salaried veterinarian of the Canadian government. The poultry must be inspected by a USDA veterinarian at the first U.S. port of entry.

    An import permit is not required for poultry imported from Canada through a U.S. - Canadian land border port. However, if the poultry enters the United States through an airport, an import permit (VS Form17-129) (fillable pdf 75kb) is required.

    This permit may be downloaded from this site or by contacting us:
    USDA, APHIS, VS
    National Center for Import and Export
    4700 River Road, Unit 39
    Riverdale, MD 20737
    (301) 734-3277 telephone
    (301) 734-6402 fax

    Fish and Wildlife Service Permit Information

    In the United States, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) regulates the importation of birds protected by the Convention on International trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and the Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992 (WBCA). These regulations are part of international conservation effort to protect exotic wild birds subject to trade. Most exotic pet birds including parrots, parakeets, macaws, lories, and cockatoos are affected by CITES and the WBCA. However, the budgerigar, cockatiel, and rosy-faced lovebirds are exempt.

    According to the WBCA, in order to import a pet bird of non-U.S. origin into the United States, you must have continuously resided outside of the United States for at least one year. In addition, the WBCA limits the number of pet birds that can be imported to two birds per person, per year. All required WBCA and CITES permits must accompany the bird while in transit.

    Please visit the FWS web site at: http://permits.fws.gov/ to obtain more information and the permit application. If you have questions you can contact the FWS at (800) 358-2104. Over seas calls should be placed to (703) 358-2104.

     

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    Last Modified: December 12, 2008