Equine Importation

7-Day Quarantine (Screwworm)

USDA GUIDE SHEET FOR HORSES FROM COUNTRIES AFFECTED WITH SCREWWORM THAT REQUIRE A 7-DAY QUARANTINE

Horses may be imported into the United States from countries the USDA considers to be affected with screwworm provided that the following conditions have been met.

1. A veterinarian must treat horses with ivermectin 3 to 5 days prior to the date of export to the United States according to the recommended dose prescribed on the product's label.

2. Horses must be examined for screwworm by a full-time salaried veterinary official of the exporting country within 24 hours prior to shipment to the United States. The official must fully examine the horses, including their external genitalia. If horses are found to be infested with screwworm, they must be treated until free from infestation.

3. At the time horses are loaded onto a means of conveyance for export, a veterinarian must treat any visible wounds on the animals with a solution of coumaphos dust at a concentration of 5 percent active ingredient.

4. Horses must be accompanied to the United States by a certificate signed by a full-time salaried veterinary official of the exporting country. The certificate must state that the horses:

a. have been thoroughly examined, including their external genitalia, and found free of screwworm and that the horses have been treated in accordance with numbers 1 and 3 above.

b. been in that country for 60 days immediately preceding importation. If not, they must be accompanied by a like certificate issued by a full-time salaried veterinary officer of the National Government of each country in which the horses have been during the 60 days immediately preceding shipment to the United States.

c. been inspected and found to be free of contagious diseases and, insofar as can be determined, exposure thereto during the 60 days immediately preceding exportation.

d. not been vaccinated with a live or attenuated or inactivated vaccine during the 14 days immediately preceding exportation.

e. not been on premises where African horsesickness, dourine, glanders, surra, epizootic lymphangitis, ulcerative lymphangitis, equine piroplasmosis, equine infectious anemia (EIA), contagious equine metritis (CEM), vesicular stomatitis, or Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis has occurred during the 60 days immediately preceding exportation, nor have these diseases occurred on any adjoining premises during the same period of time.

f. not been in a country where CEM is known to exist, nor have had any contact, breeding, or otherwise, with horses from such country, for the 12 months preceding exportation.

Horses presented for entry into the United States from countries that are not recognized by the USDA as being free from screwworm are required to be quarantined for a minimum of 7-days at the port of entry. Quarantine charges are $270.00 per day for each horse for days 1 through 3, and $195.00 for each horse for days 4 through 7 (prices subject to change without prior notice.) If the length of quarantine is extended beyond 7 days, the quarantine rate may be lowered. While in quarantine, tests for dourine, glanders, equine piroplasmosis, and equine infectious anemia are conducted. Horses that test positive for any of the diseases will be refused entry into the United States.

To reserve space at a USDA-operated quarantine facility the importer or agent should contact the port veterinarian at one of the following locations:

New York Animal Import Center
200 Drury
Rock Tavern, NY 12575
(845) 564-2950

Los Angeles Import Center
11850 S. La Cienega Blvd.
Hawthorne, CA 90250
(310) 725-1970

Miami Animal Import Center
6300 NW 36 Street
Miami, FL 33122
(305) 526-2926

It may be prudent to check with the State of destination as to any additional State Health requirements that must be met. Some States have health requirements that are in addition to those required by the Federal Government.

Countries that USDA Considers to be Affected with Screwworm:

*Or any other part of the world where screwworm is considered to exist.

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