Questions about taking pet birds across US/Canadian Border

[hollmer]

I have read many posts where people want to know the correct procedures for bringing exotic Birds across US and Canadian Borders. I am no expert by any means, but I was born in NF Canada and lived there until 19 when I moved to the US and have been here ever since. I travel back and forth across the border almost every weekend. I have never taken my macaws with me because even if you have all your paperwork in order, Customs can request a Vet check at anytime and the Vet can quarintine your Bird even if you have a health certificate, if he/she feels your bird might have contracted an illness while travelling.

I am in the process of aquiring detailed information from both the Canadian and US Borders as to procedures for crossing with pet Birds/Purchased Birds going from one country to another.

I would hate for anyone to have their bird placed in a 30-90 quarintine simply for crossing the border.

I will post all the information I find and where I find it in this thread. I hope this will help my fellow bird owners during their travels.

Please confirm all info before travelling, the regulations for crossing the border can change frequently.

[hollmer]

Here is some information from the US Customs and Border patrol. you can find this information through the following link.
Answer

All birds -- those taken out of the country as well as those being returned -- are subject to controls and restrictions. In addition, nearly all birds coming into the country require a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

To prevent outbreaks of the Exotic Newcastle Disease (END), the following U.S. Department of Agriculture controls and restrictions have been in effect since January 1980: Most birds must be quarantined upon arrival for at least 30 days in a USDA-operated facility at the owner's expense. These facilities are located at the following ports of entry:

New York, NY (718) 553-1727
Miami, FL (305) 526-2926
McAllen, TX(210) 687-8314
Los Angeles, CA(310) 215-1314
San Ysidro, CA (310) 215-2352 (California reservations should be made in Los Angeles.)
Honolulu, HI (808) 861-8560
A 30-day quarantine costs approximately $200 per bird cost is subject to change. Quarantine space must be reserved in advance by submitting VS Form 17-23 with the full amount. The form is available from USDA offices, American consulates, and embassies.

A health certificate executed by the national veterinarian of the country of export must accompany the bird. The certificate must have been executed no more than 30 days prior to the bird's arrival. This certificate must affirm that the bird has been examined, that it shows no evidence of communicable disease, and that it is being exported in accordance with the laws of that country. If the health certificate is not in English, you must provide a translation. VS Form 17-23 includes an acceptable health certificate in English and may be used for this purpose.

The bird must be removed from the quarantine facility within five days of notification of release. It is the owner's responsibility to arrange for the bird's transportation and to pay the costs of quarantine.

Birds from Canada that have been in the owner's possession for at least 90 days before importation and that are found healthy upon veterinary inspection at one of the Canadian border ports of entry where veterinarians are stationed are exempt from the 30-day quarantine.

Pet and performing birds originating in the United States may be reimported without being quarantined if they are accompanied by a United States veterinary health certificate and, if necessary, a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - with the exception of coming from a country where Highly Pathogenic Avian Bird Flu is evident, in which case they are subject to quarantine. This health certificate must be obtained prior to departure from the United States and must include a leg band or tattoo number.

In any case, every bird is subject to inspection by a veterinarian. You should call ahead to make sure that a vet will be available at the port of entry you intend to enter the U.S. through. If arrangements are not made to ensure that a vet will be there, the bird may be detained until the vet can travel to the port. There is a $16 inspection fee. Pet birds must be kept separate and apart from all other birds and poultry while outside the United States.

Federal permits are required by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the importation and exportation of most bird species listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, endangered birds and native species, including feathers, parts and mounted specimens, and certain live injurious species.

In addition, foreign wildlife permits may be required. Be sure to check with the foreign country for its wildlife requirements. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service clearance is required to import and export all non-domestic birds and their parts and products.

Because certain States administer their own regulations to protect wildlife and animal health, you should contact appropriate State officials to learn about State requirements, if any, when making importation arrangements.

[hollmer]

Heree is information from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in regards to importing a pet bird into canada.
I am awaiting a response to clarify personally owned and cared for bird, I have requested more information on this point, particularly if proof of ownership is required and proof of the pet leaving Canada and entering the US with its owner is required to be presented upon return to Canada. I will add anything I find out to this post.

You can find this information at this link

Canadian Food Inspection Agency - Health of Animals - Importation of Personally-Owned Pet Birds from the United States



For import purposes, the expression "pet bird" means a personally owned and cared for bird, and applies only to species commonly known as "caged" birds such as psittacines, love birds, song birds, toucans, canaries, finches, cardinals, etc. The expression does not apply to pigeons, doves, species of wild or domesticated fowl, or game birds.

It is possible to import personally-owned pet birds under the following conditions:

1. The birds must accompany the owner or in the possession of an immediate family member.
2. The birds must be found to be healthy when inspected at the port of entry.
3. The owner must sign a declaration stating that the birds have been in his/her possession for the (90) ninety-day period preceding the date of importation and have not been in contact with any other birds during that time.
4. The owner must sign a declaration stating that the birds are the owner’s personal pets and are not being imported for the purpose of re-sale.
5. The owner or any member of the family must not have imported birds into Canada under this pet bird provision during the preceding ninety (90) day period.

The necessary certification to clear Customs will be made by filling out the form which is available at Customs. Under the above arrangement, no import permit or quarantine period is required. If these conditions cannot be met, it will be necessary for you to obtain an import permit from the appropriate Canadian Food Inspection Agency regional office in the province into which you will be entering.

The importation of birds into Canada is also subject to the control of the Canadian Wildlife Service ( Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species - (CITES)). You may contact them by telephone at 613-997-1840, by facsimile at 613-953-6283 or by email at the following address: suzanne.vincent@ec.gc.ca.

Comments or requests for additional information.

[hollmer]

Here is some information emailed to me directly from Dr. Wray of the CFIA regional office in Guelph, Ontario I have requested detailed information on the importing of a purchased bird. Feel free to contact any of the CFIA offices to verify this information

Here is a link to the CFIA Import Contacts Page:
Canadian Food Inspection Agency - Health of Animals - Import Contacts

Dear ,
1. For a Canadian bird returning, you don't have to have "proof", but you do need to sign the Importer's Declaration at the border when you re-enter Canada. It says that the bird has been in your possession for the previous 90 days.

2. For other birds, they are not considered pet birds until they are in the owner's possession, in the country of origin, for at least 90 days. So, you can't buy a bird in the United States and return immediately with the bird because it would not have been in your possession in the US for 90 days. So, the importer would need to apply for an import permit, and do all the normal procedures to import birds for commercial use. If you would like to know everything related to that, please let me know.


Dr. Susan Wray
(519) 826-2810 | wrays@inspection.gc.ca | Facsimile/Télécopieur: (519) 837-9771 Program Specialist - Import, Terrestrial Animal Health, Canadian Food Inspection Agency Spécialiste de programme - import, Santé des animaux terrestres Agence canadienne d'inspection des aliments
174 Stone Rd W | 174, Ch Stone O Guelph ON N1G 4S9

[hollmer]

Here is more information on travelling and Importing Pets into the USA.

Prohibited and Restricted Items - CBP.gov

Here is the link to the CBP brochure Pets and Wildlife,
http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/...d.ctt/pets.pdf

Here is a link to the US Fish and Wildlife Permit requirements Page
Exotic Wild Birds - Wild Bird Conservation Act
This link will provide you with information on permit requirements/applications/facts, for Wild Birds.

Here is a link to a brochure by the US Fish and wildlife regarding Traveling Abroad with your Pet Bird
http://www.fws.gov/international/pdf/pe.pdf

Pets
If you plan to take your pet abroad or import one on your return, please get a copy of the CBP brochure Pets and Wildlife. You should also check with state, county, and local authorities to learn if their restrictions and prohibitions on pets are stricter than federal requirements.







Importing animals is closely regulated for public health reasons and also for the well being of the animals. There are restrictions and prohibitions on bringing many species into the United States.


Cats must be free of evidence of diseases communicable to humans when they are examined at the port of entry. If the cat does not seem to be in good health, the owner may have to pay for an additional examination by a licensed veterinarian. As a rule, both cats and dogs must be free of fleas and ticks, and have a health certificate that was issued by the country of residence.


Dogs must also be free of evidence of diseases that could be communicable to humans. Puppies must be confined at a place of the owner’s choosing, which can be a private residence, until they are three months old and then they must be vaccinated against rabies. The puppy will then have to stay in confinement for another 30 days following the vaccination.


Dogs older than three months must get a rabies vaccination at least 30 days before they come to the United States and must be accompanied by a valid rabies vaccination certificate if coming from a country that is not rabies-free. This certificate should identify the dog, show the date of vaccination, the date it expires (there are one-year and three-year vaccinations), and be signed by a licensed veterinarian. If the certificate does not have an expiration date, CBP will accept it as long as the dog was vaccinated 12 months or less before coming to the United States. Dogs coming from rabies free countries do not have to be vaccinated.


Birds may be imported as pets as long as you comply with APHIS and U.S. Fish and Wildlife requirements. These requirements may include quarantining the birds at one of the three APHIS' Animal Import Centers at your expense. You must make advance reservations at the quarantine facility. If you intend to import a bird, call APHIS’ National Center for Import and Export at (301) 734-8364 for more information.


In any case, birds may only be imported through ports of entry where a USDA port veterinarian is on duty; and you must make arrangements in advance to have the bird examined by a USDA port veterinarian at the first U.S. port of entry. There is a minimum user fee for this service of $23.00 based on an hourly rate of $76/hour. For more information, contact the USDA, APHIS, Veterinary Services, National Center for Import and Export (NCIE), 4700 River Road, Riverdale, MD 20737; call (301) 734-8364; or visit the APHIS web site at USDA - APHIS - Missing Page - Error 404 ( APHIS Travel Web (Pets) ) .


Other common pets such as rabbits, ferrets, hamsters, gerbils, and guinea pigs may be imported if they are in good health. The importation of reptiles and invertebrates is restricted, please contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for additional guidance. Most species of snails are not admissible. Contact APHIS for additional information

[r2rusmc]

The current USDA user fee to bring a bird in from Canada via a land port is $25.00 if occurring during normal working hours of 8am-4:30pm Monday-Friday. There is a huge fee added if this occurs after normal working hours. There is no quarantine requirement if arriving thru a land border port (ie Lewiston/Queenston Bridge).

[shibatimes3]

I too live on the border and asked multiple times right at the customs department. They have all said that it really depends on who you get at the border..... they can ask for a quarantine ... and do quite often ..... even with a vet certificate. Their advice was to not to cross the border with our fids because there are too many variables ......

Hope that helps.
Dissappointing... i know.

[r2rusmc]

Originally Posted by shibatimes3

I too live on the border and asked multiple times right at the customs department. They have all said that it really depends on who you get at the border..... they can ask for a quarantine ... and do quite often ..... even with a vet certificate. Their advice was to not to cross the border with our fids because there are too many variables ......

Hope that helps.
Dissappointing... i know.

Are you referring to US or Canadian Customs?

[shibatimes3]

going into to US. I have many friends who are Canadian customs officers as well who say don't.

[r2rusmc]

US Customs can not put your bird(s) into quarantine. If you arrive outside of normal business hours they are supposed to send you back (unless USDA vet is available) but there has been occasion where they've held the birds right there at customs until the USDA vet is available.

If it it is a CITES listed bird you won't get past Customs without a F&W inspection.

There are dozens of Canadians that overwinter in Florida and they bring their birds with them and have no problems. They do this year after year with everything from finches to macaws.

Going from the US to Canada and vice versa with a pet bird is not difficult and does not require an official quarantine unless traveling thru an air or sea border port. Once arriving in the US you will have to undergo a vet inspection via the USDA. At that time you will be required to sign an affidavit stating that the bird is yours, has been in your possession for more than 90 days and has not been exposed to poultry during the last 30 days.

You are then required to "home quarantine" your bird for 30 days. This is in your home and you are required to quarantine your bird from any other birds. You may have a follow up visit by a USDA inspector during this 30 day period.

Now all that being said, I highly discourage the border crossing with birds. If while you are visiting on either side there is an outbreak of avian influenza (or other avian disease), the border will close to birds until the threat has been contained and depopulated.

We do have outbreaks of avian flu in the US and Canada multiple times a year. Fortunately they are not of the strain humans are worried about but they will prevent import/export until contained and depopulated. Entire providences in Canada have been restricted from importing to the US. Last one I'm aware of happened September 2007 and the border is still closed to birds and bird products from that area and has been since an outbreak in 2005.