BY: SAMANTHA BARTLETT, DVM
As more people are including pets in their every day lives, pet travel has also increased significantly. Health certificates have long been a source of irritation and confusion for veterinarians, as each destination has its own unique requirements that must be filled to the letter. In response to the increased demand and incidence of pet travel, USDA-APHIS has recently updated the pet travel website (https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/pet-travel) to make it easier for owners to research requirements ahead of time and thus relieve some of the confusion from researching requirements.
One of the updates is a page with helpful references for pet travel that includes frequently asked questions, checklists before traveling with a pet, and guidelines for obtaining a health certificate. In addition, the USDA has made it easier for veterinarians to submit health certificates and required documentation through the online Veterinary Export Health Certification System (VEHCS).
Also new in the February update are the color-coded banners that indicate, whether the certificate can be completed electronically and what type of signature is required for the certificate. In short, the colored banners are as follows:
- Red banners indicate the certificate must be signed in original ink by both the accredited veterinarian and the USDA veterinarian. These certificates cannot be submitted electronically through VEHCS.
- Green banners indicate that both the accredited veterinarian and the USDA VMO may sign and issue health certificates digitally through VEHCS.
- Yellow banners indicate that country requirements vary, usually by type of animal being imported.
- Orange banners indicate the accredited veterinarian may sign and submit the certificate toe USDA through VEHCA, but then APHIS prints and the VMO signs in ink and applies the embossed seal to the hard copy of the certificate.
- Purple indicates the accredited veterinarian may sign and submit electronically through VEHCS, but the VMO signature requirement at APHIS varies based upon the commodity type.
- Blue banners allow the accredited veterinarian to digitally endorse and submit the certificate for the VMO to digitally endorse. Then the accredited veterinarian must print the hardcopy of the VMO-endorsed certificate and sign over the electronic signature in ink.
