<em>By A. L. Drost, Curatorial Assistant
Toronto Zoo, Toronto, Canada
adrost@torontozoo.ca </em>

<strong>Introduction </strong>
International animal shipping is not for the light of heart. Crossing international borders with live animals has to occur quickly to ensure the least amount of stress on the animal and efficiently so all goes smoothly with everyone involved. No two shipments ever seem to be the same. So instead of providing a step-by-step account of a particular shipment a more general sequence of stages are to follow.

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1578" title="shipping" src="http://aecetia.net/gws/aazk/wp-content/uploads/shipping.jpg" alt="shipping" width="359" height="175" />

<strong>Obtain All Relevant Information on the Animal </strong>
Once it’s been decided that a particular animal will be transferred out of its zoological institution, whether it be internationally or domestically, the first step is always the same. A copy of the animal’s specimen report, diet sheet and medical records should be supplied from the zoo holding the animal (the consignor) to the zoo that will eventually be receiving the animal (the consignee). One of the key bits of information the specimen report provides is the country of origin. This is a pertinent piece of information when crossing international boarders. The medical records also provide information needed when addressing what pre-shipment health testing is required.

<strong>Permitting and Health Testing Requirements </strong>
As a general rule, every country will have a minimum of two federal bodies that will regulate the movement of live animals across their borders. One of these federal bodies will be a wildlife office. In Canada this is Environment Canada’s (EC) Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS). In the United States, all zoos are familiar with the US Fish &amp; Wildlife Service (USFWS). In South Africa, it’s the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. It is through offices like these that the CITES (Convention of International Trade of Endangered Species) permits are issued.

Animals will either be CITES I, CITES II, CITES III or non-CITES. A non-CITES animal requires no CITES permit, a CITES II and III animal requires an export permit only from the exporting country while a CITES I animal requires an export permit from the exporting country and an import permit from the importing country. Do keep in mind that some federal bodies also issue import or export permits that are not CITES.

The USFWS for example issues Endangered Species Permits and Threatened Species Permits as well as Import/Export Permits if you are a commercial entity (most zoos are exempt from this) and Designated Port Exception Permits if you are not using an USFWS designated port of entry.

The second federal body that will need to be contacted is the agricultural office. Canada’s agricultural office is the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), the United States is the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Netherlands is Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality. Offices such as these issue their own import permits and export certificates which are required for some animals, not all. These offices tend to be more interested in hoofstock species and the like, and less interested in regulating animals such as amphibian and reptile species (with exceptions of course). These agriculture offices are responsible for deciding what health testing is required on an animal before and after shipment have occurred. For example, the CFIA require that a warthog (Phacochoerus aethiopicus) being imported from the USA must be negative to two (2) tests for the following diseases: brucellosis, tuberculosis, and anaplasmosis, the latter of which must be performed not less than sixty (60) days after the first test and within thirty (30) days preceding the date of import.

As well as checking on federal regulations for permitting, one needs to check to see if there are any provincial and/or state regulations. Some provinces/states require their own separate import/export permit and/or certificate, others only require that an import number be issued and placed on shipment documentation. In-transit permits might be required if the animal has a connecting flight in a country that is neither the importing nor exporting country. For example, if you are moving cheetahs from South Africa to Canada with a flight change in Germany – you may be required by the German officials to have an in-transit permit indicating the purpose and length of stay in Germany.

<strong>Crates and Crate Training </strong>
The International Air Transport Associate (IATA) issues the Live Animal Regulations (LAR) which is an excellent place to start when considering what crate should be used for a particular animal. This reference material is updated every two years and is regularly adhered to quite strictly by the airlines and by most federal wildlife offices. Very general considerations to remember when selecting a crate for an animal are (a) the crate has external access to food and water, (b) the crate is leak-proof, (c) there is the ability to monitor the animal while crated, (d) the crate is constructed of appropriate and sturdy material which will safely contain the species and (e) the crate is comfortable for the animal. One of the most common mistakes when selecting an appropriate crate for a specimen is to provide too much space, the idea being that a larger crate provides increased comfort to the animal. Unfortunately, increased space also provides increased risk of injury to the animal. If the animal has enough space they might try to run at the front or side of the crate as a means of escape.

Crate training for the animal is an excellent way of providing further comfort during transport. Make sure you have a plan before starting the process. There is quite a bit of information readily available on training but here are some very basis steps one might follow. Generally, the crate is introduced without enticement to go in initially so that the animal can get use to seeing and/or smelling this novel item. A next step is the introduction of food at the entrance of the crate. That food is placed further and further into the crate over time. Our final goal is to have the animal eating its food with its body fully within the crate. Generally, the animal is not locked into the crate unless one has quite a bit of time for the training to occur prior to shipment as once the animal gets locked in, it’s usually startled quite badly and will not go back to the crate again any time soon. One of the biggest benefits to crate training is that it relieves a large amount of stress experienced by the animal. At the end of crate training, the crate will be very familiar to the animal, with the animal’s own smell and can be essentially the animal’s home away from home. Crate training can also eliminate the need to use sedatives for transport.

<strong>Select Your Mode of Transportation </strong>
When considering what mode of transportation to use, consider what will get the animal to its destination the quickest. Always use the most direct route available. If possible, avoid inter-airline transfers. The risk of something going wrong can increase significantly if two different airlines are used during the shipment. Usually a freight forwarder is …….

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