USDA Guidelines for Importation #1102
Introduction
Material derived from any animal is potentially subject to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations and must be cleared by USDA inspectors at the port of arrival before entry into the United States is authorized. A USDA import permit is required for animal material that may pose a risk of introducing exotic animal diseases into the United States. However, material from cats and dogs that have not been inoculated with or exposed to any livestock or poultry disease agents may enter the country without USDA restrictions.
Feline and Canine Material
Including: blood, tissues, serum, feces, extracts, fluids, canine semen for research purposes not including cell cultures, tissue cultures, cell culture products, canine semen for reproductive purposes.
Procedures
A USDA import permit will not be required for cat and dog material if the following is provided in the shipping documents.
- An identification of the material as feline or canine.
- A written declaration indicating the material does not contain any other animal derived material (ie. from livestock or poultry).
- A written declaration stating the material was not derived from cats and dogs which were inoculated with or exposed to any infectious agents of agricultural concern.
This information must be supplied as original statements on producer/shipper letterhead in a clear and concise manner, and be available for review by the USDA Inspector at the port of arrival. We recommend that a separate memo or letter be included with the shipping documents, such as a U.S. Custom declaration and invoice. Do not put documents inside shipping containers.
Please instruct your shippers to provide this information.
If the above information is not supplied, the shipment may be subject to delays. If the material to be imported cannot meet these criteria, then a USDA import permit may be required.
For couriers requiring a written declaration in the "Shipment Information" section, write:
Diagnostic specimen, not restricted, packed in compliance with IATA packing instruction 650 "UN3373 - Biological Substance, Category B"
US Customs required that ALL international shipments have two written declarations specifying the contents of the package. One should be secured to the outside of the package and the other should be inserted inside the package. Please copy the following statements onto a piece of paper (just as it appears here) and make sure to sign and date this declaration.
Package Contains - Diagnostic Specimen - Non-Restricted
Regarding USDA Guidelines of Importation #1102 Feline and Canine Material, I understand that the USDA import permit is not required for this canine or feline material since I can provide the following true statements.
- The material in this shipment is canine (dog) or feline (cat) tissue/blood/DNA.
- This material does not contain any other animal derived material (ie. From livestock or poultry).
- This material was not derived from dogs and/or cats which were inoculated with or exposed to any infectious agents of agricultural concern.
I declare that the above information is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.
Signature:
Print Name:
Date:
