Appendix C

Transportation Checklist

CHECKLIST FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF LIVE ANIMALS FOR RESEARCH

This checklist is provided to help you plan the transport of your animals for research. The following resources are for information purposes only and should not be considered complete. The checklist is not meant to replace official documents, permits, certificates, etc. It was created by compiling various points made by speakers and attendees of the Workshop on Transportation of Laboratory Animals.

SECTION A: General Information

SECTION B: Species Information

Common name:

Genus species:

Strain or stock:

Total males:

Total females:

Number of animals with litters:

**Note: Transport of nursing animals is strongly discouraged.

Age and number of animals in each litter:

• Provide purpose and veterinary authorization to transport these animals

Total number of offspring or larvae (list by age):

Total number of animals:

Health or physical conditions that may impact travel (e.g., age, obesity, immune status, surgical alteration):

• Provide purpose and veterinary authorization to transport these animals
• What provisions are being made to address these issues?

Number of shipping boxes:

Number of primary enclosures within shipping box (for aquatic and semi-aquatic):

SECTION C: Initial Requirements

Do you have all of the following?

• A signed written agreement to transfer the animals between the two parties?
• A signed material transfer agreement where applicable?
• Funds to transport the animals?
• Written approval from the sending institution?
• Written approval from the receiving institution?
• The exclusion pathogen/agent/parasite list for the United States? (imports only)
• The exclusion/pathogen/agent/parasite list for the country of destination? (exports only)
• The exclusion pathogen/agent/parasite list for the receiving institution?
• Breeder’s statement, if animal was born in the United States?

Have you consulted the following regulatory requirements or guidelines?

• Regulatory requirements for transportation under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA)
  • U.S. Department of Agriculture-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service/Animal Care (USDA-APHIS/AC): General number: 301-851-3751
  • AWA and Animal Welfare Regulations: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_welfare/downloads/AC_BlueBook_AWA_FINAL_2017_508comp.pdf
• Requirements for Public Health Services (PHS)-funded studies
  • National Institutes of Health-Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (NIH-OLAW)
    301-496-7163; https://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/olaw.htm

• Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, 8th edition: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/Guide-for-the-Care-and-Use-of-Laboratory-Animals.pdf

• Requirements for animals harboring select agents
  • USDA-APHIS-Veterinary Services/Ag-Select Agent Services: 301-851-3300 (option 3)
  • CDC Division of Select Agents and Toxins: 404-718-2000; http://www.cdc.gov/phpr/dsat.htm
  • Joint website for CDC and USDA: https://www.selectagents.gov
• Transportation of animals with infectious agents
  • U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration: 202-366-4433; https://www.phmsa.dot.gov
• Transportation guidelines from the International Air Transport Association (IATA)
  • Live Animals Regulations (LAR): http://www.iata.org/publications/store/Pages/live-animals-regulation.aspx
• Guidelines from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)
  • Terrestrial Animal Health Code: http://www.oie.int/en/international-standard-setting/terrestrial-code

SECTION D: Type of Movement and Corresponding Requirements

IMPORTATION OF LIVE ANIMALS INTO THE UNITED STATES

Entry location:

Quarantine location (where applicable):

Federal agencies to be contacted depending on species:

• U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) CBP clears all shipments entering the country: 1-877-227-5511

• Information Center:

  http://www.cbp.gov/trade/basic-import-export

  https://www.cbp.gov/travel/clearing-cbp/bringing-agricultural-products-united-states (provides specific clearing guidance for other government agencies)

• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS)

  FWS has jurisdiction over most animals, whether wild or captive-bred. Animals considered domesticated under 50 CFR 14.4 are not regulated by FWS. If any animal listed in the regulations is crossed with CITES-protected animals (e.g., hybrids), the animal falls under FWS jurisdiction. Also, animals on this list that become CITES protected are no longer considered domesticated.

  Contact FWS at the port the animals are being imported. https://www.fws.gov/le/inspection-offices.html

  - The port used must be a designated port for both USDA and FWS.

  Wildlife Inspection Office at the port of entry:

  https://www.fws.gov/le/designated-ports.html

  Additional information:

  Commercial Import/Export License:

  https://www.fws.gov/le/le-permits.html

  Division of Management Authority (only if species is protected under CITES): 703-358-2093 or 703-358-2104;

  https://www.fws.gov/international/permits

• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

  National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious

  Diseases (NCEZID)

  Division of Global Migration and Quarantine (DGMQ): 404-498-1600

• CDC has specific import requirements for nonhuman primates, African rodents, bats, civets, and their products. In general, CDC has jurisdiction over any live laboratory mammal and its products (e.g., blood, DNA, enzymes) that was exposed to or carries an agent that can be a threat to human health. The import permit either declares the animals are free of, or have not been exposed to, agents that can pose a threat to human health or indicates they have been treated to render such agents noninfectious.

  See import program (IPP) for details: https://www.cdc.gov/phpr/ipp/index.htm

  Questions can be directed to the import team: cdcanimalimports@cdc.gov

  General information: http://www.cdc.gov/animalimportation/bringinganimaltous.html; 1-800-232-4636 or TTY: 1-888-232-6348

• U.S. Department of Agriculture-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

  Veterinary Services - General Information:

  https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/contact-us

  National Center for Import and Export:

  301-851-3300; http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wps/portal/aphis/ourfocus/importexport

  Plant, Protection, and Quarantine (PPQ): 301-851-2046; http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wps/portal/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth (ensures foodstuffs and bedding provided for the animal during transport are free of harmful agents to U.S. agriculture)

  Animal Care: Importation of Live Dogs: 301-851-3751

• National Oceanic Atmospheric Agency (NOAA)

  NOAA Fisheries-National Marine Fisheries Service 301-427-8400; http://www.fisheries.noaa.gov

EXPORTATION OF LIVE ANIMALS TO A FOREIGN COUNTRY

1. U.S. site of embarkation:

2. Destination country:

   • Obtain requirements through the consulate, embassy, or ministry of agriculture
   • Documents may need to be written in the destination country’s native language

3. All borders crossed before reaching final destination:

   • Applies to land travel or off loading/hold over from a flight before continuing on
   • Information can be obtained from each country’s consulate, embassy, or ministry of agriculture

Federal agencies to be contacted prior to exportation depending on the species

• U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

  CBP clears all shipments that exit the country;

  1-877-227-5511

  Information Center:

  https://www.cbp.gov/trade/basic-import-export

  https://www.cbp.gov/travel/clearing-cbp/bringing-agricultural-products-united-states (provides specific clearing guidance for other government agencies)

• U.S. Department of Agriculture-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

  Veterinary Services - General contact information:

• https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/contact-us

  Veterinary Services National Center for Import and Export:

  301-851-3300; https://www.aphis.usda.gov/wps/portal/aphis/ourfocus/importexport

• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS)

  FWS has jurisdiction over most animals whether wild or captive bred. Animals considered domesticated under 50 CFR 14.4 are not regulated by FWS. If any animal listed in the regulations is crossed with CITES-protected animals (e.g., hybrids), the animal falls under FWS jurisdiction. Also, animals on this list that become CITES protected are no longer are considered domesticated.

  Contact FWS at the port the animals are being imported. https://www.fws.gov/le/inspection-offices.html

  - The port used must be a designated port for both USDA and FWS

  Wildlife Inspection Office at the port of entry:

  https://www.fws.gov/le/designated-ports.html

  Additional information:

  Commercial Import/Export License: https://www.fws.gov/le/le-permits.html

  Division of Management Authority (only if species is protected under CITES): 703-358-2093 or 703 358-2104;

  https://www.fws.gov/international/permits/www.aphis.usda.gov/wps/portal/aphis/ourfocus/importexport

• National Oceanic Atmospheric Agency (NOAA)

  NOAA Fisheries-National Marine Fisheries Service: 301-427-8400; http://www.fisheries.noaa.gov

INTER- AND INTRA-STATE TRANSPORTATION INVOLVING THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES, HAWAII, ALASKA, AND U.S. TERRITORIES

State and Territory Requirements

Health, vaccination, and testing requirements:

• Contact the State Animal Health Official (SAHO)

  U.S. Animal Health Association

  4221 Mitchell Ave.

  Saint Joseph, MO 64507

  816-671-1144

  http://www.usaha.org/federal-and-state-animal-health

Permits and species restrictions:

• Contact FWS

  https://www.fws.gov/offices/?ref=topbar

Prohibited/invasive species:

• National Agricultural Library-National Invasive Species Information Center

  https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/resources/lists4states.shtml

State anti-cruelty laws/statutes:

• http://www.animallaw.com/laws.cfm

SECTION E: Journey Planning

1. Dates of movement

2. Origin of the animals

3. Final destination of the animals

4. Are the animals being imported into the United States or exported from the United States?

   • Borders crossed (ground transportation)

5. For import or export, has the FWS port been contacted to arrange inspection?

6. Are all import or export documents finalized?

   • Do you have one original copy for each border crossed?
   • Are documents required to be written in the destination country’s native language?
   • Are documents attached to container/caging for easy inspection?

7. Can the bedding be imported into the state or country of destination?

8. Is the enclosure properly labeled?

9. For airline travel:

   • Are non-stop flights available?
   • Are the flights confirmed?
   • Is the pilot alerted to animals being included in the manifest?

10. At what time will the movement begin?

11. At what time are the animals expected to arrive?

    • Is there a time difference between the site of origin and the site of destination?

12. What is the total travel time of the trip?

13. Will the travel occur over the weekend?

14. Will the travel occur during a U.S., state, or foreign country holiday?

    **Note: This type of travel is highly discouraged.

15. What are the weather reports along the entire route?

16. Who are the points of contact for each leg of the trip?

17. Will an intermediate handler take possession during the course of travel?

    • If so, when?
    • Is there a written agreement?
    • If multiple intermediate handlers are involved, list them:

18. Is the operator of the transport vehicle adequately trained to transport the species?

19. Will transportation be provided by a privately owned vehicle?

    • If so, what is the person’s name?
    • Is the vehicle temperature- and humidity-controlled?
    • Are backup heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems available?
    • How are environmental conditions monitored and recorded?
    • Have the state regulations regarding transport of animals in private vehicles been reviewed (e.g., anti-cruelty always, prohibited species, commercial licensure agreements)?

20. How often will the animal be observed during the trip by the carrier or intermediate handler? (Note: may not be applicable to aquatic species)

    • Is there a written agreement?
    • How will the observation be recorded?

21. How often will the animals receive water during the trip?

    (Note: not applicable to aquatic species)

    • How will water be provided (e.g., water, gel, other fluid, and foodstuffs)?

SECTION F: Planning in Case of Emergencies and Other Unexpected Events

1. How is the shipment tracked during transport?

2. Can operators of the transport vehicle communicate the status of the shipment to senders and receivers during travel?

   • What is the mode of communication (e.g., cell phone, CB radio, walkie-talkie)?
   • What are the operators’ cell phone numbers?

3. Is there enough food and water for 48 hours beyond the duration of the trip?

4. Is the recipient institution prepared to receive early or delayed shipments?

5. What back-up transportation is available in the event of a traffic accident or mechanical failure?

6. Where can the animals be housed in the event of a mechanical failure or stranding?

   • In the vehicle, an institution, animal shelter, or zoo?
   • Is there a minimum/maximum temperature required for the holding area?

7. What measures will be implemented to ensure animals are checked, fed, and/or watered during the delay?

8. What arrangements are there for sick or injured animals during transport?

9. Is there a rescue network (transport and veterinary) available along the transport route?

10. Is there a preparedness or response plan in the event there is an escape?

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