Equine Health Certificates
Why Health Certificates Are Important
Export documents are a requirement for any horse crossing an international border, and for horses being exported to another state or country.
A Certificate of Veterinarian Inspections is required to help reduce the risk of disease spreading from one area to another and from one horse to another. An inspection for illness by your veterinarian may identify obvious or even subtle signs of disease that may not have otherwise been known.
Requirements for health certificates depend on the state, and our Gillette veterinary practice regularly reviews interstate and international shipping requirements for all species. Our Gillette vets are able to provide Interstate health certificates, international health certificates, passports, and brand inspections.
Getting Your Horse's Health Certificate
In order to get a health certificate for your horse from Red Hills Veterinary Hospital, you’ll need a current, negative Coggins test and a brand inspection. We can do this for you at your horse's appointment, or we can accept a valid Coggins from your previous vet.
Our vets are certified brand inspectors. We can do one-way, annual, or lifetime brands. You must have proof of ownership at the time of the appointment for any brand inspections. Valid proof of ownership includes a bill of sale or registration with both the owner’s and the horse’s name on it.
The port of crossing is required information for international health certificates.
Time Certification is Valid
Unlike your horse's Coggins test, which only typically has to be done within 12 months of travel (for international it's within six months), your horse's health certificates are only usually valid for 30 days.
If you are planning to travel with your horse or ship your horse out of state for any reason, organization and preparation are essential.
Contact our vets to discuss your travel plans and talk about when you need to secure your horse's required travel documentation.