Countries officially recognized by Canada as free of Vesicular stomatitis (VS).
Imports of live animals from susceptible species originating from countries and/or zones not recognized as free are prohibited.
- Australia
- Chile
- Cuba
- European Union
- Iceland
- Japan
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Switzerland
- United Kingdom
- United States (current outbreaks in the United States (U.S.)
- Uruguay
There is currently an outbreak of VS occurring in the U.S.:
Affected states:
- Arizona: Effective October 31, 2025 (date of confirmation)
Trade implications:
- U.S. origin and returning Canadian horses, swine and ruminants, for all end-uses, originating from the affected states listed previously are prohibited
- U.S. origin and returning Canadian horses, swine and ruminants in VS affected states will have to be moved to an unaffected state, remain for at least 21 days and be certified by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Note: interstate animal health requirements may prohibit movement between states without permit/certification/testing/post-entry testing. Exporters should check individual state requirements prior to movement. - Transiting VS affected states
Whenever possible, U.S. origin and returning Canadian horses, swine and ruminants should avoid travelling through the affected states. If the only route available is through a VS affected state, when the owner/shipper arrives at the Canadian port of entry they must complete a Supplementary Declaration which must be countersigned by the CFIA Veterinarian. Note: this is an additional requirement. Exporters should contact CFIA in advance of arrival, regarding the specific requirements for entry. - Additionally, horses, swine and ruminants that have been in the affected state in the previous 21 days are also ineligible for entry into Canada
Arizona: October 10, 2025, to October 31, 2025
A grace period may be implemented in which animals may be permitted entry into Canada from an affected state for a brief period following USDA confirmation of VS in a state:
- Returning Canadian horses, swine and ruminants (with valid CFIA export certificate) and U.S. origin horses, swine and ruminants (with a valid U.S. export certificate) from a newly VS affected state that arrive at a Canadian Port of Entry within 3 days after the date of confirmation (with the confirmation date counted as day 0), may be allowed entry; conditional upon the results of a detailed inspection
After this time period, all importation of susceptible species will be prohibited. Any U.S. health certificates endorsed on or after the date of confirmation are not considered valid.
You should contact your local district office for an update on the current affected states, additional states may be added at any time.