Import Conditions for Canadian Horses returning from European Union Member States

TAHD-DSAT-IE-2011-7-4
September 8, 2025

Amendments

  • The requirement for Glanders testing during post-import quarantine in Canada for horses imported from Germany has been removed

Note

Canada does not recognize Germany to be free from Glanders anymore. Please refer to the specific section for this disease.

The import conditions outlined in this document also apply to the following domestic equids:

  • asses
  • mules
  • hinnies

Note

The returning Canadian horse(s) must be presented for importation within 90 days of the date they were exported from Canada. The horse(s) must have travelled exclusively within the EU since they entered the European Union (EU).

Documentation instructions

  • Import permit
  • Export certificate:
    • the returning Canadian horse(s) being presented for importation must be accompanied by the official Canadian export health certificate that was issued or endorsed, by a veterinary inspector designated under the Health of Animals Act
    • horse(s) returning to Canada must be accompanied by a zoosanitary export certificate from the last Member State in which they have resided before return to Canada. The certificate must provide sanitary assurances that meet the Canadian import requirements detailed in the permit
    • the Export Certificate must be issued by an official of the exporting country
    • export documents must contain all required statements and information, as required by the Import permit

Conditions of import

Disease-free status

The disease-free status of any country or zone (as previously approved by the CFIA) must be confirmed:

  • the country or zone (as previously approved by the CFIA) remains free of the following diseases: (list all diseases for which country or zone freedom has been designated, as indicated in the import requirements)
  • the horse(s) must be certified as returning from a country or zone that is designated free from African horse sickness (AHS), Japanese encephalitis and Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE), and these diseases are notifiable in that country or zone and no restrictive measures are in place on these diseases by the EU or Member State.
  • the horse(s) must be certified as returning from a country or zone that is designated free from Dourine and Glanders during the 6 months immediately preceding their return to Canada, and these diseases are notifiable in that country or zone and no restrictive measures are in place on these diseases by the EU or Member State

African horse sickness

The horse(s) must be certified against African horse sickness (AHS) as follows:

  • while in the EU, the horse(s) were not commingled with any horses (including imported horses) that have been in an area where restrictive measures are in place on AHS or in a country or zone where AHS has been diagnosed in the past 60 days
  • they have not been vaccinated against AHS within the 60 days prior to return to Canada

and

  • the Member State is in full compliance with the relevant EU legislation for this disease

Dourine

The horse(s) must be certified against Dourine as follows:

  • while in the EU, the horse(s) have not had contact with any horses (including imported horses) that have been in an area where restrictive measures are, or have been, in place on Dourine during the preceding 6 months

and

  • the Member State is in full compliance with the relevant EU legislation for this disease

Glanders

The horse(s) must be certified against Glanders as follows:

For all Member States (except Germany):

  • while in the EU, the horse(s) have not had contact with any horses (including imported horses) that have been in an area where restrictive measures are or have been, in place on Glanders during the preceding 6 months

and

  • the Member State is in full compliance with the relevant EU legislation for this disease

For Germany, the following must be certified:

  • all premises on which the animal(s) have resided in the past 6 months must have been free from clinical and epidemiological evidence of Glanders infection during the 24 months immediately prior to movement of the animal(s) off the premises
  • the horses must have been tested with a cold complement fixation test or, where applicable, an alternate test acceptable to CFIA for Glanders, with negative results, on samples taken within the 30 days prior to export to Canada

Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis

The horse(s) must be certified against Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE) as follows:

  • while in the EU, the horse(s) have not been, in any country or zone in which VEE has occurred in the past 2 years
  • while in the EU, they have not been vaccinated against VEE within the 60 days prior to return to Canada

and

  • the Member State is in full compliance with the relevant EU legislation for this disease

Equine piroplasmosis

The horse(s) must be certified for equine piroplasmosis (EP) as follows:

According to the declaration of the owner or his representative responsible for the horse(s),

  • while in the EU, the horse(s) have not been on a premises where equine piroplasmosis has occurred during the 60 days immediately preceding their return to Canada

and

  • they were maintained free from ticks by preventive treatment, when necessary, during the 30 days prior to their return to Canada

Equine infectious anemia

The horse(s) must be certified against equine infectious anemia (EIA) as follows:

  • the horse(s) must be certified as returning from a country or zone in the EU where the disease is notifiable
  • while in the EU, they have not been on a premises where EIA has occurred during the 60 days immediately preceding their return to Canada, nor has this disease occurred on any adjoining premises during the same period

Contagious equine metritis

The horse(s) must be certified for contagious equine metritis (CEM) as follows:

According to the declaration of the owner or his representative responsible for the horse(s),

  • the horse(s) have not been on a premises where CEM is known to have occurred during the 60 days immediately preceding their return to Canada
  • while in the EU they must not have been used for breeding purposes or on a premises where breeding activities were carried out and, in addition, they must not have been catheterized nor had any examination of the urogenital tract

Identification requirement

The horse(s) must be identified (before export to the EU) by:

  • a microchip, of which the number must be recorded on the accompanying Canadian export health certificate and the EU export certificate
  • if other identification documents are used, the microchip number should also appear on these, when possible

The importer is responsible for providing the CFIA with a reader capable of reading the microchip, unless the microchip is an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) chip.

and

  • another recognised (for example breed registry, Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI) or Equine Canada passport, etc.) means of identification which clearly and uniquely identifies the animal, and includes verifiable visual characteristics (for example graphic representation, photo, tattoo, etc.)
  • if there is a unique number associated with the second means of identification (for example passport number), it should be recorded on the export health certificate

Additional certification

  • The horse(s) being presented for return to Canada must not come into contact with any animals, products or equipment of a lesser zoosanitary health status during the entire required periods of residency, isolation, transportation to the port of exportation and loading onto the international transport carrier
  • The carrier must be instructed to maintain this status throughout transport to the port of entry into Canada
  • They must be certified as inspected by a veterinarian
  • They must be certified as inspected and found free from ectoparasites
  • They must be certified as inspected by an inspector who is designated for such purposes by the central veterinary service of the country of origin during the 72-hour period immediately preceding export to Canada
  • They must be found healthy and free from any clinical evidence of infectious disease and, as far as can be determined, exposure thereto
  • The date of the examination must be stated on the certificate

Post-entry import conditions

The conveyance used to transport the imported horses must be sealed at the port of entry by a CFIA inspector, if the animals are not uniquely identified or if there is any reason for concern about the routing to/or destination.

CFIA inspectors who seal conveyances must advise receiving District Offices before sealed shipments are anticipated to arrive at their destination. The seals must be removed at destination by or under the authority of, a CFIA inspector.

The horse(s) being presented for importation must be quarantined for the period of time necessary to complete the tests required to meet the import conditions.

They must be imported into Canada through a minimum-level quarantine facility, approved by the CFIA for that purpose. The import quarantine facility must have been previously approved for use as a minimum-security quarantine facility by a veterinary inspector designated under the Health of Animals Act.

The facility evaluation shall include the following:

  • location
  • fencing
  • physical structure
  • lighting
  • water supply
  • waste disposal
  • vector and pest control
  • movement of people
  • security; and
  • cleaning and disinfection protocols

A report that the facility has been approved must have been issued by the CFIA. No animal may be moved from its respective quarantine premises until duly discharged by an inspector designated under the Health of Animals Act. On completion of quarantine with negative results on all tests, the animals will be released to the importer and/or owner.

During post-entry quarantine in Canada, the horse(s) must be tested for equine piroplasmosis using an indirect fluorescent antibody test or, where applicable, an alternate test for equine piroplasmosis that is acceptable to the CFIA, with negative results.

During post-entry quarantine in Canada, the horses must be tested for equine infectious anemia using an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) test or, where applicable, an alternate test for equine infectious anemia that is acceptable to the CFIA, with negative results.

Date modified: