State Regulations for Puerto Rico

COUNTER.CGIvisitors since August 30, 1996

*** GENERAL REQUIREMENTS ***

Effective Date: September 1, 1986

Last Update: December 29, 2005

PUERTO RICO

Health Requirements Governing the Admission of Animals

For More Information on Current Regulations Please Contact

Name:  Dr. Hector Diaz-Collazo, State Veterinarian

Office Address:

 

Department of Agriculture

Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

Box 10163

Santurce, PR  00908

Office Telephone No: 787/796-1650; 1835; 0138

Fax No:  787/796-5873

1. Whenever the laws and regulations of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico pertaining to health requirements for livestock and poultry are more restrictive than those of the Federal Government, the laws and regulations of the Commonwealth shall take precedence and, when the laws and regulations of the Federal Government are more restrictive, the Federal laws and regulations shall take precedence.

2. No animal or fowl that is affected with or has been exposed to an infectious, contagious, or communicable disease, or which originated from a herd or area quarantined by a Territory, State, or the Federal Government because of such disease shall be permitted to be introduced into Puerto Rico.

3. Each animal or fowl introduced into the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico shall be accompanied by a certificate issued and endorsed within 30 days of the date of shipment (dogs and cats are exempt from the endorsement requirement) and the certificate shall contain:

(a) an accurate description of the animals or fowl, including individual identification number, age, sex, breed, tattoos, and ear notches, as appropriate.

(b) the date and results of laboratory or other tests and name of the approved laboratory or person conducting the test.

(c) date of vaccination and vaccines used

(d) the name and address of the consignee, consignor, origin, and destination

(e) a statement that the animals are free from symptoms of infectious, contagious, or communicable disease and exposure thereto

(f) any statements required elsewhere in this summary pertaining to specific species of animals.

4. Effective December 1, 1988, each shipment of animals covered in these regulations, except for dogs, cats, and privately own pet birds will require a permit number. Permit numbers will be granted by telephone at (787) 796-1650. Persons wishing to receive a permit number for a consignment should call between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Atlantic Standard Time. Information required to receive a permit number will be consignor complete name, telephone number, and mailing address, shipping company, and date of shipment and arrival, number breed, and origin of animals, consignee, telephone number, and physical address of destination in Puerto Rico. Permit numbers must appear on all copies of the health certificate.

5. Accredited veterinarians or veterinarians employed by the State or by the United States Department of Agriculture may issue certificates. Certificates must be endorsed by the Chief Animal Health Official or by the Veterinarian in Charge of the State of origin before shipment.

6. All livestock and poultry may be quarantined immediately after entry into Puerto Rico and submitted to such tests as directed by the Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture.

7. Livestock and poultry found in an unhealthy condition upon arrival or during quarantine shall be destroyed without any compensation.

8. Livestock and poultry which are not accompanied by certificates issued, endorsed, and containing the information required by these importation regulations or not released by a veterinarian of the Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture, shall not be permitted to leave the custody of the carrier.

*** CATTLE ***

I. Brucellosis

(a) Dairy and Beef Cattle:

1. Shall not originate from Brucellosis Class B or Brucellosis Class C states or areas; and

2. All dairy and beef cattle originating from Brucellosis Class free and Brucellosis Class A states and areas over 18 months of age, regardless of their vaccination status, shall have been negative to a test for brucellosis within thirty (30) days prior to the date of movement; and

3. The brucellosis test required shall be an official test recognized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Agriculture, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

4. There shall be an appropriate statement by the issuing veterinarian on the health certificate that all cattle originate from brucellosis Class A or Class Free States or areas.

(b) All tests for Brucellosis shall be conducted in:

1. a State-Federal laboratory, or

2. a laboratory operated by the State Government of the State of origin, or

3. a laboratory operated or supervised by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

II. Tuberculosis

Dairy and Beef Cattle:

Shall originate from Accredited Tuberculosis-Free herds or from herds which have been negative to a complete herd test within two years of shipment. All cattle more than three (3) months of age must pass a negative test within 30 days prior to the date of shipment.

*** HORSES & OTHER EQUIDAE ***

Horses, mules, and asses shall be vaccinated against viral encephalitis with a bivalent vaccine within six (6) months prior to the date of shipment. All equidae must be accompanied by an accredited certificate stating that the animal is negative to the Equine Infectious Anemia test within six (6) months prior to the introduction into Puerto Rico and said test was performed in a laboratory accredited by USDA. The health certificate shall indicate in addition to the results of the test, the date performed, and the name and address of the laboratory.

*** HOGS ***

All swine entering the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico shall be accompanied by an official health certificate stating that they came from a validated brucellosis and pseudorabies free herd; were found negative to a blood test for brucellosis, pseudorabies, and Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) within 30 days prior to the date of shipment; came directly from a Stage IV or V State/Area or that the swine came directly from a currently recognized qualified pseudorabies vaccinated swine will be allowed to enter the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. These same requirements apply to feeder pigs.

All hogs entering the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico shall, upon arrival be placed under quarantine and completely isolated from other swine on the premises of the consignee for a period of not less than 30 days. They shall be retested for brucellosis [and pseudorabies] after 30 days following the date of arrival by a veterinarian employed by the Department of Agriculture of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or of the United States Department of Agriculture.

*** SHEEP ***

All sheep shall have been negative to an official test for tuberculosis and brucellosis within 30 days prior to the date of shipment.

The health certificate shall state that the sheep have not been exposed to scrapie and are not the progeny of scrapie infected sheep. It must also state that sheep shall have been dipped within 15 days prior to the date of shipment in a solution prescribed by the United States Department of Agriculture and under the supervision of a State or Federal inspector.

*** GOATS ***

All goats shall have been negative to an official test for tuberculosis and brucellosis within thirty (30) days prior to the date of shipment.

*** DOGS & CATS ***

The certificate shall state that the animals do not originate in an area quarantined for rabies.

All dogs and cats more than four (4) months of age shall be vaccinated against rabies within six (6) months prior to the date of shipment, and shall be identified with proper identification tags and accompanied by a certificate of vaccination against rabies.

*** PSITTACINE BIRDS ***

Requirements enumerated under the "General" section of this Summary shall be met, providing that the inspection shall be made immediately before shipment and the certificate specifically should state that the birds were found free of Psittacosis or Ornithosis.

Exotic species of animals shall meet any requirements stipulated by the Department of Natural Resources of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

*** POULTRY & HATCHING EGGS ***

Poultry is defined as chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, guinea fowl, pea fowl, pigeons, doves, quail, partridges, and pheasants.

Shipments of hatching eggs, newly hatched chicks, or other poultry under five (5) months of age shall be accompanied by a certificate issued by the National Poultry Improvement Plan stating that the flocks of origin are classified as "U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean and U.S. Mycoplasma Gallisepticum Clean."

All fowl over five (5) months of age not originating in flocks under the National Poultry Improvement Plan must be accompanied by health certificates signed by an authorized Chief Animal Health Official in the State, territory or possession of the United States from which the shipment comes, stating that the fowl have passed a negative blood test for pullorum disease, fowl typhoid, and mycoplasma gallisepticum within thirty (30) days prior to the date of arrival in Puerto Rico and further stating that they were found free of evidence of any other infectious, contagious, or communicable disease, and that they were not exposed to any such movement. All fowl shall in addition meet all other requirements set forth in the "General" section of these requirements.

***AQUATIC SPECIES/AQUACULTURE***

The Department of Natural and Environmental Resources have the responsibility for fresh, saltwater, and other typical natural resources

All importations of aquatic or semi-aquatic organisms require a veterinary certificate of health.

 

For Questions, please contact:

 

Mr. Ramon Martinez (Director of Bureau of Fisheries and Wildlife) or

Craig Lilyestrom (Director of the Marine Resources Division)

DNER P.O. Box 9066600

San Juan, PR  00906-6600

Ph:  787-724-8774

Fax:  787-724-0365

E-Mail:  craig@caribe.net

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*** BISON ***

See General Requirements

Exotic species of animals shall meet any requirements stipulated by the Department of Natural Resources of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

*** LLAMAS ***

See General Requirements

Exotic species of animals shall meet any requirements stipulated by the Department of Natural Resources of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

*** ELK ***

See General Requirements

Exotic species of animals shall meet any requirements stipulated by the Department of Natural Resources of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

*** RABBITS ***

See General Requirements

*** ZOO, FUR-BEARING, & OTHER WILD ANIMALS ***

Exotics and other animals shall meet the general requirements and any requirements stipulated by the Department of Natural Resources of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

*** SEMEN & FROZEN EMBRYOS ***

See General Requirements

*** BIOLOGICS, MICROORGANISMS, & PARASITES ***

See General Requirements

*** EMERGENCY PROVISIONS ***

See General Requirements