Import Horses from Sao Tome and Principe

Horses Importing into the United States From Countries Affected With AHS

APHIS considers certain countries to be affected with African horse sickness (AHS). If you are seeing this message, you are seeking information about the requirements to import a horse from a country considered affected with African horse sickness.

Horses traveling from AHS-affected countries have specific restrictions and requirements that must be adhered to, or fulfilled, during the importation process to prevent the introduction of AHS into the United States. All horses entering the United States from AHS-affected countries must undergo a 60-day post-arrival quarantine in a specially designed USDA Animal Import Center. Horses will be kept inside and under strict biosecurity measures for the entire 60-day quarantine procedure. Currently, the only approved facility to handle these horses is the New York Animal Import Center (NYAIC). Advanced notice is required for the importation of horses from AHS-affected countries as modifications to the NYAIC facility may be necessary to house these horses. 

Besides the extended quarantine period, there are no other AHS-specific quarantine restrictions beyond those required for the other diseases of concern, if any, when importing a horse into the United States (see below).

Horses Importing into the United States From Countries Affected With Screwworm

The fly species that lay screwworm larvae in living tissue has been eradicated from the United States but is found in Mexico, Central America, South America, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, India, and Africa.

1. Any horse importing from screwworm-affected regions must have a veterinarian treat the horse with ivermectin 3 to 5 days prior to the date of import into the United States according to the recommended dose prescribed on the product's label.
2. Horses must be examined for screwworm by a full-time salaried veterinary official of the exporting country within 24 hours prior to shipment to the United States. The official must fully examine the horses, including their external genitalia. If horses are found to be infested with screwworm, they must be treated until free from infestation.
3. At the time horses are loaded onto a means of conveyance for export, a veterinarian must treat any visible wounds on the animals with a solution of coumaphos dust at a concentration of 5% active ingredient or an appropriate alternative.
4. Horses must be accompanied to the United States by a certificate signed by a full-time salaried veterinary official of the exporting country. The certificate must state that the horses, including their external genitalia, have been thoroughly examined and found free of screwworm.
5. Horses must be quarantined upon arrival in the United States at an APHIS animal import center for at least 7 days.
6. Horses must be examined for screwworm by a veterinarian within 24 hours after arrival at an APHIS animal import center in the United States. The examining veterinarian must examine horses, including their external genitalia, to determine whether the horse is infested with screwworm.
7. Horses must be held at the animal import center for a minimum of 7 days. On day 7, prior to the horses' release, the horses must be examined by a veterinarian at the expense of the owner or broker. For this examination, male horses must be tranquilized or sedated so that the external genitalia of the horses can be thoroughly examined. If screwworm is found during this examination, the horses must be held in quarantine and treated until free of infestation.

Horses Importing into the United States From Countries Affected With FMD

The official health certificate should document that the horse is importing form a country affected with foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). The health certificate accompanying the horse must be endorsed by a full-time salaried veterinarian of the agency responsible for animal health of the national government of the exporting country (the competent veterinary authority).

The health certificate should state:

• Within 5 days prior to export, the horse has not been on any premises or quarantined area identified to be affected with FMD, nor has the horse been in contact with animals that have been in a FMD region or on an FMD affected or quarantined premise. The horse will not have direct or indirect contact with domestic or wild ruminants or swine for a minimum of 5 days before entering the USDA quarantine facility.
• Immediately prior to export, horses from countries where FMD exists, as well as horses in contact with any horses from those countries, will be groomed to remove dirt and debris, followed by being wiped, sprayed and/or sponged down with vinegar or a solution of 6.5 ounces of concentrated glacial acetic acid in one gallon of water or another approved disinfectant.
• Immediately prior to export, the horse’s hooves will be cleaned and free of dirt, manure, and debris, and then disinfected with a 4% sodium carbonate solution or another approved disinfectant. The same procedure will be performed upon arrival in the United States at one of USDA’s animal import quarantine centers.
• Prior to loading the horse, all crates and transportation vehicles were cleaned and disinfected with an approved product. 
• Any equipment (tack, blankets, sheets, leg wraps, etc.) accompanying the horse has been laundered or cleaned to remove dirt and debris prior to disinfection with an approved product. 
• The equipment was cleaned and disinfected with a 4% sodium carbonate (soda ash) solution immediately prior to shipment. The disinfectant used will have removed the risk of this equipment transmitting the foot-and mouth disease virus.

Horses Importing into the United States From Countries Affected With CEM 

APHIS considers certain countries to be affected with contagious equine metritis (CEM), a venereal disease of equine. These conditions apply to the country that you have selected. 

All stallions and mares over 731 days of age, and stallions and mare less than 731 days of age if ever used for breeding, must undergo CEM isolation and testing after completing the initial Federal import quarantine. Horses will be sent directly to an approved State CEM quarantine of the importer’s choice for this testing. States Approved for Conducting CEM Testing

Geldings of any age and non-domesticated zoo equine species, if captured in the wild or from a zoo facility that have not had contact with domestic horses, are exempt from CEM requirements.

CEM Testing for Permanent Entry

Testing of mares consists of an initial complement fixation (CF) blood test for CEM, and 3 sets of culture swabs over a 12-day period, followed by 5 days of scrubbing and coating with an antibacterial ointment of the external genitalia. Culture swabs and CF results must be negative for the mare to be released from CEM quarantine. If any tests are positive, the test and treatment procedure must be repeated until negative results are obtained.

Testing of stallions consists of one set of culture swabs from the external genitalia, followed by live cover breeding to 2 test mares. The stallion’s external genitalia will be scrubbed and coated with an antibiotic ointment for 5 days following test breeding. Beginning on day 3 after breeding, culture swabs are collected from the test mare on 3 separate occasions over a 12-day period. Test mares are tested by CF between days 21-28 after breeding. All cultures and CF results from the stallion and test mares must be negative in order for the stallion to be released from quarantine. If any tests are positive, the cultures, test breeding and treatment procedures are repeated until negative results are obtained.

Requirements and Approval Procedures for Labs to Conduct CEM Testing

Horses Participating in Competitions Staying in the United States Under 90 Days

A CEM Waiver for competition is available only for horses participating in specific competitions. These horses are limited to a stay under 90 days. APHIS VS will monitor these horses while in the United States throughout their travels and at venues to restrict their access to domestic horses. Temporary CEM-isolation facilities are arranged in advance of an event. APHIS VS monitors movements of these horses. A signed compliance agreement is made between VS and the facility operator prior to APHIS VS issuing permits for import. The entire travel itinerary within the United States is listed on the import permit. Deviations from this preplanned travel are only allowed if approved and amended to the import permit or in emergency situations.

An import permit is required for CEM Waiver, CEM Exempt horses, and for any horse that will undergo CEM post-arrival testing. Horses being imported under any of these conditions will undergo standard import quarantine upon arrival in the United States, including testing for dourine, glanders, equine infectious anemia, and equine piroplasmosis.

U.S.-Origin Horses Returning to the United States After Temporary Travel Abroad

Some U.S.-origin horses may qualify for a waiver from CEM testing and quarantine upon arrival to the United States, if they meet specific conditions and a full-time salaried government veterinarian endorses the certification statements in each country the horse visits. These specific conditions include:

1. You must obtain an APHIS import permit before the horse leaves the United States. The permit includes the departure date, date of return, and countries to be visited. If the horse takes any deviation from the declared itinerary, you must apply for and receive an amendment to your permit before the horse arrives at the U.S. port of entry. For more information, view the Notice Regarding APHIS Live Animal Import and Third-Country Import Transit Permits.
2. The total time elapsed between the departure of the horse from the United States and its reentry to the United States cannot exceed 90 calendar days.
3. The horse must be accompanied by the original, or certified true copy, of the U.S. export health certificate.
4. The returning horse must be accompanied by an official health certificate with all required certification statements for each country visited. Information about health certificate requirements can be found in the notice mentioned in #6.
5. For the entire duration of temporary travel, all returning horses must be: 
   • Held separate and apart from all other horses except when actually participating in an event or exercised by its trainer.
   • Not be on a premises used for any equine breeding. 
   • Not bred to or bred by any animal, nor have any other sexual contact or genital examination while in a CEM-affected country.
   • Transported in cleaned and disinfected vehicles that were not used by any other horses after the cleaning and disinfection.
6. For further details, view the notice on Equine Import Requirements for U.S. Returning Mares and Stallions.