CFIA Quarantine

Importing horses to North America is not difficult if you understand the requirements ahead of time. There is a quarantine period anywhere from 3 days to 2 months depending on the age and sex of the horse being imported. Gelding and yearlings require a short quarantine period whereas mares and stallions require a longer quarantine period. The quarantine can often be done on your farm provided it meets the requirements set by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) or it may be done at an approved facility. All horses require an import permit from the CFIA. This should be applied for well in advance to ensure adequate time for processing. Before the horse leaves the country of export, it will require various blood tests including a Coggins test, piroplasmosis, and CEM tests for mares and stallions.

For more information, please call the CFIA office in Vernon at 250 260-5030.