C.I.T.E.S. and international shipping 

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species

Discover CITES (Sight-Ease)

Sign up for an Electronic Declaration Account with USFWS

TIBCS - CITES Country Fact Sheets International Information

 ***  TIMELINES  ***

• Determine what requirements there are for the receiving country such as rabies, quarantine, micro-chipping, etc.

• Get rabies shot and microchip if receiving country requires a rabies titre proof 120 days after inoculation (Sweden).

• Verify your vet has access to a lab that can do a Rabies titre test acceptable to the receiving country

12 weeks prior - download this form,

•  Import Export License 3-200-3 & $100   

print out following the instructions and submit with $100 fee to:

   It is expected to take 8-10 weeks to receive the license.

• Contact the USDA about possible requirements to export

• Contact all necessary governmental organizations in the receiving country.

• Prepare to provide all paperwork required.

• Order your ISO Compliant Micro-Chip

• Order your Pet Passport

• Order Certified 5 generation Pedigree from TICA

• Write letter of explanation of generation where the ALC is on the pedigree or that the ALC is more than 5 generations back.

8 weeks prior - download these forms:

 Export of Live Captive Born Animals  & $100 

USFWS Wildlife Inspection Offices

Contact your nearest port agent and arrange for an inspection.  Ask about fees, payment,  location and timing requirements prior to shipment.

• Make Airline Reservations - find out their shipping crate requirements

• Purchase Air Crate, food and water bowls and disposable bedding

1week prior - Get final paperwork ready to go with the cat

• Declaration for Import or Export of Fish or Wildlife (free)

• Declaration for Import or Export of Wildlife - page two

• Declaration for Import or Export of Wildlife - Instructions

• Confirm Airline Flight Arrangements with the Airline

• Confirm Vet Visit with your local veterinarian incl. microchip (European standard if shipping to Europe)

• Verify you have a crate with screws and air holes, food and water cups and disposable bedding. 

• Make sure that your Rabies titre results have been received by your vet.

• Print out several copies of pedigree and copies of TICA paperwork.

• Send all paperwork via FAX to your USFW agent who will be doing the inspection at shipping time.

• Go to vet and get health certificate with duplicate copies all signed as originals

• Make duplicate copies of Rabies inoculation and titre testing all signed as originals

• Get cat used to the crate and have it sleep on some toweling that will travel with the cat in the crate

• Put extra copies of pedigree, rabies, titre, microchip registration into envelope

• Put Shipper and Recipient contact info on the outside of the envelope and tape to the top of the crate

• Tape food in a Ziploc bag to the top of the crate not blocking the view of the contact information on the envelope.

• Confirm information with inspector regarding shipment inspection and timing with port.

• Confirm flight arrangements with Airlines

• Fill food and water cups with water and put into the freezer

• Get two small zip ties to bring with you to the airport.

• Prior to leaving for the airport, confirm flight arrangements again

• Put frozen water cups into cooler for trip to airport

• ARRIVE EARLY at both the inspector and airport from any predetermined time tables

• Have duplicate copies of all paperwork in separate envelopes just in case

• Pull food and water cups from cooler and place into carrier

• Double check all screws and latches

• Put zip tie onto door of crate so that it cannot come open.

• Plan to stay until the flight actually takes off and ask ground personnel to personally verify that the animal made the flight

• Get a contact number to check on the progress of the flight in case of problems or questions.

• Contact recipient as soon as flight takes off with weigh bill numbers, flight numbers, arrival times and contact names and numbers.

• Take a deep breath now!

• Verify with recipient that flight has arrived and that animal is okay.