International Regulations
A Quick Guide to Regulations for International Shipment of Chilled and Frozen Canine Semen
In parallel with the growing interest in international shipment of canine semen there is a growing demand for a resource providing a
quick reference to the varying rules and regulations that apply in different countries. This guide, although far from being complete,
aims at summarizing much of this information and lists useful websites and addresses for the relevant national organizations. It is
important to remember that the rules and regulations as they appear in this appendix have been substantially abbreviated, and that they
may be changed at any time. Always check for the latest official versions. Please note that when it is stated that there are no rules or
special requirements, this can imply either that everything is allowed, or that nothing is allowed.
Some Useful Addresses
The addresses and information for a large number of Kennel Clubs world-wide can be found on the website of the Fédération Cynologique Internationale, FCI. Website:www.fci.be
Please note that these regulations can change at any time. Please check the last official updates.
Australia (category 4+)
Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) Phone: +61 93115315; Fax: +61 94552325.
Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC) P.O.box 1005, St. Marys, New South Wales 2760, Australia. Phone: +61 2 98 34 40 40;
Fax: +61 2 98 34 60 38; E-mail:dogsaust@ozemail.com.au Website:www.ankc.aust.com
Requirements: An import permit is required. The semen shipment must be accompanied by the import permit in original. Each permit is valid for 6 months, and for one consignment only. The liquid nitrogen container must be new/unused. A veterinary health certificate is required. A blood test for Brucella canis taken within 45 days before the semen collection and the dog not be naturally mated between sampling and the last semen collection. A blood test for leptospirosis taken within 21 days prior to semen collection, or if the dog is vaccinated against leptospira two blood tests should be taken with an interval of at least 14 days and the second being within 21 days prior to semen collection, with a titre of not more than 1:400 on each occasion and no increase in titre between the first and second tests.
Austria (category 4)
Federal Ministry for Social Security and Generations (Bundesministerium für Soziale Sicherheit und Generationen),
Veterinärvervaltung, Radetskystrasse 2, A-1030 Vienna. Phone: +43.17.11.00; Fax: +43.17.10.41.51. Website:www.bmsg.gv.at
Austrian Kennel Club (Õsterreichischer Kynologenverband, ÕKV), Johann-Teufel-gasse 8, a-1230 Vienna. Phone: +43 18.88.70.92;
Fax: +43 18.88.26.21; E-mail:office@oekv.at; Website:www.oekv.at
Requirements: An import permit, a health certificate and a blood test for leptospirosis and Brucella canis. For frozen semen the health certificate and the Brucella test should be made at the time of semen collection and repeated after 14 days.
Belgium (category 1)
The Belgian Ministry of Agriculture (Ministère de l´Agriculture), Service de l´Inspection Vétérinaire, Avenue du Boulevard 21 (5ème
étage), 1210 Bruxelles, Belgium. Website:www.cmlag.fgov.be/
The Belgian Kennel Club (Union Royale Cynologique Saint Hubert), 98, Avenue Albert Giraudlaan, B-1030 Bruxelles, Belgium.
Phone: +32 22.45.48.40; Fax: +32 22.45.87.90
Requirements: None.
Canada (category 3+)
Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), P.O. Box 6088, 1081 Main Street, Mencton, N.B. E1C 8R2, Phone: +1 506 851 7652; Fax:
+1 506 851 2689.
Canadian Kennel Club (CKC), 100-89 Skyway Avenue, Etobicoke, Ontario M9W 6R4, Canada.
Requirements: An import permit and a veterinary health certificate. The permit in original should accompany the semen shipment to Canada. An export certificate should be issued by a Government veterinarian of the exporting country. The LN2-tank must have a numbered tamper proof seal, and the number must be recorded on the export certificate. The dog must not have been vaccinated during the 30 days immediately preceding collection. The dog must not have been used for natural service for a minimun of 14 days prior to and until completion of semen collections. The semen sample(s) must be certified free from contaminating pathogenic microorganisms. All equipment used to collect, handle, wash, freeze and store the semen must have been new, or sterilized prior to use. Specified antibiotics must have been used in the extenders, and the semen have been stored in this for specified times, depending on which antibiotics were used, before freezing. The shipment of the semen through another country requires written authorization from CFIA.
Czech Republic (category 4+)
Czecz Republic State Veterinarian (Státni Veterinární Správa Ceské Republiky), Tesnov 17, 117 05 Praha 1, Czecz Republic. Phone:
+420 248.012.735; Fax: +420 218.129.74
The Czecz Kennel Club (Ceskomoravská Myslivecká Unie), U Pergamenky 3, CZ-170 00 Praha 7, Czecz Republic. Phone:
+420 2.667.108.29; Fax: +420 2.667.128.27; E-mail:cmku@cmku.cz; Website:www.cmku.cz
Requirements: An import permit, a veterinary health certificate and a blood test for leptospirosis and Brucella canis, taken not earlier than 20 days and not later than 30 days after the collection of semen. Semen straws should be sealed at the time of collection and marked with details of the donor dog. The donor dog should be vaccinated against rabies.
Denmark (category 3+)
The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, (Ministeriet for Fodevarer, Landbrug og Fiskeri), Morkhoj Bygade 19, DK 2860
Soborg, Denmark. Website:www.foedevaredirektoratet.dk/vnyt, E-mail:foedevaredirektoratet@fdir.dk, Phone: +45 33.95.60.00, Fax:
+45 33.95.62.89.
The Danish Kennel Club (Dansk Kennel Klub), Parkvej 1, Jersie Strand, DK-2680 Solrod Strand, Denmark. Phone: +45 56.18.81.00;
Fax: +45 53.18.81.91,Website:www.dansk_kennel_klub.dk
Requirements: The importer needs to apply for a registration as importer in writing to the "Veterinaerdirektoratet, 1. Afdeling, Rolighedsvej 25, 1958 Frederiksberg C, Denmark" at least 5 days before the import, stating the country of origin of the semen. The import permit will thereafter be sent out together with the relevant regulations and veterinary forms. A veterinary health certificate is required. For semen from rabies countries the dog must also be vaccinated against rabies at least 30 days and not more than 12 months before the collection of semen. The Kennel Club has no rules for litters by chilled imported semen.
Frozen semen to be imported must have been collected by a veterinarian, who also issues a health certificate, and states that the dog has normal testicles. The dog must be ID-tattooed or micro chipped. The semen should be frozen in straws, which must be clearly marked. A special certificate is necessary for registration of the litter, and can be ordered from the KC.
Finland (category 1)
The Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (Jord- och skogsbruksministeriet), P.O. Box 30, 00023 Valtioneuvosto, Street
address: Kluuvikatu 4A, Helsinki, Finland. Phone: +358 9-1601;+358 9-1602432; Fax: +358 9-1603338; E-mail:outi.tyni@mmm.fi;
Website:www.mmm.fi
The Finnish Kennel Club (Suomen Kennelliitto-Finska Kennelklubben r.y.) Kamreerintie 8, FI 02770 Espoo, Finland.
Website:www.kennelliitto.fi, Phone: +358 9.887.300; Fax: +358 9.8873.0331.
Requirements: None.
France (categories 1 and 2)
The French Ministry of Agriculture (Direction Générale de l´Alimentation, Mission de Coordination Sanitaire Internationale), Rue de Vaugirard, 75732 Paris Cedex 15, France. Phone: +33 - 1.49.55.84.84; Fax: +33 - 1.49.55.83.14. Website:www.agriculture.gouv.fr
The French Kennel Club (Société Centrale Canine de France) 155, Avenue Jean Jaurès, F-93535 Aubervilliers Cedex, France. Phone:
+33 1.49.37.54.00; Fax: +33 1.49.37.01.20. Website:www.scc.asso.fr
Requirements: There are no requirements from the ministry for dog semen from EU-countries. Semen from non-EU-countries needs an import permit from: Service des Titres du Commerce Extérieur 8, Rue de la Tour des Dames, 75436 Paris Cedex 09, France. Fax: +33 1.55.07.46.59.
The French Kennel Club registers litters provided that the insemination is performed by a veterinarian who has followed a special course at one of the veterinary schools in Lyon, Maisons-Alfort or Nantes. Imported semen must be kept in an official dog semen bank before being sent to the inseminating veterinarian. Banks are located in the 3 veterinary schools mentioned above.
Germany (category 1)
The German Ministry of Agriculture (Bundesministerium für Verbraucherschutz, Ernährung und Landwirtschaft) Referat 327
Rochusstr. 1, D-53123 Bonn, Germany. Phone: +49 22.85.290, Fax: +49 22.85.29.44.01, E-mail:327@bml.bund.de. Referatsleiter:
Dr. Valder (Tel +49 228 529 3618).
The German Kennel Club (Verband für das Deutsche Hundewesen, VDH), Westfalendamm 174, Postfach 10 41 54, D-44041
Dortmund, Germany. Phone: +49 231.565.000; Fax: +49 231.592.440. Website:www.vdh.de. The relevant Breed Club should also be
contacted, as some of them have their own regulations.
Requirements: None.
Hungary (category 1)
The Hungarian Board of Agriculture (Földmûvelésügyi és Vidékfejlesztési Minisztérium) H-1860 Budapest 55.Pf.1, Hungary. Phone:
+361 301.4000; Fax: +361 302.0408; E-mail:miniszter@f-m.x400gw.itb.hu
The Hungarian Kennel Club (Magyar Ebtenyésztok Országos Egyesülete, MEOE) H-1116 Budapest, Tétényi út 128/b-130. Phone:
+361 208.2300
Requirements: None. The Kennel Club does not officially accept litters by AI, however, there is no control.
Italy (category 1)
The Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Phone: +39 06.599.438.23, E-mail:dav.u10@sanita.it; Website:www.politicheagricole.it
The Italian Kennel Club (Ente Nazionale della Cinofilia Italiana, ENCI) Viale Corsica 20, 20137 Milano, Italy. Phone: +39 02.70.020.341; Fax: +39 02.70.202.321; E-mail:mond2000.enci@enci.it; Website:www.enci.it
Requirements: None specified/officially not allowed, but no control.
The Netherlands (category 1)
The Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries The Dutch Kennel Club (Rad van Beheer op Kynologish
Gebeid in Nederland), Postbus 75901, 1070 AX, Amsterdam Z, The Netherlans. Phone: +31 20 664 4471; Fax: +31 20 671 0846;
Website:www.minlnv.nl
The Dutch Kennel Club (Rad van Beheer), Website:www.kennelclub.nl
Requirements: None.
New Zealand (categories 3+ and 4+)
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry P.O. Box 2526, Wellington, New Zealand.
Website:www.maf.govt.nz/AnimallHS/countries3-5html
The New Zealand Kennel Club, The New Zealand Kennel Club, Prosser Street, Eldsor, Private bag 50903, Porirus, New Zealand.
Phone:+64 4 237 4498; Fax: +64 4 237 0721; Email:nzkc@nzkc.org.nz; Website:www.nzk.org.nz
Requirements:
From Australia: An import permit, a Zoo-sanitary certificate and a veterinary health certificate. Semen should have been collected in the presence of a veterinarian. The ampoules, straws or pellets containing the semen must be sealed following
collection, identified with the details of the donor dog, securely packed in a new/unused container using coolant which has not been used for any other purpose, and been stored under veterinary supervision until the time of export.
From The United Kingdom and The Republic of Ireland: An import permit. The original permit should accompany the consignment to New Zealand. A veterinary health certificate issued immediately before, and again between 3 - 6 weeks after the collection of the semen. A blood test for leptospirosis within 6 weeks before semen collection. A blood test for Brucella canis between 3 - 6 weeks after collection of the semen. The donor dog must have been resident in the country for at least 2 months prior to the semen collection. Identification of the dog and straws etc as above. The country of export must have been free from rabies for at least 12 months, and the donor dog must not have been vaccinated against rabies with a live vaccine during the 6 months preceding collection of the semen.
From Hawaii, Norway and Sweden: An import permit. The original permit should accompany the consignment to New Zealand. A health certificate issued immediately before, and again between 3 - 6 weeks after collection of the semen. A blood test for Brucella canis taken during 14 days prior to semen collection. The donor dog must have been resident in the country for at least 2 months prior to the semen collection. The semen must be held frozen for at least 21 days after collection and a new veterinary certificate be made stating that the donor dog is still healthy. Identification of dog and straws etc as above. The country of export must have been free from rabies for at least 12 months, and the donor dog must not have been vaccinated against rabies with a live vaccine during the 6 months preceding collection of the semen.
From Canada and The United States: As above with the following additions: The donor dog must not during the 6 months prior to semen collection have been on any property on which rabies has been diagnosed in the previous 12 months. The dog should
be vaccinated against rabies with an inactivated cell culture origin vaccine, and the vaccination programme be completed not more than 12 months and not less than 30 days prior to semen collection. A blood test for Brucella canis within 3 - 6 weeks
after semen collection. A blood test for leptospirosis within 3 - 6 weeks after semen collection, or two tests not less than 30 days apart with no rise in titre between tests and treatment with specified antibiotics during the 30 days prior to semen collection.
Norway (categories 1, 3+ and 4+)
The Norwegian Ministry of Animal Health (Statens Dyrehelsetilsyn) Postboks 8147 Dep., N-0033 Oslo, Norway. Phone: +47 22.24.19.40; Fax: +47 22.24.10.45; Website:www.dyrehelstilsynet.no
The Norwegian Kennel Club (Norsk Kennel Klub, NKK) Pb 163 Bryn, 0611 Oslo, Norway. Phone: +47 21 600 900.
Website:www.nkk.no
Requirements: No restrictions apply to semen from Sweden. From EU/EFTA countries: An import permit. A veterinary health certificate issued on a standard form accepted by the Ministry. The dog must be ID-tattooed or microchipped and this number appear
on all certificates. The dog must be vaccinated against leptospirosis and rabies (unless from a rabies free country) within 365 days prior to semen collection. For dog semen from outside of EU/EFTA in addition: a blood test for Brucella canis within 21 days prior to semen collection, and the dog must not have mated naturally in the period between the blood sampling and the semen collection.
Bitches inseminated with the imported semen must not mate with another dog in the same oestrus period. Should an abortion occur the Ministry must be immediately notified.
Spain (category 1)
The Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Paseo Infanta Isabel 1, 280 14 Madrid, Spain. Phone: +34 91.347.5185; Fax: +34 91.347.5761;
Website:www.mapya.es/indices/pags/info/index.htm
The Spanish Kennel Club (Real Sociedad Central de Fomento de Razas Caninas en España), Lagasca 16, Bajo derecha, 28001
Madrid, Spain. Phone: +34 91 426 49 60; Fax: +34 91.435.11.13 / +34 91.435.28.95. Website:www.rsce.es
Requirements: Zoosanitary certificate. Health certificate. The Spanish Kennel Club is currently working on their rules. IF YOU WANT TO DOWNLOAD THE IMPORT CERTIFICATE FOR NON-EUROPEAN COUNTRIES PRESS HERE [73 KB]
Republic of South Africa (category 4)
National Department of Agriculture (Departement van Landbou), Directorate of Animal Health, Import-Export Control, Private Bag X138, Pretoria, 0001, Republic of South Africa. Phone: +27 012.319.75.14; Fax: +27 012.329.82.92.
Kennel Union of Southern Africa, P.O. Box 2659, Cape Town 8000, South Africa. Phone: +27 21.23.90.27; Fax: +27 21.23.58.76.
Requirements: An import permit. The original permit should accompany the semen shipment. The permit is valid for 6 months and for one consignment only. A veterinary health certificate. A blood test for Brucella canis taken at the time of semen collection.
Sweden (category 4)
Swedish Board of Agriculture (Statens Jordbruksverk), SE 551 82 Jönköping, Sweden. Phone: +46 36 15 50 00; Fax: +46 36 15 50
05; Website:www.sjv.se
Swedish Kennel Club, SE 163 85 Spånga, Sweden. Phone: +46 8.795.30.00; Fax: +46 8.795.30.40; Website:www.skk.se;
Requirements: An import permit, which is valid for 12 months. A veterinary health certificate issued not more than 15 days before shipment. Blood tests for leptospira canicola and ichterohaemorrhagica, and Brucella canis, to be marked with the identity of the dog.
For fresh semen the blood sample must not be taken more than 15 days before semen collection and shipment; for frozen semen it should be taken not earlier than 20 days or later than 30 days after semen collection and freezing (i.e. during a 10-day-span). The
Kennel Club requires that the identity of the dog is certified by the veterinarian collecting the semen. If the dog is not microchipped or ID-tattooed either a photograph of the dog should be signed by its owner and by the veterinarian collecting the semen, or a nose print is taken and signed as the photo. Photo or nose print should accompany the shipment of semen.
Switzerland (category 2)
Federal Veterinary Office (Bundesamt für Veterinärwesen), Schwarzenburgstrasse 161, CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland.
Website:www.bvet.admin.ch. Phone: + 31-323.85.24/09; Fax: +31-323.85.22.
Swiss Kennel Club (Schweizerischen Kynologischen Gesellschaft), Postfach 8276, 3001 Bern, Switzerland. Phone: +31 306.62.62;
Fax: +31 306.62.60, E-mail:skg@hundeweb.org, Website:www.dogweb.org
Requirements: Just a formal import permit.
United Kingdom/Great Britain (category 3+)
Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF), 1A Page Street, London, SW1P 4PQ, United Kingdom.
Website:www.maff.gov.uk, E-mail:germplasmimports@ahvg.maff.gov.uk or, E-mail:germplasmexports@ahvg.maff.gov.uk, both
Fax: +44 20.7904.6395.
The Kennel Club, Clarges street, London. Website:www.the-kennel-club-org.uk
Requirements: An import permit, which is valid for 8 months. From rabies free countries: Country disease clearance. A veterinary health certificate. The donor dog must have been resident in the country for the last 12 months and not been vaccinated against rabies with a live vaccine during the 6 months prior to semen collection. The semen must not be despatched until a new health check has been made after 14 days. From non rabies free countries: The dog must be microchipped. The semen must not be despatched from the exporting country until 6 months after the semen collection, and a new health certificate then be issued. The dog must not have been vaccinated against rabies with a live vaccine during the 6 months prior to semen collection. The dog must not be under any quarantine restrictions. The Kennel Club requests prior application for permission to perform AI.
United States of America (category 1)
United States Drug Administration (USDA) P.O. Box 3220, Minneapolis, MN 55403-1503, USA.
American Kennel Club (AKC), 5580 Centerview Drive, Raleigh, NC 27606-3390, USA. Phone: +1 919.233.9767 or
+1 919.854.0124; Fax: +1 919.233.3627 or +1 919.854.0102; Website:www.akc.org
Requirements: As from October 2000 no import permit is required for dog semen. The AKC requests a prior application to permit AI by imported semen. They also request a DNA sample, which can be ordered via E-mail:dna@akc.org.