U.S. Horse Passport Program Gaining Popularity by: Marcella M. Reca,
Staff Writer April 2005
The list of states accepting equine passports
is growing longer as Florida is implementing its own passport program in order
to fulfill state and federal initiatives as part of the National Animal
Identification System (NAIS). Greg Christy, DVM, state coordinator for the
Florida State Agricultural Response Team, discussed Florida's new equine ID
cards for intrastate and interstate movement at the National Institute for
Animal Agriculture's annual conference held April 3-7 in St. Paul, Minn.
"It's like a horse driver's license, and the same size as a credit
card," said Christy. "The two-sided, laminated card has full-color digital
images of horse, owner contact information, horse information (name, breed, sex,
age, and proof of negative equine infectious anemia, or EIA, test), and the
veterinarian's name and phone number. A premises ID number is also linked to
each horse issued a card."
Although the passport program is a voluntary alternative to paper
documents required for traveling, it is supposed to be a service to horse owners
who frequently travel with their horses so they do not have to carry numerous
papers for each horse, as well as a means of tracking horses in the event of a
disease outbreak.
"With 23 stations along Florida highways that check for proper equine
documentation when traveling," says Christy, "we can quarantine disease cases by
not allowing them in or out of an area.
"The Equine Interstate Passport Card is accepted as proof of a negative
EIA test and an Official Certificate of Veterinary Inspection within the
previous six months for interstate movement to equine events," added Christy.
The states that currently honor Florida's Equine Interstate Passport are
Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma,
South Carolina, and Virginia.
A veterinarian in the audience commented that regular health
certificates were issued every 30 days, and a horse that travels frequently
could come in contact with a lot of diseases in a six month period, possibly
infecting horses they come in contact with during that time frame.
A Negative EIA Test Verification Card is also available from Florida's
agriculture department, said Christy. "This card is accepted as proof of a
negative EIA test within the previous 12 months," he stated. The card looks
similar to the horse passport, but does not show proof of a veterinary
inspection.
The cards are free for Florida horse owners until June
30.
Christy said the current fees have been funded by a grant from the Division
of Animal Industry.
As of July 1, the Division of Animal Industry will begin charging $15
for the first horse on an Equine Interstate Passport Card application, and $5
for each additional horse on the same application. The Negative EIA Test
Verification Card will cost $5 per application.
