Animal Import & Export

The Department oversees the requirements for livestock, poultry, and companion animals being imported into the state.  Requirements vary for the type of animal; however, owners generally need to supply a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection and official identification, and meet testing requirements for disease before they can move their animals.

Visit the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to find rules for transporting animals internationally and the contact information for the USDA Port Veterinarians.

New World Screwworm (NWS)

Date effective: June 16, 2026

• No domestic animal infected with New World Screwworm shall be permitted to enter into the State;
• No domestic animal suspected of being infected with the New World Screwworm shall be permitted to enter the State until examined by an accredited veterinarian and found to be free of New World Screwworm;
• No domestic animal originating from an infested premises or a premises under investigation for suspected New World Screwworm shall enter the State until the premises is declared free of New World Screwworm by the originating state's animal health authority;
• No domestic animal originating from an Infested Zone shall enter the State until the animal has been examined by an accredited veterinarian and found to be free of New World Screwworm.
• All domestic animals originating from any state with one or more New World Screwworm Infested Zone or Zones shall be inspected and have a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) Issued by an accredited veterinarian issued within five (5) days of entry. The CVI shall include a statement that all animals listed on the CVI were inspected and found to be free of New World Screwworm;
• All domestic animals originating from an Infested Zone shall be prophylactically treated for New World Screwworm with a product that is authorized or conditionally approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use to treat or prevent New World Screwworm infections or a product that has received emergency use authorization for New World Screwworm treatment or prevention by the FDA The product shall be administered no more than 14 days prior to entry. The CVI shall include the name of the product used, the date the product was administered, and the route of administration; and
• Dogs and cats originating from a state with one or more New World Screwworm Infested Zones are prohibited from entering the State of New York for the purposes of rescue, adoption, transfer, sale, lease, sponsorship, or gift of such dog or cat; and
• Hatching eggs and day-old chicks are exempt from these requirements.

Read the full order issued by the Department on June 16, 2026 here.

Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV)

Date effective: May 26, 2026
Species: Equine, Bovine, Porcine, Caprine, Ovine, Cervidae, Llama
Importing State: New Mexico

Date effective: May 7, 2026
Species: Equine, Bovine, Porcine, Caprine, Ovine, Cervidae, Llama
Importing State: Colorado

1CRR-NY 67.1 – Importation Prohibited

No person shall transport or bring into this State any equine, bovine, porcine, caprine, ovine, cervidae or llama from a point of origin located within 10 miles of any place in which the disease vesicular stomatitis has been found to exist during the 30-day period prior to the entry of said animal into this State.

1CRR-NY 67.2 – Certificate Required

No person shall transport or bring into this State any equine, bovine, porcine, caprine, ovine, cervidae or llama originating in a state in which the disease vesicular stomatitis has been found to exist during the previous 30 days unless said animal has been examined and found to be free from vesicular stomatitis and is accompanied by a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection, a copy of which has been mailed to the department, bearing the following statement attested to by the accredited veterinarian issuing said certificate:

"All animals identified on this health certificate have been examined and found to be free from vesicular stomatitis and, to the best of my knowledge and belief, during the past 30 days these animals have not been exposed to said disease, nor held at a location within ten miles of any place in which said disease has been found to exist."

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)

During the outbreak of HPAI in livestock in several other states, the Department has issued new import requirements for dairy cattle coming into New York. They are:

• Importation of dairy cattle from a premises with a confirmed case of HPAI or a premises under investigation as a suspect premises is prohibited; and
• Dairy cattle imported from affected states must be accompanied by a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) issued within 10 days prior to entry into the state; and
• CVIs issued for dairy cattle from affected states must include the statement: "All animals identified on the Certificate of Veterinary (CVI) have been examined and do not originate from a premises with a confirmed detection of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, or that is currently under investigation as a suspect premises.”
• Non-lactating dairy cattle > 18 months of age imported from states that have had a confirmed case of HPAI in cattle (within the last 30 days):  
  • Must have a negative Influenza A test (nasal swab/PCR) within 10 days prior to entry. The date of test and test result must be written on the CVI.
  • Must be tested individually. If they are moving as a group or lot, the maximum number to test is 30.
  • Must be accompanied by a copy of the laboratory report. The report shall be retained by the destination facility for 3 months. 

USDA APHIS has additional restrictions for interstate movement of lactating dairy cattle from states currently affected by HPAI which can be found here. At this time, lactating dairy animals may move from unaffected states without needing an HPAI test.

A map of affected states can be found on the USDA website here: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/livestock

There are no emergency export regulations for animals in effect at this time.

There are certain animals that are not under the jurisdiction of the Department for import requirements. Please contact the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for more information.

Rabbits

New York does not currently have importation requirements for rabbits. In light of incidences of Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease in the western United States, we ask that all rabbit owners be aware of this disease and follow the USDA's precautions.

If you have any suspicion of Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease in your rabbits or other rabbits in New York, please notify the Department immediately by emailing [email protected] or calling 518-457-3502. 

If you’re aware of suspicious cases in another state, please contact that state's veterinarian.

Horses and Equidae

All horses and equidae transported on a public road in New York State must be accompanied by a copy of a current negative test report for Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA).  There are only three exceptions:

1. The horse is under 6 months old
2. The horse is going directly to a livestock market for sale as a green-tagged animal, and that market has permission from the state to accept horses without current EIA tests.
3. The horse is being transported directly from a livestock market approved by the state to sell green-tagged equids with pending EIA tests. These animals will have a pending EIA test from the livestock market. The green market tag cannot come off the animal before the results are received by the new owner.
   • Specific conditions required for this transport from an approved market:
     • The animal is moved to a single location pending test results.
     • Animal was sold directly by the market to the purchaser with no intermediate ownership (not purchased at the market and then re-sold prior to receipt of EIA test results).
     • The animal was sold as a green-tagged animal and the green tag is still on the animal.

If you purchase a horse in New York and a copy of the EIA test is not provided, you cannot legally transport the horse. In addition, a Domestic Animal Health Permit holder is not allowed to sell or transfer ownership of a horse without a current EIA test . Knowing this requirement in advance lets you check that the seller has a copy of the EIA test to hand to you before you start your journey to pick up the animal. 

Sheep and Goats

New York state requires official scrapie identification on all sheep and goats upon change of ownership, unless they are sold directly to slaughter. There is no exception for younger animals. This identification can be approved scrapie eartags, registry tattoos, flock/individual ID tattoos or any other approved federal scrapie identification.