Association of Animal Welfare Administrators: Companion Animal Transport Best Practices

Animal transport is an important component in sheltering and there are several over-arching issues that could significantly impede the ability to transport animals. Many state veterinarians have a serious concern about animals being moved across state borders without proper health certificates and the required vaccinations. Local authorities are concerned about unscreened animals that may pose a public health or safety risk entering their jurisdictions. It is incumbent on all organizations working to alleviate companion animal population imbalance to ensure that all stakeholder concerns are adequately monitored and addressed if transport programs are to be a widely accepted tool in the effort to find homes for all healthy and treatable animals. This presentation will cover the role of transport and potential models, key considerations and deciding if transport is right for your agency, the impact on your agency and community, and partnerships and general requirements for source and destination organizations.