# A potential problem. Transporting birds across state lines.



## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

A little background.

Our club is not that far from the Ohio river. Which is also the line that divides Ohio from Kentucky. All racing by our club and combine, is from the south. We race from and through, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama. Almost all training tosses for our lofts in Ohio, are done from Kentucky.

Now to the point of this thread.

It has come to the attention of our club, that there are laws in Kentucky, that stipulate that it is illegal to transport birds from Ohio into Kentucky, unless there is a Health Certificate from a veterinarian, for each and every loft whose birds are in a vehicle on a training toss, or in a trailer being taken to release for a race.

Or else all of the birds, and the truck and trailer involved, can be confiscated, and fines issued.

Our transporter (person taking the birds to be released for a race) has been warned in the past. We luckily were not fined, nor any property confiscated. We have a very large trailer and it will obviously be known to the officer/s that issued the warning.

So, if I get a health certificate for my personal loft (which I am going to do), it does not help alleviate any problems the rest of the birds on a truck/trailer might have with the law. As we understand it, all the birds could be confiscated, along with the vehicle and trailer, and upon proof of a particular lofts health certificate being shown. The loft in "compliance" with the law, by previously having obtained a health certificate, bird's would be released to that bird owner.

Now, we only know about this for the state of Kentucky. We have no idea about the other states further south (yet). We assume they most likely have similar laws.

Has anyone here ever had a problem with taking racing pigeons across state lines, either to train or to race?

I wonder if this kind of law, would or could apply to shipping birds by USPS?

This may be something that would only be a problem once every ten years. Or it could be a potential mighty blow to pigeon racing. A health certificate would have to be obtained from a veterinarian every year, to comply with Kentucky's law. The truck driver would have to have these certificates in hand when going to or through that state.

But of course, feral pigeons could fly across state lines all day long. It is just for pigeons kept by humans. It is my understanding it actually applies to all fowl, or other types of animals. Such as dogs, cats, cows, of whatever.

What a pain in the butt that would be.


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## Josepe (Jan 10, 2011)

That Stinks! Nit Picken" for sure.I doubt it applies to shipping birds by USPS or that rule or law would've already been stated.I know when I used to breed German Shepherds and sold and shipped pups each one had to have a health certificate,but I think that was an Airline rule.


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## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

Interesting. I also bred and shipped German Shepherd Dogs. My adult dogs were born in Germany. All out of VA parents.

I had to obtain health certificates on them to ship. That was not a big deal though.

But imagine going on vacation to the Great Smokey Mountains and taking your dog. Pain in the butt, and for what? Like parvo virus isn't in every state in the union.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

I was under the impression you needed a health certificate for going into any state. We did it in the combine. I dont think we do it with our new group. It doesn't seem to be a very enforced law, but it's good to have just in case. In the combine we just took a bird or two from each loft (supposedly) and the vet looked them over, and gave us the certificate. The vets don't really care if you have a bird from every loft, or even every club. Just get a sample so they can check it off.

As far as I know, we have never been stopped to get checked for a certificate. In all the years the club raced with the combine. Hell, most people don't even know about pigeon racing. And the birds are transported at night, so not likely anyone is even going to see the birds. But if the driver was pulled over for some reason, it would be handy, just in case.


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## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

Yea, in our case. It was a flat tire that caused the "attention".


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## Alamo (Nov 22, 2008)

Our combine & clubs have never had a problem going into KY etc....Our combine has been flying out of Ky etc for the last 80+ years....Why worry NOW !!!!!!...Alamo
PS:
I remember when there was a PMV outbresk in chickens,when NO RACING out of the HOME state was allowed...It lasted only one year....


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## Timber (Jan 6, 2009)

MaryOfExeter said:


> I was under the impression you needed a health certificate for going into any state. We did it in the combine. I dont think we do it with our new group. It doesn't seem to be a very enforced law, but it's good to have just in case. In the combine we just took a bird or two from each loft (supposedly) and the vet looked them over, and gave us the certificate. The vets don't really care if you have a bird from every loft, or even every club. Just get a sample so they can check it off.
> 
> As far as I know, we have never been stopped to get checked for a certificate. In all the years the club raced with the combine. Hell, most people don't even know about pigeon racing. And the birds are transported at night, so not likely anyone is even going to see the birds. But if the driver was pulled over for some reason, it would be handy, just in case.


Same thing happend to us here in FLA. The driver was stopped a few years back for not weighing in at the Agricultural Weigh Station and got a ticket. We got a health cert in the same fashion. When we stop now at those AG weigh stations, we tell them we have racing pigeons and can provide them a copy of the certifications and they just wave us through.... LOL


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