Summer’s here and that means people are taking more trips, often traveling with their pets. While we all enjoy the nice weather, this time of year can present certain challenges for veterinarians and animal health professionals. A prime example: a client calls while on the road and needs a copy of their health certificate right away.
We’re summarizing our most helpful tips and current information to help you prepare for the influx in client services, and help make these challenges less of a problem for you when they do arise.
Help ensure your clients’ travel plans go smoothly this summer by making sure you know all of these tips — there’s even some resources you can share with them.
Resources for Summer Travel with Pets & Animals
Know if the state your traveling to has changed their 7001 form rules. The APHIS 7001 form provided by the USDA has previously been used for health certificates, however many state animal health departments no longer accept these forms because of several concerns about security and validity. Make sure that the health certificate you’re providing your clients is valid and accepted in the states being traveled to. (Hint: GVL digital health certificates are a valid solution for all states, and are instantly shared with state animal health officials.) Learn more about 7001 forms and the changes here.
Brush up on your regulatory knowledge (and earn CE for free). GVL and Dr. Valerie Ragan presented the Small Animal Requirements for Movement and Travel webinar in March 2019. In this hour-long session, Dr. Ragan explains the current regulations around animal movement, what changes may be on the horizon, and what veterinarians can do to prepare. We also summarized all of the Q&A from the webinar in a blog post, where Dr. Ragan addresses everything from USDA accreditation to international travel. Don’t forget to complete the post-test after watching the webinar to earn one hour of RACE-approved CE credit. View the webinar online and explore the webinar resources.
Look up state movement requirements before traveling with animals. Traveling with or transporting small animal species (cats, dogs, rodents, etc.) may require a health certificate or Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) from a veterinarian, depending on state laws. Find out what you need to be compliant at AnimalRegs.com, which provides current regulations and requirements for moving any animal species within, to or from a state, with information that’s verified by state animal health officials. (By the way, the rules and requirements for each state are built into the GVL platform, so health certificates are auto-checked for errors.) Bookmark AnimalRegs.com and share the link with your clients.
Find movement requirements for international health certificates. Each country has specific health requirements for entry of animals and may have their own certificate format for export. The USDA APHIS IRegs for Animal Exports website provides information about export of animals from the United States. Select the country being traveled to and enter the animal information to see what you need to know. Visit IRegs for Animal Exports to help international travelers prepare.
Keep your clients connected to their animal health records 24/7. By providing your clients with a MyVetLink account, they have unlimited access to their animal records or certificates. There’s even a free app so what they need is right at their fingertips. No more panicked calls for you, and no lost documents for them. Request a free MyVetLink marketing kit for resources to help your clients get started with their accounts.
Digital Animal Health with GVL
GVL provides an easy-to-use, cloud-based platform for easy digital animal health records for all species, including:
- Certificates of Veterinary Inspection (CVIs or health certificates);
- Extended Equine Certificates of Veterinary Inspection (EECVIs or 6-month health certificates)
- Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) “Coggins” Tests;
- Veterinary Feed Directives (VFDs);
- and even more.
So regardless of what challenges arise, the GVL platform has you covered with secure, digital health certificates that are approved for all U.S. states and territories. We work closely with state animal health officials and governing bodies to ensure that GVL certificates are compliant with regulations and requirements.
If you don’t write a lot of certificates, GVL now offers a new pricing plan with no subscription fees or monthly minimums. This means users are only charged when they complete a certificate, for more flexibility to fit the needs of every veterinarian.
Plus, GVL customer support is unmatched in its dedication to training and education, assistance with travel issues and natural disasters, as well as offering troubleshooting and guidance. GVL has expanded support hours to 7:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. seven days a week.
Thousands of veterinarians save time with GVL, reducing errors and compliance issues, retaining client information and records in a searchable account, and providing clients with online access to their documents. Ultimately, the GVL platform powers communication and compliance for peace of mind.
Still not convinced? Give us a call for a demo of the GVL platform and get answers to any questions you have: 515-817-5703.