The Savannah Signal Final Issue 2011
www.savannahcatclub.com
Importing to Canada, or
Can an American Savannah Learn to Say “EH”?? By Teresa Debahr, WildStreak Savannahs
If you are Canadian and want to bring a high gen- eration Savannah kitten from the US to Canada there are many obstacles to overcome. The first would be to find out if high generation Savannahs are legal in your area. The entire province of Al- berta has restricted the ownership of Savannah cats to F4 and lower. There are restrictions on owner- ship in many parts of Quebec and other municipali- ties across the country. Generally, if you are buying an F5 or lower Savannah, you will be exempt from municipal and provincial restrictions, although it is still a good idea to double check at your local city hall.
With low generation Savannahs you will not require export permits from the states to bring your kitten into Canada. You will require proof that your kitten is a lower generation Savannah, (ie pedigree or registration form), and the kitten will need a cur- rent health certificate and a rabies vaccine. You will need to pay taxes when the kitten crosses the Ca- nadian border and you will also need to pay broker- age and/or handling fees if the kitten is flown into Canada.
If you want to buy a higher generation Savannah you must find an American breeder that is willing to work with you and help with the paperwork. The breeder must also be ready to keep the kitten you are purchasing longer than normal so that you can get the paperwork in order. This is not a quick proc- ess.
Once you have bought your kitten your first step is to apply for a CITES export permit from the US Fish and Wildlife Department.
The person who is ―causing‖ the kitten to cross the border is the one who must apply for the permit. So if you are Canadian but will be picking the kitten up in the states and driving the kitten across the bor- der into Canada, then you apply for the permit. If the US breeder is the one shipping the kitten by air right across the border into Canada then that per- son must apply for the permit. The CITES permit can take between 1-6 months to be processed so
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apply for it ASAP. The form for domestically raised Servals and Savannahs is 3-200-24 and it is printed below.
To fill out the form you will need to have the kitten micro chipped to identify it.
If you have a vet will-
ing to set aside a microchip for your kitten that ex- pedites the process as you can send the form in with the number for the designated chip to be in- serted when the kitten is old enough. Most of the form is self explanatory and just requires honesty and clarity. You will need to attach a detailed bill of sale and you can write any additional information to explain the situation or details of the sale on addi- tional paper. You must send in $100 US but that does not guarantee the CITES permit will be issued.
F5 SBT Spotted Love Savannahs
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