Pet Food Import Regulations

[jimskoi]

You will not be able to do this order.It is now illegal to bring any type of animal food into Canada.Retail or personal.

Here is a link from The canadian food inspection agency.

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/anima/heasan/pol/ie-2001-9e.shtml

[ajm1961]

In reading the regulations, I don't see where it states that fish food is not allowed for import into Canada. They are mainly concerned about BSE. This law dates back to 2001...
Why wouldn't Aquariumshop be able to import NLS pellets?

[jimskoi]

If you go then web site. It states all animal fish birds and reptiles. I imported an equipment order this week and I asked them when I was inside doing my import papers. Its not thatbygrybarr not allowed. It is not allowed to be imported in.
I'm just posting this so people wont loose their money when customs keeps it.

[nissannx]

it does say for ornamental fish but there is also a form to fill out for importors. im sure if it was worth their wild to sell the food they will fill out the import papers to get a permit for it. doesn't look too hard

[jimskoi]

Its not as easy as that. They want info from the manufacture on how its made. The temperature that its cooked at and so on. Importes yes but the public. No.

[jimskoi]

Here is an email from The Canadian Food Inspection Agency:

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) recently updated its policy (AHPD-DSAE-IE-2001-9-7) for Animal Health Import Requirements for Pet Food.The policy provides information and direction to Canadian importers and foreign exporters of pet foods, supplements, treats and chews on the import requirements, eligibility and conditions of these products entering Canada.

Generally speaking, commercially prepared pet food and pet treats containing non-bovinae ingredients from the United States will require an Import Permit as issued by CFIA, only after the successful completion of a risk assessment questionnaire. In addition an Importer Statement of Compliance and Canada Customs Invoice or a commercial invoice which must link to the shipment and clearly describe the product(s) being imported, indicating the country of origin and end use.

Pet food and pet treats which contain bovinae ingredients from the United States also require the Import Permit and Customs Invoice information as above but also require a Zoosanitary Export Certificate and an Original export Health Certificate, endorsed by a full-time, salaried veterinarian of the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
Anyone in Canada that plans on importing pet food products should be fully aware of the specific requirements as contained within this new policy.

The step by step process for non-bovinae pet food products can be found here:
http://www.cscb.ca/listinfo/Import_non_bovinae_PF_USA.pdf

And for those which contain bovinae ingredients (such as blood meal, bone meal, etc)
http://www.cscb.ca/listinfo/Import_bovinae_PF_USA.pdf


Each & every product/brand requires a separate permit, one permit does not allow you to import numerous brands of pet food.   Each & every permit requires a facility questionnaire to be filled out & signed by the actual *manufacturer* of the food. 
Ingredients, processing methods & temperatures, etc are required.   

Vendors such as Kensfish, John at Jehmco, or some guy on Aquabid are not *manufacturers*, and cannot provide these documents themselves, even if a Canadian wanted to jump through the hoops linked to above to apply for a permit.  These documents would need to come directly from the actual manufacturer of each make/brand of fish food. 

Each & every shipment of pet food coming into Canada must now have the proper paperwork & CFIA permit attached, or you pay your $$$$ and you take your chances.   Yes, some shipments might slip through the cracks, so the question becomes how lucky are you feeling today?     

The following is a direct quote from one of the head CFIA agents in Ottawa.

"No pet food whatsoever will be allowed into Canada without the proper paperwork & permit. Not even a single container or bag for personal use. Anything that is caught at the border will be confiscated & destroyed."

[fischkopp]

That very interesting, Jim. Indeed, I didn't know about this at all. Turns out that I am a smuggler after all.

[snnorlaxx]

This is all very interesting . I have an outstanding order with Ken's and so I called him this morning to discuss these claims of banning all fish food imports. His response was that this was all nonsense. He claims the ban is directed at containers arriving from China with tainted or poorly processed food. He has not had any shipments confiscated, seized or otherwise delayed. He goes on to say its a cheap ploy from certain locals trying to scare people into buying their fish food locally instead of sending our cash south of the border. I don't want to sensationalize this, but this seems very wrong to me if its true. I will wait for my order to arrive and report back on how it went. Does anyone else have a different perspective on this issue ? Would like to hear what others think.

[RoxyDog]

All I can say is read the link to CFIA.  I haven't read it all, but it seems to me there's nothing being banned per say just that new restrictions are being placed and importers will need permits/documentation.  Am I wrong?  I think in the end it boils down to whether or not it's going to be a "big deal" or is it just going to be nothing much more for the importers to do?  Please do report on how your order goes so we'll know for the future.  I wonder how many people even buy their fish food from the US.

Oh and the link specifically talks about the US, so even if it is directed at China, it still counts for the US.

Perhaps Jim should have worded his post to say "is illegal without a permit"? 

[gauthier613]

I think it depends on the individual dangers of the product containing the pathogen to carry Mad Cow Decease.

It sounds like the same principal as, you cannot bring an Apple across the Boarder but you can bring apple Sauce.  The Seed is what is dangerous to Canadian Forestry.

I think CBSA would be reasonable on fish food though.  I will ask around since I work here.
 

[az]

I think its ok as long the manufacturer is in CFIA's good list, places where they havent been to chk is the problem. But you need to fill out a form(legally) before ordering it and the supplier needs to submit all that before shipping(legally) but all items never get checked and all rules are never followed.

what food was it anyways?

[Melody]

They'll definitly nail individuals - I had a little box of flake samples unceremoniously turned back to the shipper.

My understanding is that it's not only these ingredients that are the concern, but also any food manufactured in the same place.  If the manufacturer produces cat food with one of those ingredients, they can't import food without it either.  To do so, they have to comply with inspections and the above mentioned red tape.  Apparently even Hikari has had a terrible time with it. 

I believe it did come from issues that originated with Orient-produced food, and that does seem to be a particular focus.  However, much of the food that bulk food sellers provide is produced in the Orient and even when it isn't, they have to prove it. 

The other problem is that food is often manufactured by outside sources, so the brand has very little control over where the ingredients are sourced from or how the manufacturer handles it.  The Kelp could be from Canada today and China tomorrow, type thing, as long as the specified amount is in the finished product.  If the Canadian supplier is also producing bloodmeal... it can get very complicated.

This is, of course, just my interpretation and is in no way official, but I thought I'd throw it in.  One thing is certain, it's a huge pain and another blanket rule made because it's easier to say no to everything than it is to determine what can, or cannot, proceed at the border.  If they require permits, border officials can quickly determine what gets through. 

It has nothing to do with a 'buy Canadian' thing - that's a US notion... which will do them more harm than good, I might add, but that's another topic.

[Rhacodactylus Ciliatus]

Why do you think all fish foods (except for Nutrafin and a couple of others) are on clearance sale prices at some Pet Stores? It really sucks.

These companies need permits now to bring fish foods (and others) into Canada, it makes it more difficult and costly, so most are just giving up on shipping it up here. Its not banned, just difficult to do. Brands like Nutrafin which are made in Canada will be fine, other brands that remain here (if any) will sky-rocket in price.

[psychwolf]

In case anyone is interested I did place the order for the NLS pellets from aquariumshop.ca and received confirmation that they were shipped on Friday. I'll let you know when I get them.

[ciaus]

In case anyone is interested I did place the order for the NLS pellets from aquariumshop.ca and received confirmation that they were shipped on Friday. I'll let you know when I get them.

After having written the following I am adding this at the front as a preamble.  The following is a long post to say I will be really surprised if you do not receive your fish food order.

Psychwolf, Since the vendor is listed as aquariumshop.ca, then they are obligated to sell in accordance with Canadian law, rules and regulations.  The Domain is registered in Canada, and you are purchasing from them, therefore the burden of importation certification will be upon them, since they are registered in Canada.  The server(s) can be in Borneo, Chile or anywhere esle, but because the Domain registration being in Canada, means that the governing jurisdiction will be the government of Canada.

I am not a lawyer, and this is my opinion only, however, as validation I offer the following example.  All those internet poker gambling websites are hosted "offshore" in locales which permit gambling for money, for example worldpoker.net - a name i made up for this post -  is a free site that does not offer gambling for money, and might located in a datacenter in Manahattan, or Atlantic City or elsewhere in the continental USA.  If you want to gamble for money then you would go to a website worldpoker.com, the .com "company" suffix means it is an organization registered to do business in a loaction, usually beyond the reach of entitities like the governments of USA/Canada or any others which restrict or prohibit gambling for monetary gain.



Ciaus.


.

[markw]

4. Pet foods, other than dog and cat food

Examples of these foods would be food for birds (parrots, budgies), ornamental fish, rabbits, ferrets, rodents, reptiles, etc.

For foods in this category, only foods containing animal-origin ingredients are subject to import controls.

For pet foods containing only plant-origin ingredients, see item 7.

From the United States:

The same conditions apply as those pet foods in sections 1 or 2, depending on the case.
This is the excerpt from the policy statement. It clearly states that fish food not containing animal origin ingredients are exempt from import controls. But then next paragraph "From the United States" it seems to counter the statement.
I regularily import NLS and HBH foods from Ken's and never had an issue even as of last week. It does appear that like any other government policy statement I've ever seen, it is always subject to interpretation.
It might be helpful, if we as a club(OVAS) could inquire about an interpretation specific to hobbyists needs, and post an official response. Wonder how long a request like that would take sitting on some government desk!

[snnorlaxx]

Well I received my order from Ken's today. Several types of pellets and everything was intact. Box didn't even look as if it had been opened by customs. 

[ciaus]

Well I received my order from Ken's today. Several types of pellets and everything was intact. Box didn't even look as if it had been opened by customs. 

I thought that a Customs placed a tag/marker inside to indicate that they had opened, and inspected, a package?  Airport TSA does that, I thought that Canada customs did too...


Glad you received your stuff.  Where had it shipped from?

[snnorlaxx]

I had placed a small order with Ken's fish - http://www.kensfish.com/

[ciaus]

Snorlaxx, Sorry I wasn't concise enough, I was asking from where did the shipper actually ship your order?