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  Discussion on Laws on checking Coggins while transporting
Author Message
Member:
chiptwh

Posted on Sunday, Dec 1, 2013 - 9:29 am:

My husband asked me a question the other day about Coggins tests that I never really thought about. I know in Florida you have to stop and have your livestock papers inspected upon entering the state; funny story - my neighbors were stopped because they were pulling a horse trailer and didn't stop at the livestock inspection which they didn't do because they didn't have a horse in the trailer but the officer that pulled them over said ,"how does he know the trailer is empty", they got a warning.

But in other states if you are trailering a horse in a private trailer, can the police stop you just to check your horse health papers? or can they only do that if they stop you for something else? Are there USDA police around to stop you? The only time I have had my horses health papers checked was when I lived in Montana where a brand inspection along with a Coggins is required if you take your horse outside your county. We were pulled over for speeding ;-) like 8 mph over and the state trooper actually wanted to see the horse, the brand inspection, health certificate and Coggins, all of which we had but if I am just driving through other states how does it work? or is there a website that explains each state?
Member:
rtrotter

Posted on Sunday, Dec 1, 2013 - 10:50 am:

I can answer this from a racehorse perspective. And we also do this as a matter of course, we have over 100 horses racing at many different venues. We ship all over the country and Canada( requires a different set of export papers from the USDA). Most racetracks require a negative coggins test and a 30 day health certificate if you are traveling over the state lines. We keep a book in every truck that has a copy of this paperwork because we never know what horses will be going where and it is better to be safe then sorry. You should keep copies of everything including your horses vaccination certificates in your truck because I do believe you can be stopped and ticketed if you are transporting a horse and don't have the proper paperwork.

Now it may be that states are different, but really why take a chance?
Member:
chiptwh

Posted on Sunday, Dec 1, 2013 - 3:54 pm:

Thanks, but that's not what I'm really asking, my horses always have the proper paperwork but would a State Trooper pull you over solely to check your horse's paperwork? I would assume as a commercial vehicle you may be checked but what about me just driving down the road with a trailer? Just curious...
Member:
juliem

Posted on Sunday, Dec 1, 2013 - 5:21 pm:

Well, you could be in Idaho not only to verify proper paperwork for the horse, but also the proper registration for your truck and trailer. Over a certain weight (which my 3/4 ton truck and two horse trailer exceed) you need different registration than a regular passenger vehicle. I think Oregon as well. I know there are other states that pull you over to check paperwork for your horses. They can quarantine your animals at your expense, if you don't have a current coggins. Does that satisfy your curiosity?
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Dec 5, 2013 - 5:59 pm:

Hello Kimberely,
Yes you can be pulled at anytime you are on government roads. I suspect there is great variation on how often this happens not only state to state but within areas of the state. A State Trooper friend of mine tells me that in his area it is rare to stop a trailer just to check the horse's papers because the troopers really do not want the hassle of dealing with impounding a horse. Fl state line has ALWAYS been very strict.
DrO
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