Pet Birds Require CITES Permits for International Relocation

Air Animal Pet Movers relocates family pets. They advise that owners of birds, specialty and pocket pets plan well in advance before moving because their precious pets may require a special Convention on International Trade in EndangeredSpecies of Wild Fauna and Flora permit.

CITES is a voluntary international conservation agreement signed by 183 countries including the United States. The convention ensures that international trade does not harm the 35,000 endangered and protected species on the list.

According to CITES, “trade is diverse, ranging from live animals and plants to a vast array of wildlife products derived from them, including food products, exotic leather goods, wooden musical instruments, timber, tourist curios and medicines. Levels of exploitation of some animal and plant species are high and the trade in them, together with other factors, such as habitat loss, is capable of heavily depleting their populations and even bringing some species close to extinction.”

“For example, if you own a cockatoo or a gecko, you will have to have a CITES permit,” said Dr. Walter M. Woolf, veterinarian and founder of Air Animal. There are many rules, regulations and exceptions in the CITES agreement. Every step must be followed to the letter. Each country has a CITES Management Agency responsible for issuing permits. In the United States, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the managing agency.

“Our pet move managers know exactly how to obtain CITES permits. We’ve relocated thousands of specialty pets. If the client wishes we can prepare the CITES documents as well as the health certificate documents and coordinate the move,” Woolf said.

The number of species on the CITES list often varies as countries request changes. All changes are ratified by all the members. As of August 1, 2019, there are 921 mammals, 1,472 birds, 902 reptiles and 162 amphibians on the CITES list.

“Our goal is to de-stress family moves and corporate relocations. We take on the complex details involved in moving pets across the country and around the world. Pet Moving Made Easy^® is our focus, our passion and our promise,” Woolf added.

Quantas, a female blue and gold macaw, moved with Air Animal