Crate Quarantined?

[mdwest]

Talking to Coppersmith this afternoon, they asked me for a USDA approved Taxidermist in the US that I would want to use in the event that my crate gets quarantined...

Ive got a crate that should be ready to ship within the next couple of weeks.. everything is a finished product (euros, shoulder mounts, and a few hides)..

This will be the 6th crate we've had sent over from South Africa.. the question / potential issue of quarantine has never come up before (never been asked the question)...

Is this something new? Or just something not routinely asked unless a problem actually arises?

When scrolling through the list of DFW area USDA approved taxidermists (there are surprisingly very few.. there are only 17 taxidermists across the entire state that have USDA approved facilities and about half of them appear to have let their status expire)... one of the items listed that a facility might be approved for is storing ostrich leather from an "END Region". Nowhere on the US Govt website does it say what an END region is though, and a google search wasn't helpful either.

We do have 2x ostrich hides that will be packed in the crate.. Does anyone know what an END region is? or what the likelihood of this crate getting "quarantined" is? (coming from Limpopo, South Africa from a hunt that was conducted in NW Province, SA in July 2022)..

 

[JimP]

From what I have read and been told by two different importers is if you have a warthog and or primate in the shipment it needs to go to a USDA licensed shop or warehouse. It doesn't matter if it is a finished mount or not.

For a taxidermist in Texas get in contact with Gizmo on the forum here.

 

[mdwest]

We’ve imported warthogs twice and picked up straight from the airline warehouse at DFW both times once the crate cleared customs (once at Delta, once at Turkish)… we didn’t need a USDA taxidermist for pigs…

We do have a baboon skull in this crate (in addition to the two ostrich skins)… maybe that’s the concern..

 

[Mekaniks]

@gizmo can help you out

 

[JimP]

We’ve imported warthogs twice and picked up straight from the airline warehouse at DFW both times once the crate cleared customs (once at Delta, once at Turkish)… we didn’t need a USDA taxidermist for pigs…

We do have a baboon skull in this crate (in addition to the two ostrich skins)… maybe that’s the concern..

Have you brought them in since January 2022?

Interpretation of the rules have changed if not the rule itself.

 

[RLL]

The fed Gov’t has said swine and primates should go through a USDA approved taxidermist. It’s never really been enforced though. I can see where avian and feline species could be targeted for pathogenic reasons if a memo or rumor came from a govt agency suggesting such.

 

[JimP]

There are a number of members on here that found out about the USDA inspection last year even with finished mounts.

I spoke with two separate importers last year before leaning on my safari and both confirmed it.

 

[Hunt anything]

There are a number of members on here that found out about the USDA inspection last year even with finished mounts.

I spoke with two separate importers last year before leaning on my safari and both confirmed it.

I was one of those members. Despite no birds, swine or primates in a crate of finished taxidermy. I cringed when another government agency gets involved with anything but it went smoothly and the cost was minimal, I think it’s $25 for up to 5 animals and $5 for each animal above 5.

 

[buck wild]

The whole crate won't be Q'd only the swine and primates. It's been around a long time and if USFW released previous crates to you straight, then it's bc they weren't paying attention. They'll be "dipped" again here in the States and the crate is supposed to be burned, but honestly I doubt that happens.

 

[Ryan]

The USDAs site is not the easiest to navigate to put it politely. But here we go, under imports of animal products go to approved facilities page and it gets into importation for taxidermy. On the last page I posted it mentions what unfinished products have to go to an approved facility and a hightlighted link to breaks down diseases and countries that have them. South Africa has both Newcastle Disease (END) and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). So, assuming the ostrich is not taxidermy finished it will have to go to an approved facility. If it is, it should be fine and you have this to back it up.

 

[Hunt anything]

My previous crates had warthog (2015) it was dipped & pack, went to USDA taxidermist in the states, in 2021 a crate of finished taxidermy containing bushpig and baboon was released directly to coppersmiths ( I was not told if USDA was involved) and my latest crate was inspected by USDA before released to Coppersmiths.

 

[outwestidaho]

Were starting to see more crates from South Africa come restricted no matter what's in them. Like buckwild said its your birds. (all avian always restricted) if you got away with swine before, its that some one dropped the ball at entry. But you are still required to know the laws. I ask our USDA guy why so many restrictions on non restricted animals and he said its because a lot of South Africa is now restricted do to hoof and mouth.

Here is a copy of a VS 17-68 that came yesterday. We get one for every shipment that's restricted. This one has a Sable, impala, kudu and a Zebra in it. If you look at what I have circled, no swine just Ruminant game. Take note they checked every disease box and added 2 more while they were at it.

USDA can restrict any crate entering the USA that they want for any reason they want.

 

[Hunt anything]

It seems a lot of the delays have come out of California

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

The other option to a USDA approved taxidermist is a USDA approved tannery. I've used a taxidermist in the Houston area and all their stuff goes through Houston Fur Dressing.

 

[MTA]

So if our crate of finished taxidermy gets quarantined, it would have to be picked up by a USDA approved taxidermist and then we can pick it the crate up from them?

 

[outwestidaho]

So if our crate of finished taxidermy gets quarantined, it would have to be picked up by a USDA approved taxidermist and then we can pick it the crate up from them?

Restricted crates are only supposed to be picked up by Bonded carrier. Like a truck line. Not sure if a USDA certified person for a company like a taxidermy or tannery can pick up or not.