Conviasa - The Pleasure of Flying

Pet Transfer

Scope of the Venezuelan Aeronautical Regulation RAV 113 "Transport of Live Animals by Air" (Official Gazette Nº6.099, Caracas May 23, 2013)

The Aeronautical Authority has stated that the rules set forth in RAV 113 will apply to all natural or legal persons, public or private, operating national or foreign aircraft in national airspace, as well as airport operators who maintain designated areas for animal holding, cargo storage companies, animal shippers, and providers of specialized containers for the air transport of live animals at a national or international level, including the acceptance, handling, control, and air transport of animals, as well as any other service required in accordance with established regulations by the National Institute of Integral Agricultural Health (INSAI) and as stipulated in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Accordingly, CONVIASA, aware of the importance of air transport of live animals and in compliance with Venezuelan Aeronautical Regulation RAV 113, also adopts as part of its Operations Manual the 'Regulations on the Transport of Live Animals' by IATA.

National Institute of Integral Agricultural Health

The National Institute of Integral Agricultural Health (INSAI) is the national regulatory authority for all matters related to the handling and transport of live animals in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Its responsibilities include::

Create a National Unified Registry of Integral Agricultural Health, in order to maintain, organize, manage, and supervise all information related to agricultural health activities. In this regard, the National Registry of Interested Parties and the National Registry of Agricultural Use Products, as well as the registration of Permits, Certifications, and Authorizations granted by the Institute in fulfillment of its purposes, will be included.
Grant permission to any individual or legal entity to conduct integral agricultural health activities, as well as a sanitary permit for the mobilization or transfer of animals, products, by‐products, and animal‐use supplies.
Request inspection of importers and exporters, as well as those responsible for the entry or exit of animals or plants, products, or by‐products of both origins from the national territory, to verify that the merchandise matches the Cargo Manifest and to certify its sanitary condition.
Collect a fee of five-tenths of tax units for the issuance of the Sanitary Permit for the mobilization of animals and plants, products, by‐products, parts, or waste (0,5 U.T.).
Impose a fine ranging from five hundred tax units (500 U.T.), for those who do not comply with the regulations concerning the obligation to dispose of waste, debris, and international garbage of animal and plant origin on board ships and aircraft.
Impose a fine ranging from one thousand tax units (1.000 U.T.) and five thousand (5.000 U.T.), for individuals or legal entities, public or private, who do not comply with the obligation to register in the National Registry of Interested Parties and the National Registry of Products.
Impose penalties on ship or aircraft captains, and ground transportation drivers who fail to provide the competent Institute authority with the documents verifying the sanitary-epidemiological condition of animals or plants, products, by‐products, or raw materials of both origins, as well as other documents required by law.
Impose penalties on those who do not carry the Sanitary Permit issued by the Institute.
Impose penalties on those who fail to carry the required sanitary authorization for the mobilization of animals or plants during the transport of products or by‐products of both origins, including impounding the animals, products, or by‐products in cases of repeat offenses.

General Conditions and Rules

The Aeronautical Authority has established a set of general conditions and rules for the acceptance, handling, control, and air transport of live animals, which are documented in this chapter to promote compliance with regulatory provisions:

Animals must be healthy for transport. Sick or injured animals must not be transported. This does not apply to animals that are only slightly injured or that, if ill, will not suffer from transportation.
All animals are considered fit for transport, except when it is likely that they may give birth during transit.
The transport of an animal in the flight cabin is prohibited.
If airline policies allow, guide dogs (with a muzzle for the entire flight) may travel in the passenger cabin accompanied by their owner. Acceptance of these animals must include certification of guide dog training and the corresponding health certificate.
Domestic animals weighing no more than six (6) kilograms may travel in their respective containers.
The transport of animals that, due to special characteristics such as bad odor, noise, or other factors, may disturb other passengers and crew is prohibited.
Except as provided in Paragraph (d) of this Section, the transport of other types of animals in the passenger cabin is prohibited.
Animals may only be transported on aircraft with compartments that are properly prepared and climate-controlled.
Every aircraft operator, specialized airport service, or accredited agent must have a checklist for the acceptance of live animals.
Unauthorized personnel are prohibited from approaching or disturbing the animals.
The regulations regarding species prohibited for trade must be known and complied with.
Placing animals near food shipments at any stage of transport is prohibited if the food shipments are not hermetically sealed, due to the high risk of contamination.
Live animals will not be loaded near dangerous goods such as: dry ice, cryogenic liquids, poisonous substances, and radioactive materials.
Personnel in charge of the animals must have personal protective equipment to minimize any health risks, such as: gloves, masks, hand washing with germicidal soap, etc..
Aircraft must be cleaned and disinfected when transporting large numbers of live animals.
Aircraft operators primarily engaged in the transport of live animals must have trained personnel and adequate facilities for handling animals transported by air.
Aircraft operators must prepare a live animal transport manual, specifying the policies and procedures (acceptance, handling, loading, and transport) for the activity.
Within the special NOTOC form (in the 'OTHER SPECIAL CARGO' box), the pilot in command will be informed of any live animal loaded onto the aircraft, specifying quantity and location.
Aircraft operators are responsible for ensuring that the transport of live animals is conducted in accordance with the provisions set forth in Venezuelan Aeronautical Regulation RAV 113.

General Welfare

In order to guarantee the general welfare of live animals to be transported by air, the Aeronautical Authority has established that:

Animals must have priority over goods.
Animals must be transported in good health. However, there may be cases where it is necessary, for the animal’s well‐being, to move it to a place where it can receive appropriate treatment. In such cases, a qualified veterinarian or an experienced person is likely to accompany the animal.
Except in exceptional cases, the transport of pregnant animals or those still dependent on their mother is prohibited. However, it is not always possible to determine if an animal is pregnant; Certain species tolerate transport well in the early stages of gestation; It may be very beneficial for the animal to be moved to a place where conditions for giving birth are better. Females of many species are pregnant for much of their lives and, therefore, it may be difficult to avoid transporting them under such conditions. It is not advisable to transport animals that are still dependent on their mother; However, there may be good reasons to do so.
It is not advisable to administer sedatives because their side effects are not fully known, and consequently, animals in a lethargic state are very vulnerable to sudden movements of the aircraft. In the event that sedatives are administered, a qualified veterinarian must accompany the animal.
Animals of different species should not be placed in the same container unless it is known that they are compatible. Compatibility depends on various factors, such as sex, maturity level, size, and the nature of the animals involved. Under certain conditions, each compartmentalized unit of a container can be considered an individual container.
Animals should only be handled when absolutely necessary, that is, in cases of illness or for the removal of carcasses.
In the event of illness or injury during transport, the appropriate Health Authority must be notified upon arrival at the airport.
The life of an animal may only be sacrificed on the indication of a veterinarian, depending on the animal in question. In the event of danger to human life due to the condition or behavior of an animal, the pilot in command will decide as necessary to preserve safety.
Only sick or dead animals may be removed from containers during stops, and if necessary, sick animals may be relocated. For very short journeys, it may be preferable to leave dead animals in their containers so as not to disturb the others. Containers containing dead animals will not be accepted. The advice of a veterinarian or someone experienced in handling and caring for the species is required before disposing of a carcass, in order to determine the cause of death and assess the risk of infection.
Feeding and watering measures depend on the animal’s species and the duration of its transport. Furthermore, it is recommended not to feed animals during the 24 hours preceding shipment, as this reduces the contamination of water or packaging materials used for transport.
In the case of transporting fish, proper attention must be paid to maintaining the water temperature indicated on the corresponding label, and if necessary, re-oxygenating the water for certain species using the device provided with the tank.
To prevent infections and for sanitary and hygienic reasons, human contact with the animals must be restricted, and they should not be kept near food items or in areas accessible to unauthorized persons.
The transport of animals alongside radioactive material or other substances dangerous to health is prohibited.
Containers must be secured to prevent the effects of any possible movement on the aircraft and, when moved, great care must be taken to ensure they always remain in a horizontal position.

Transport of Live Animals

Regarding the transport of live animals, the Aeronautical Authority has stipulated that:

When transporting animals over long distances and across different climatic zones, the journey must be planned so that the animals do not arrive in a country with a climate very different from what they are accustomed to, unless an appropriate environment is provided.
During prolonged stops, precautions must be taken to ensure that the animals do not have to endure severe temperature extremes. In such circumstances, the use of heating or air conditioning provided by ground equipment should be implemented at each stop or layover if the aircraft’s systems are not in use.
Appropriate measures must be taken with the relevant health authorities in the event that a quarantine or any other regulation regarding veterinary hygiene becomes necessary at stops or at the final destination.
Animals must be collected promptly upon arrival at the destination. In the event of a delay, the services of a veterinarian, a competent local organization, or someone experienced in the handling and care of the animals in question should be sought.
For any other considerations regarding the preparation and transport of live animals, the document 'Directives for the Transport and Preparation of Live Wild Animals and Plants' from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) will be used as a recommendation, provided that the requirements established by the Aeronautical Authority and the National Institute of Integral Agricultural Health (INSAI) are met.
All transport of live animals must be accompanied by a valid health certificate from the country of origin, as established by the National Institute of Integral Agricultural Health (INSAI).

Import and Export of Live Animals

Regarding the import and export of live animals, the Aeronautical Authority establishes that:

All import and export of live animals must be accompanied by a valid health certificate from the country of origin, as established by the National Institute of Integral Agricultural Health (INSAI).
The aforementioned health certificate issued by INSAI will be signed by a licensed veterinarian, stating that the animal to be transported is vaccinated against rabies, and will be accompanied by the card listing the vaccines administered to the animal; (Valid only for dogs, cats, and ferrets).
The animal to be transported, if it requires relocation outside of the Republic, must be taken to the INSAI inspection office for a physical inspection and document review; in order to issue the corresponding zoosanitary inspection certificate required by the transporting airline (only for pet exports).
For the transport of these (pets) on domestic flights, in addition to the aforementioned documentation, a mobilization guide issued by INSAI will be required.

Transport of Live Animals by Airmail

The international transport of live animals via postal service is regulated by the Universal Postal Convention. Domestic transport is based on the national regulations governing acceptance conditions.

For shipments via airmail, Article 26, paragraph 6 of the Universal Postal Convention stipulates that:

EXCERPT

6 - The inclusion of live animals in postal items is prohibited.

6.1 - However, the following will be allowed within postal items, in addition to insured items, in the main cabin of a 'combi' configured passenger aircraft:

6.1.1 - bees, leeches, and silkworms;

6.1.2 - parasites and insect destroyers intended for their control, and as an exchange between officially recognized institutions.

END EXCERPT

When a shipment by parcel service is permitted, the package containing the live animal shipment, as well as the shipping declaration, must be provided with a label in highlighted letters with the following words: "Live Animals”,”Animales Vivos” o “Animaux Vivants”, in accordance with Article RE 305 2.2., of the Seoul Convention.

In accordance with the Postal Law of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela:

“Article 14. The circulation via mail of any object or document that threatens the security of the State, morality, public health, and those determined by International Conventions ratified by the Republic, its laws and regulations, as well as the following objects, is prohibited: ―Literal (e), Of live animals, except for bees, leeches, silkworms, and those determined by the Regulation of this Law”.

In accordance with the foregoing, the Aeronautical Authority has established the following:

Before mail is accepted for transport, a visual inspection will be conducted to ensure that mail bags or containers are in good condition and properly labeled, and that the documents have been correctly prepared.

Bees, reptiles, and one-day-old chicks are the species commonly dispatched by airmail. Containers must meet the appropriate requirements for the species as detailed in the IATA Regulations for the Transport of Live Animals. Once accepted for air transport, the animals must be handled in accordance with the principles established by said Regulation. All live animals must be treated equally, whether they travel as baggage, cargo, or mail.

Live animals must be provided with adequate ventilation and be protected from adverse weather conditions. Precautions must be taken to prevent live animal shipments from being exposed to extreme temperatures, excessive sunlight, fumes, rain, and strong winds. Shipments of live fish or other aquatic-born animals do not require external air.
All packages containing live animals must be stored in an upright position. They should not be left unattended outdoors or inside the aircraft when a prolonged delay is anticipated.
Although live animals should be loaded as close as possible to the aircraft exit, it is preferable to load them in a location that is not directly affected by local temperatures when the compartment doors are opened.
Mail packages containing live animals should not be loaded directly onto the floor of the aircraft. Distribution platforms or appropriate insulating materials may be used to prevent packages from coming into direct contact with cold or hot surfaces.

The Captain must be notified of the loaded species, their location, and the quantity of live cargo on board the aircraft via the designated form « Special Cargo / Notification to the Commander » (NOTOC).

Mail packages containing live animals must be unloaded as soon as possible after the flight’s arrival. The packages should be checked against the respective documents and immediately dispatched to the Post Office.

Some carriers have very strict policies regarding the acceptance of live animal shipments during cold and hot seasons. These restrictions are as strict or stricter than national animal protection legislation.

Temperature restrictions have been established to ensure that animals are not exposed to extreme heat or cold in animal holding areas, in terminal facilities, when animals are moved between terminals and the aircraft, or when an aircraft waits for more than 45 minutes for departure.

On hot days, live animals should not be subjected to temperatures exceeding 29.5°C (85°F) for more than 45 minutes. On cold days, live animals should not be subjected to temperatures below 7°C (45°F) for more than 45 minutes.
Some carriers allow an exception to the minimum temperature restriction if an authorized veterinarian issues a declaration confirming that the animals have been acclimated to lower temperatures.