So the latest from the CFIA is that all shipments of trophies from Africa are going to have to go through secondary treatment here in Canada. If you have shipments coming in you better make sure you have made arrangements with a certified taxidermist here in Canada for secondary treatment.

SHAB, can you tell me who you spoke to who actually told you this? I'd like to follow up personally before mine get shipped @Christmas.

And does this include European mounts and already finished shoulder mounts or only wetskins and untreated skulls/horns?

Here's the most recent statement from the CFIA - Sept 10:

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/an...597114/1378757670503

This came from a certified taxidermist here in Calgary. Our shipment from Africa is ready to ship this week. It looks like we will be incurring some additional costs.....ugh

My understanding is that it does not apply to taxidermied animals. I don't know how a European would fit in......basically a boiled and cleaned skull is a European mount but they must still be boiled a second time and treated with peroxide.

Can you comment on brining your tur through customs? I haven't brought anything back in my luggage since february and am wondering how things went for you.

Do you have a list of certified Calgary Taxidermists? I was going to use Curtis but not sure I can based on what you've said?

quote:

Originally posted by AR MAN:
Do you have a list of certified Calgary Taxidermists? I was going to use Curtis but not sure I can based on what you've said?

You can use whoever you like as a taxidermist after it's completed the 28 day disinfection. Currently Mark Zimmerman is the only certified taxidermist in Calgary that I'm aware of but there's no obligation to use a certified taxidermist for your taxidermy work....just for the secondary processing.

quote:

Originally posted by Peter Andersen:
Can you comment on brining your tur through customs? I haven't brought anything back in my luggage since february and am wondering how things went for you.

Everything from the non-safe countries must now go to a certified taxidermist. My understanding is that you can still bring it home but it must be sent to a certified taxidermist upon your arrival but no one really seems to know what's going on for sure.

Classic CFIA. Everything is always well thought out before implementing it.

I'm having trophies shipped this week through Talon. Dale says mounts are ok, hides and horns need to be pack, and wrapped with 6 mil plastic. Then disinfected.

Thought I'd bring this back up. Our heads and skins arrived in perfect condition but were still required to go through the 28-day disinfection process here in Canada. All African shipments are now required to. The cost is about $150 per skull/cape plus a charge for the taxidermist to pick them up at airport and for him to dispose of the crate as per CFIA. We also had to use a broker. It added about $2600 to our trip that we didn't count on when we booked it. Not great news but that's the way it is.

The shipment was released after 28 days and I took it to our taxidermist. Hides are now out for tanning.

Please explain why you "had to use a broker"? Was that a requirement of Customs or CFIA?

quote:

Originally posted by Canuck32:
Please explain why you "had to use a broker"? Was that a requirement of Customs or CFIA?

Not a requirement of either but it just came down to practicality. I would have had to make a trip in to clear the shipment at the CBSA office and then another to the airport to release it to the taxidermist. The broker was able to do it all over the phone.

Found this form letter in my files from SCI Canada. Its a little dated but would hurt to modify and send.

Honourable Gerry Ritz
Minister Responsible for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency
1341 Baseline Road
Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0C5
July 24, 2013
Dear Minister Ritz:
As a member of Safari Club International (SCI) Canada, I am concerned and disturbed about the recent
announcement by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) regarding the application of a new policy
that will affect the importation of hunting trophies.
I am concerned about the process that led to this sudden announcement and worried about the
implications and possible adverse effects the new policy will have on Canadians who travel overseas to
hunt and on Canadian taxidermists.
Here are some of the questions that I have after hearing of the CFIA announcement:
o Why was there such short public notice of the implementation of the new policy?
o What stakeholder groups were consulted and when?
o Were any existing relevant government advisory groups such as the National Hunting & Angling
Advisory Panel, chaired by the Minister of the Environment, consulted?
o What alternative measures to secure Canada from foreign pathogens were considered and
rejected?
o Were the effects on the Canadian taxidermy industry of the proposed changes fully examined?
o Is the CFIA prepared to explore alternatives to the new policy with relevant stakeholders?
As a passionate hunter-conservationist who helps to raise significant funding for wildlife conservation, I
understand the importance of measures designed to keep foreign contaminants out of our country to the
preservation of secure habitats and healthy wildlife populations. However I cannot help but feel that the
CFIA could have managed this challenge with less damaging effects to hunters and taxidermists.
I look forward to your early response to my questions.
Sincerely,
cc: Member of Parliament

I for one would like to hear the response regarding these fine questions.

Sadly, it is not a "new" policy. It is a change in the enactment/implementation of an already existing policy.

That detail leaves us with:
No consultation and the minimal notice we received from a government department that does not care about the impact on the hunter.
The rationalization: There were too many shipments coming from "Africa" that were dirty.

Their solution to the problem is that every last shipment must be disinfected. Clean or otherwise. (excepting fully completed taxidermy)

Perhaps some political pressure would cause a rethink.
I won't hold my breath.

I guess my question for everyone would be:
Has anyone on AR ever had a shipment from africa rejected or sent for secondary "disinfection"?

From My experience with 4 different shipments ,from 3 different countries, over the years from africa, Not one was flagged for secondary disinfection and all were inspected by CFIA.

This is typical bullshit legislation by CFIA. Consultation? You must be kidding. All you have to do is look at a bunch of the legislation that they brought in and rammed down the throat of livestock producers and associated industry to see what a dictatorial outfit it is.

Typically it will be legislation that is unwieldy and makes life difficult for everyone affected, while achieving nothing tangible other than CFIA's justification for existing.

If your want the latest on this I would suggest contacting Bob Valcov at SCI Canada, as he was speaking directly to them on this topic.

Ok, so worse case scenario CFIA actually finds bugs, blood ... and the shipment is then sent to quarantine, then what happens?

quote:

Originally posted by AR MAN:
Ok, so worse case scenario CFIA actually finds bugs, blood ... and the shipment is then sent to quarantine, then what happens?

In the past, they would go for secondary treatment if there was an issue with bugs or tissue. Now in Alberta at least, CFIA doesn't even inspect the crates any more, they just go straight to secondary treatment regardless of condition.

quote:

Originally posted by Canuck32:
I guess my question for everyone would be:
Has anyone on AR ever had a shipment from africa rejected or sent for secondary "disinfection"?

Our most recent shipment was not inspected by CFIA but automatically sent to secondary treatment.

We've never had an issue in the past before this new policy came into effect.

In 2012 my shipment was disinfected after arriving in Canada because someone else's shipment that arrived at the same time as mine had bugs in it. There wasn't any hassle but there was a $700 bill for the disinfection.

My son and I recently received our sable antelope trophies from Zambia. In Vancouver, "bugs" were discovered in the shipment. Off it went to Edmonton for disinfection. Haven't heard anything from anybody since... Don't even know what the extra costs will be!

It looks like to me that there is some CFIA staff not following regulations.

According to the regs all trophies MUST be inspected by CFIA
"For products from countries other than the U.S., all commodities must be inspected at the first port of importation. Regardless of the species of animal or type of material imported, if on first inspection any specimen is found dirty or contaminated with blood, soil, vegetable material, straw, hay, or manure, the item is refused entry and not allowed into Canada under any circumstances."

Now if CFIA is just automatically sending trophies without inspection they are are obviously not following the regs.

Secondly "Skulls must have been boiled and disinfected with the nasal sinuses drilled. (This may be a judgement call, but if the specimen is otherwise poorly prepared, this may indicate that the skull has been improperly prepared.) Horns should be thoroughly cleaned with the bloody sinuses drilled out, cleaned, and disinfected.

From reading the actual regs it appears to me that there is some shenanigans going on with CFIA. I totally understand if there is a problem (incorrectly handled prepared, etc)with the products being imported, but to me it seems maybe that a person has misinterpreted the regs to the detriment of us hunters.

SCI-Canada also had this in the Safari Times Oct 2013 "Confusion arose among Canadian hunters and taxidermists after an errant email from the CFIA's Richmond sub-district office was widely circulated mid July. It had incorrectly implied the adoption of significant changes to the CFIA "Importation of Integumentary Tissue Policy. ... The announced industry notice makes it clear that this is not the case."

Further the Federal Agriculture Minster Hon. Gary Ritz response to SCI-Canada "while the updated policy includes clarification to the proceeding version, there are no significant changes to import procedures with regard to the import of hunting trophies to Canada"

So what happens with trophies from Hawaii. Last year I brought back a goat in my luggage. I've read all the info and the species and location dictate wether the trophies need to be disinfected again in Canada. The US and Hawaii are not on that list. I'll be bringing another goat back with me.

Is it just certain countries or certain species is the question I have. I have a hunt for Tur in Azerjaiban this fall and an Audad hunt in Texas as well this year. I am debating just throwing it in my suitcase and not mentioning it at all on the way home keeping the proper documents when needed if asked for them. Anyone have any experience with those critters?

Tur are subject to secondary treatment....not mentioning you have animal parts in your luggage will likely land you in jail.

The U.S. isn't affected but you do need CITES for aoudad...I doubt you'd get it in time to throw it in your luggage but hey, you may just get lucky and sneak through.

Oddsix
I believe this would be the relevant section for your case:

"4. Entry With Proof of Origin ( Unprocessed Items Originating in the U.S. )
The following items are released with documentation, stating U.S. origin acceptable to the CBSA:

-untanned hides and skins;
-animal and bird carcasses and trophies that are not prepared and are not mounted and that will be used for taxidermy;
-hoofs and horns that have not been processed;
-museum specimens that have not been processed;.
wool, feathers, and down that have not been processed; and furs that have not been dressed."

Thanks, that is what I found too, so think I will do as I did last year. Put it in my luggage declare it and get it home.

Thanks for the info.

Hunting in Hawaii is really fun!

T.J, when you brought your tur home, where did you fly in from? Avoided Toronto I'm assuming...

We flew Baku to Frankfurt to Calgary. Toronto was a breeze when we brought our marco polo home but that was before these new CFIA regulations.