Division of Environmental Health Office of the State Veterinarian

Bringing Cattle, Bison, and Yaks to Alaska

Health, Testing, and Transport Requirements

• The animal must:
  • Be free of ectoparasites, or be treated with an approved product within 10 days of import
  • Originate from a herd that is from an area designated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as brucellosis and tuberculosis free, OR be from a designated brucellosis surveillance area AND have a negative brucellosis test within 30 days of import. Note: After arrival, any animal may be retested for brucellosis and/or tuberculosis at the discretion of the Alaska State Veterinarian and be kept in isolation for 45 - 120 days. 
  • Have a negative anaplasmosis and bluetongue test within 60 days of import, unless under 6 months of age 
  • If a bull over 18 months of age, have a negative trichomoniasis test within 60 days of import 
  • Be identified with official ID.
• Animals must be transported in a vehicle appropriate for the size and number of animals being transported, free of hazards that could injure the animals, and maintained in a sanitary condition. 

Required Documentation

• A Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI), or animal health certificate, issued by a licensed and accredited veterinarian within 30 days of import.
• An Alaskan import permit issued by the Alaska OSV. Accredited veterinarians may apply for an import permit online. Import permits are valid for 30 days after issuance and are non-transferable. One import permit may be issued for multiple animals of the same class. Import permit numbers must be written on the CVI.

Import documents must accompany the animal at all times during travel and must be attached to the waybill if shipped.

International Travel, Including Through Canada

Note: For animals transiting from the contiguous 48 United States to Alaska, the international CVI, endorsed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) should be submitted to the Alaska Office of the State Veterinarian (OSV). A separate interstate CVI is not required. 

In addition to the above State of Alaska requirements, other agencies have their own requirements for cattle traveling through Canada or originating in another country. Please contact the following agencies for current requirements:

• USDA APHIS Veterinary Services (VS): Email vs.sumas.poe@usda.gov or 360-988-5715. 
• Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA): Call 1-800-442-2342. 
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection (USCBP): Call 907-744-2252.

For additional support, please email akcvi@alaska.gov. Note that the akcvi email is not monitored for urgent correspondence. If you have an urgent matter related to animal imports, please contact the Alaska Office of the State Veterinarian at 907-375-8215.

If the above conditions are not met, or it is determined to serve the interests of animal or public health, the Alaska State Veterinarian may order an animal quarantined at the owner’s expense until such time as it is released from quarantine, euthanized, slaughtered, or destroyed.

Resources

• Apply for an Animal Import Permit
• Alaska Animal Health Regulations

Page last published: 04/21/2026