How to Import Animals For Commercial Purposes to Brazil

Patrick Bruha

Staff Writer
The Brazil Business

Updated

18 August 2014

The market for pets, as well as the products and services intended for them has grown significantly in Brazil. According to the data released by the Brazilian Association of the Industry of Products for Pets, Abinpet, in 2013, the market is worth BRL 15,4 billion and represent 0.32% of the Gross Domestic Product. Also, Brazil has the biggest number of pets in the world, accounting for 106 million pets.

The pet industry, as well as other sectors like the circus, zoos, and farms, is interested in importing wild animals, despite the high taxes concerning importation of animals to Brazil. For example, a little more than 1,000 dogs were imported for commercial purposes to Brazil in 2012. In this article, we will take a look at how to import animals for commercial purposes to Brazil.

The main purpose of commercial import of animals to Brazil is genetic improvement of breeds, through the reproduction of specimens with the purest genes and the introduction of new breeds. Another important factor in the importation of animals to Brazil for commercial purposes is the participation of animals in expositions. The main dog breeds that are imported to Brazil are:

• French Bulldog
• English Bulldog
• Rottweiler
• German Spitz
• German Shepherd

Regulating Bodies

The entity responsible for the fiscalization and supervision of animal traffic to Brazil is the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Supply, known as MAPA or Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento. Other two important entities responsible for the fiscalization and supervision of animal traffic in Brazil are the Coordenação de Trânsito e Quarentena Animal, known as CTQA, and the Serviços de Saúde Animal, known as SSA.

MAPA divides the rules for the traffic of living animals in three sections: cats and dogs, other pets with no commercial value, and other wild or exotic animals. This article will outline only the required procedures for importing animals for commercial purposes to Brazil, which are included under the "other wild or exotic animals" category.

Brazil is also a signatory country of the CITES, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Signed in 1973 in Washington, CITES is an international treaty which aims to ensure that the trade of wild animals and plants, and products derived from them, will not jeopardize the survival of other species or constitutes a danger to the maintenance of biodiversity.

Necessary documents and procedures

Authorization for animal importation to Brazil can be issued either by the CTQA, or by the SSA.

It is important to highlight that the imported animals are subject to physical inspection and document checking by a controller associated to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Supply. The Departamento de Saúde Animal or DSA, Animal Health Department, might also establish some specific criteria for a possible animal quarantine. The entity responsible for the quarantine, if needed, must be stated in the International Animal Health Certificate, the CZI.

Any animal that is being imported for commercial use is classified in the Wild and Exotic Animal category. This includes animals intended for slaughter, fattening, reproduction and breeding. Also, species to be exposed in zoos or exhibitions, or imported for the practice of sports, fit in this section.

Documents Required

• Requerimento para Fiscalização de Produtos Agropecuários - Formulário V, Portuguese for Application for the Supervision of Agricultural Products
• Requerimento para solicitação de autorização de importação de animais vivos, Portuguese for Application for Approval of Live Animal Import
• Exams and complementary clinical analysis described in the prior authorization
• Certificado Zoosanitário Internacional or CZI, which is the International Animal Health Certificate issued by the Official Veterinary Service of the Country of Origin
• Import License
• Copy of the invoice, if applicable
• CITES - Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora - license
• An Import Permit is required for any other pets other than dogs, cats and ferrets

Procedures

• Circus and Zoo animals will receive special attention, according to MAPA, due to their transport conditions and potential sanitary risks
• Vehicles with one or more sick animals will be considered as a risk, and will be returned to its origin
• The unloading of dead animals, their transport boxes or food is prohibited, and must be returned to its origin, at the owner expenses
• If the CZI is not in Portuguese, a translation made by a sworn translator is required
• All the approved animals’ objects that came with it in the transportation, such as food and transport boxes must be incinerated after the unloading, at the expense of the owner

If all the documents are correct and the animal health conditions are proven good, the following documents will be issued by MAPA:

• Fiscalization Term (Formulário VII), allowing the animal dispatch
• Occurrence Report (Formulário XII)
• Guia de Trânsito Animal or GTA, which will be kept alongside the animal throughout the whole route, from its inspection to its final destination

Restrictions

IBAMA, Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis, Portuguese for Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources forbid, in 1998, the import of the following species for commercial or ornamental purposes, maintenance in captivity, and for display in circuses:

• Invertebrates;
• Amphibians;
• Reptiles;
• Certain species of birds
• Certain mammals

Despite these restrictions, zoos can manage to import all species for display.

Taxes

The taxes that apply to the importation of live animals to Brazil are:

• ICMS rate, specific to each state
• PIS: 1,65%
• Cofins: 7,20%
• Import Tax, which may vary according to the race, breed, type, and usage of the animal. The variations for the Import Duty are described in the following table:

The Brazil Business Import Tax Guide is regularly updated and provides you with information about the import of live animals as well.

Tax exemptions for non-commercial import

It is possible to apply for tax exemption whenever:

• The owner is a Brazilian citizen returning from abroad
• The owner is a foreigner coming to work in Brazil
• The pet comes into Brazil as passenger’s checked baggage

For animals intended for slaughter and subsequent export, a drawback regime may apply.