EquiJet Addresses USDA Miami Animal Import Center Closing

Miami, Fla. – Jan. 24, 2018 – During this especially busy travel season for horses, EquiJet wants to make sure loyal clients and friends stay up to date on current happenings. As was reported earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has closed the Miami Animal Import Center (MAIC) to new arrivals as of January 19, 2019 due to a series of horses falling sick, with three animals unfortunately dying. The MAIC quarantine stalls will be closed to new import arrivals through March 31, 2019, affecting many competitors involved in South Florida equestrian competitions such as the Winter Equestrian Festival, the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit and the Adequan Global Dressage Festival, among others. For anyone affected by this issue, please reach out to us if you have questions or need assistance making or changing your travel plans for your horses.

As of the news breaking, no horses shipped by EquiJet were affected or in danger of becoming ill. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency (APHIS) is investigating to determine the specific cause of illness, but salmonella is suspected, and the facility is stepping up biosecurity and taking added precautions to prevent any further disease spread.

The EquiJet team is working closely with other quarantine centers and trusted airports and airlines to continue to provide you the outstanding service our clients have come to expect. While this development is a setback for many equine travelers and their owners, we thank you for your patience while the USDA works to decontaminate the facility in Miami and ensure that it is up to code.

With over two decades of experience in international shipping and an extensive network of transportation partners, the team at EquiJet prides itself on making each horse’s travel – whether to a local show or across the world – as stress-free and comfortable as possible. EquiJet offers unparalleled customer service by horse people, for horse people.