A Guide to Moving Live Freight

There are several procedures, rules and documentation regarding the transportation of live freight from one destination to another. These procedures vary depending on the animals that are to be transported and the laws of the destination country. It is necessary that you familiarise yourself with these procedures when you want to transport live cargo, such as animals and birds.

IATA's Live Animals Regulations (LAR) acts as an effective guide to the transport of live freight. This is a globally accepted standard that takes the safety, animal welfare, ecological aspects, airline carrier regulations and costs into consideration.

There are several factors that you should consider when you want to transport live freight. First, you will need to ensure that the transport of the live freight specimens that you are engaged in is legally allowed in the destination country. The movement of some plants and animals is restricted in many countries and endangered or protected animals or plants that could cause ecological damage or are severely poisonous have restrictions on their transportation. It is also forbidden to transport pests or dangerous animals such as venomous snakes to certain regions.

It is also important to ensure that the freight methods you use for the transportation of living animals are humane; this includes proper containers and transport arrangements for the welfare of the animals or plants being transported. The transportation procedures used should be in accordance with the rules of the airline or shipping line used for the carriage. Containers carrying live freight should be strong and well constructed with sufficient space to minimise the chances of damage or injury to the animal.

In addition to general rules regarding the movement of freight, you should also learn about the rules of the country of origin as well as those of the destination country. Specific rules may apply in different countries, with regard to the loading, transport and landing of live freight. Understanding the culture as well as the regulations for the countries you are sending freight to and from is always helpful is assessing a situation.

In many cases sending live freight by road might often be the safest way but there are many considerations. Be sure to consult a freight forwarding specialists company in your area and ask specifically if they have experience in dealing with this type of freight. You should also be able to check regulations online with the local government website.

Paul writes about Business with Cuba and Dubai business and trade.