HAVE coggins, but can't get copy...would you still transport?

[SteppinEasy]

A friend who is also a trainer is supposed to be stopping by tomorrow to pick up one horse, possibly two, to take to his farm, which is about an hour away. I going through my papers, I just realized that the coggins I have in my possession is too old for both horses. No problem, I think, since the vet pulled a new one late October/early November and they must have simply forgotten to send me the papers since my horses rarely leave the farm. No biggie. I'll call, go by the office, whatever...

Well, my vet is sick. His associate vet is sick. Everyone in the office is sick. So much so that they've closed down the office for the week and are referring everyone to other vets for emergencies. There's no way I can get the papers by Thursday.

But the horse(s) have coggins. The vets had said "Call me whenever you want to move them and I'll issue the health certificate, too."

If my friend were to get pulled over, how would the officials react to the situation? Would it be acceptable to have them call the vet (I have home numbers, but since both of my vets have just gotten out of the hospital, I hesitate to ask them for anything unless it's an absolute emergency) and get a faxed copy of the coggins/health cert? Or not?

It I were the one doing the transporting, I wouldn't worry quite so much. I'm not a professional horse person and I'm frequently a little confused over what KY is requiring now. But with my friend being a pro, I don't want to put him in any kind of compromising situation.

The road he will be traveling is almost exclusively interstate, not back roads, if that makes any difference.

[trubandloki]

Is KY very different than other states? Do they actually have stops where these things are checked?

In NY one is required to transport a horse but I know of not one person who has ever been stopped on the road to check for such a thing.

[Amwrider]

I have never had horses stopped unless crossing state lines.

Do you know the lab that is used by the vet? If you can call the lab with the date the blood was drawn, the lab can usually send a copy.

[SteppinEasy]

I know people who have been stopped, not at official checkpoints, but just pulled over to have the coggins checked. My friend also has a semi (can't imagine him bringing it for just one or two horses, but you never know), so if he were to bring it, he would have to stop at a weigh station and produce the coggins there.

[trubandloki]

I think this is a decision for your friend to make. Call and explain the situation to them and find out if they are willing or not.

[Amwrider]

Call your vet to find out what lab he sends to, call the lab with the date the blood was drawn. They can fax the paperwork to you. I have done this in a pinch.

[HydroPHILE]

1. You can call the lab where the coggins was done, and they can fax you a copy.

2. Is there NO way anyone can fax you a copy of the coggins from the vet's office? I understand they are all sick, but SOMEONE has to be available (even if it's just office help since the docs were released from the hospital). What happens if there's an emergency? What if someone NEEDS to know something in their horse's medical records asap (medication, etc.) and not just need medical attention?

3. Why does your friend need a health certificate on the horses? For an hour drive, are they going interstate? I must admit I don't know much about hauling horses except around Georgia and Florida so I don't know if a HC is required intrastate in your state.

[WaningMoon]

I have never heard of a coggins being needed except when crossing state lines. Here is a run down of what is required for each state. I really don't think it is required for in state transport at all. http://www.sshbea.org/news/2001/Stallion%20Issue%202001/the_legal_equine_edge_-_transporting_across_state_lines.htm

[trubandloki]

I have never heard of a coggins being needed except when crossing state lines. Here is a run down of what is required for each state. I really don't think it is required for in state transport at all. http://www.sshbea.org/news/2001/Stallion%20Issue%202001/the_legal_equine_edge_-_transporting_across_state_lines.htm

That article is about inter state transport only.

I know NY DOES require one for in state transport. I would not find it unbelievable that other states require it for that also.

[SLW]

Call your vet to find out what lab he sends to, call the lab with the date the blood was drawn. They can fax the paperwork to you. I have done this in a pinch.

Yup. Do this.

[flypony74]

In TN, the original yellow Coggins is required to be with the horse at all times, whether you are crossing state lines or not. I do not transport without Coggins on board.

Granted, I've never been pulled over (but you can be!), and the chances of that happening are slim, but I still make sure my ducks are in a row just to be sure. Would suck to be stuck on the side of the road for something like that.

[oldenmare]

If nothing else - see if you can get the Accession (? spell) Number and the Date Blood Drawn and confirm results "negative".

Not sure if it would hold up if stopped - but better than nothing.

I also agree that someone should be able to fax/email something - even if everyone is sick....

[findeight]

Is KY very different than other states? Do they actually have stops where these things are checked?


Ummm, most states are not the heart of farms where multi million dollar stallions service multi million dollar mares owned by multi billionaire partnerships and bazillionaire middle east royalty.

YES they can pull you over and most often on the interstate. And they do pull people over.

One of the vendors at the KHP with a properly licensed trailer for his goods in another state is fighting a big fine for failing to have a commercial license plate on his trailer that IS NOT required in his home state but is in Ky...even if you are just driving through. Seems if it is over a certain weight, it is automatically considered commercial there but not in the state of the license. They are having to get a lawyer on that one. By commercial I mean not used in business but falling under the DOT rules and requiring a commercial rating to haul.

He was doing NOTHING and didn't even have a broken or burned out tail light when pulled over.

Imagine you have only about a 1 in 100 chance of being pulled over but....look what can happen if you are.

[SteppinEasy]

Well, crisis averted. I was able to get the lab and have faxed coggins papers. That's good, because the area we were going through is right in the heart of "pull you over country" (near Lexington). And yes, KY requires coggins for in-state travel. It also requires a health certificate that must have been issued within 30 days.

[trubandloki]

Thanks for explaining it Findeight. I had not even thought about the huge horse industry there. It does make sense.

Now them expecting someone from out of state to have their vehicle registered the way they want it registered in that state just seems weird.

[Gnalli]

1. You can call the lab where the coggins was done, and they can fax you a copy.

2. Is there NO way anyone can fax you a copy of the coggins from the vet's office? I understand they are all sick, but SOMEONE has to be available (even if it's just office help since the docs were released from the hospital). What happens if there's an emergency? What if someone NEEDS to know something in their horse's medical records asap (medication, etc.) and not just need medical attention?

3. Why does your friend need a health certificate on the horses? For an hour drive, are they going interstate? I must admit I don't know much about hauling horses except around Georgia and Florida so I don't know if a HC is required intrastate in your state.

Kentucky is funny that way. About 2 yrs back, some people were going to a local horse show. At the gate, while they were getting Coggins checked, they were being asked for health certs too, and if they didnt have them, they were being turned around.

[shakeytails]

Well, crisis averted. I was able to get the lab and have faxed coggins papers. That's good, because the area we were going through is right in the heart of "pull you over country" (near Lexington). And yes, KY requires coggins for in-state travel. It also requires a health certificate that must have been issued within 30 days.

I was told (by one of those Ag Dept. dudes that checks Coggins at shows) that the Coggins is good for 12 months and the health certificate for 6 months in state. The 30 day thing only applies to interstate travel.

We use the same health certificate all summer long- we usually get the Coggins and HC in April or so and our last show is usually in October. Since we do a lot of county fair shows the paperwork is checked frequently. Oh, and nobody has ever asked for original copies, nor have I heard of anyone being pulled over to have paperwork checked. I use the copy machine to put the HC on the back of the Coggins and highlight the horse's name- it's quicker and easier than trying to match up a Coggins with a group health certificate that may have 15 horses on it.

And even if they didn't have a Coggins and HC, I would, and do, haul anyway. Generally these are horses traveling b/w my farm and the trainer's or another private farm, obviously they can't go to a public venue w/o proper papers.

[findeight]

About Ky and at the risk of it sounding like a dumb southern cliche...

Well, just think of all those "Road" movies about "furiners" in the deep south. Everything from Smokey and the Bandit to My Cousin Vinny has a basis in fact. Nothing like an out of state plate or fancy rig to get them salivating.

So don't let Beaufort T Justice lay a bunch of fines on you. They are bored and waiting as county revenues are shrinking from other sources.