Having an equine (horse, pony, donkey, mule, bardot): what are the rules?

Any equine animal, present on French territory, must must be identified.

The identification shall be carried out as follows:

• Placing an electronic chip (called an electronic transponder) in the neck of the animal
• Assigning a Sire number at the time of its registration in the central file referencing the data concerning equidae present on the French territory, maintained by the French Institute of Horse and Horse Riding (IFCE) and called Equine Information System (EIS).
• Establishment of a unique original identification document (commonly called booklet or passport), valid for the entire life of the animal, including a record of the natural marks of the equine animal.

The implantation of the electronic chip is carried out at the top of the neck of the animal by an identifier declared to the IFCE services (veterinarian or IFCE agent).

An online service allows to know the local identifiers:

Find an equine identifier

The 15-digit code of the microchip is registered in the Sire upon receipt of the declaration of the veterinarian or IFCE agent.

This chip number can be read and used to identify a horse and find its owner if necessary.

The veterinarian or IFCE agent also sends the Site your animal's report, i.e. a record of the animal's natural marks.

After the registration of the electronic chip at the Site, the IFCE assigns to your equine an identification number (called Sire number), separate from the number of the electronic chip and attesting its registration in the central Sire file, and editing the identification document (passport) of your pet.

The passport contains all the information necessary to identify the animal: the number of its electronic chip, its Sire number, a record of the visible physical characteristics but also its name, age, breed, etc.

Registration at the Site is paying.

The passport must be with the animal at all times and follow him in all his movements.

When the equine animal was born in France, whether of unregistered breed or origin (ONC), it must have its passport published by IFCE within 8 months of birth.

When the equine animal is born abroad and imported, it must be declared to the MSire within 30 days of arrival in France:

Equine Information System (EIS)

When your pet is identified with the site, theIFCE: titleContent delivers you a registration card from the animal to your name.

The registration card allows the tracking the ownership of each horse.

The registration card includes the Sire number and the name of your pet and your name and address. You must report any change of address within 3 months.

You can choose a registration card in paper or dematerialized format on the IFCE website from your Sire space staff:

Equine Information System (EIS)

The registration card states that you are the owner of the animal.

When you purchase an equine from a professional breeder, of a refuge or a particular, the seller, donor or shelter must give you back mandatory the following documents:

• Original animal identification document (passport)
• Paper registration card indicating the name of the horse owner or certificate of sale if the registration card is dematerialized and the property of the animal managed by internet.

The seller, donor or shelter may also provide you with the following documents:

• Certificate of Assignment (contract of sale or donation and/or purchase invoice)
• Information document on the characteristics of the animal and its needs (also containing, if necessary, educational advice).

As a buyer, you have to save change of ownership to the Sire.

The declaration of change of ownership must be made within 30 days of purchase.

The IFCE records the change of ownership and issues you the new animal registration card in your name.

This approach is fee-based.

Equine Information System (EIS)

Every keeper of an equine animal must attest to his knowledge of the specific needs of the species.

As an individual who owns one or more equidae, you must have a certificate of commitment and knowledge of the specific needs of the species.

This certificate shall be issued by a veterinarian or by a professional body listed in ministerial order.

This certificate must be signed by your hand and include a handwritten statement by which you agree to respect the needs of the animal.

This certificate specifies the physiological, behavioral and medical needs of an equine animal, including during transport.

It also specifies your obligations in terms of traceability and identification of the animal and in terms of transport conditions.

It mentions the financial and logistical implications of meeting physiological, behavioral and medical needs throughout the life of the animal.

If you sell your animal, you must first ensure that the new holder has a certificate of commitment and knowledge of the specific needs of the species.

If you keep one or more equidae, you must register with theIFCE: titleContent.

The declaration shall include the following information:

• Your name and address
• Address where equidae are housed if different from your address and identity and contact details of the person on site to contact
• Additional information collected for statistical purposes (area used, number of horses, activity).

The declaration is made online on the IFCE website from your Sire space staff:

Equine Information System (EIS)

If you cannot complete the process on the internet, the declaration can be made using the following form:

Declaration of a place of equidae parking

Once completed and signed, the form is to be sent to the IFCE.

The declaration must reach the IFCE before the arrival of the 1^er equine.

IFCE identifies each place of detention by a unique national number.

You will receive a certificate of registration with this identification number. Whether you have declared your place of detention on the internet or by post, your certificate is accessible in the section Sanitary & Detention of your site space on the IFCE website.

Any change in the holder and any change in the place of detention must be reported to IFCE within 30 days.

If you have 3 or more equines on the same site, you must appoint a health veterinarian for each place of detention for which you are responsible accommodating 3 or more equines.

The designation of the health veterinarian is done by means of the dedicated form, which must be completed and signed by the veterinarian of your choice, then sent to the DDPP.

The list of veterinarians with health authorization in your department is available on the website of your prefecture or on request from the DDPP: titleContent.

Designation of the veterinary surgeon by the animal keeper

The declaration is made to the Departmental Directorate of Population Protection (DDPP) of the prefecture of each place of detention.

If you place your pet in a boarding house or if you entrust your pet to a third party as part of a loan agreement for use and if you stop paying the care fees, the owner of your equine animal can give you formal notice to recover your animal.

This may also be the case if your pet is unfit or is totally unable to perform the activities for which it was raised.

If you do not collect your pet within 3 months of receiving the letter of formal notice, the holder of your equine animal can sell it.

For this, the holder of your equine presents a query to the President of the Judicial Tribunal.

In his application, the holder of your equine animal states the facts. It shall also include the following information:

• Equine identification number and place of detention
• Name of owner
• Precise indication of the amount of the amount claimed and breakdown of the various elements of the claim
• Basis of the claim.

The keeper of your equine can also request the designation of a third party to whom the equine will be entrusted if the animal does not find a buyer.

If the president of the court considers the request justified, he makes an order authorizing the forced sale at public auction of your animal.

If the holder of your equine animal has agreed to accept the material burden of the animal from a third party, the order may provide that the animal will be handed over to that third party in the event of a lack of bidding.

The holder of your equine must provide you with a copy of the judge's order within 3 months.

The sale can only take place at least 1 month after the receipt of the order of the judge.

Within this one-month period, you can recover your pet after payment of your debt.

You can also oppose the sale and present your situation to the judge.

The amount of the sale is remitted to the equine keeper within the limit of the amount you owe him, as fixed by the order of the judge, plus the costs of the proceedings.

The rest of the sale amount is deposited with the Caisse des dépôts et consignations, in your name.

You can ask to recover this amount in application of the judgment.

At the death of your pet, as the owner, you can choose one of the following services for its removal:

• Rendering service via the association known as ATM (Animaux Trouvés Morts) Equidé-Angee allowing you to declare the death of your equine animal online and to pay the rendering costs thanks to a shared rate. This service is hosted on the website of theIFCE: titleContent.
• Other rendering service of your choice: the contact, the payment and the methods of removal are variable according to the chosen company
• Cremation service: the equine is taken care of individually by an animal crematorium.

You must notify the service chosen for the removal no later than 48 hours after the death.

Your pet's body must be removed within 2 months clear days upon receipt of your declaration of death.

The professional who takes care of your pet's body (or the slaughterhouse or DDPP: titleContent if the horse is slaughtered) takes care of the identification documents of the equine and is responsible for returning them for registration of death in the Sire.

If, however, you have not delivered the equine documents to the renderer or incineration business, you must return them to the site within 30 days of death to register the death of your animal.

Equine Information System (EIS)

Landfill of an equine is strictly prohibited.