I am a USDA approved health certificate preparer and a pet shipper, a profession that is significantly impacted by the closure of USDA endorsement offices across the country. Over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, the federal government shut down these offices in an effort to curb the spread of the virus. Previously, our paperwork could have been processed on the same day at these offices, but current circumstances mean this is no longer possible.

Not all veterinarians use the online portal for certificate submissions and until recently, few offices across the country were processing certificates. Now, the situation has worsened, with only a mere two offices accepting documents by mail. This has caused immense delays as communication channels through phones and emails are not answered by USDA.

Such a situation is leaving the owners of the pending paperwork stressed and burdened with additional expenses, owing to the lack of timely processing. This negligence on part of USDA is not just a cause of inconvenience but a significant contributing factor to increased expenses to animal owners.

We demand immediate attention to resolve this issue and call for the reopening of all statewide USDA offices and improving communication. Also, to avoid such situations in future, the USDA online portal should also be updated to allow non-veterinarians to submit certificates. This urgent matter requires immediate action - the plausible solution lies in restoring normal operations of USDA endorsement offices and enhancing the efficiency of the existing systems. Please sign this petition to urge the USDA to take immediate action.