Health certificates are documents that certify that a domestic animal is free of disease and contagious elements, found upon check-ups and tests. In many countries, it is a legal requirement to produce health certificates for any animals that are to enter the region. These restrictions are in place to prevent contagious diseases from spreading and are important in this regard. Health certificates are important not only for animals kept for commercial purposes like poultry but also for personal pets. Additionally, it is the policy of some airlines to not let any pets onboard unless a health certificate is produced. This is, in turn, also for the prevention of contagious diseases.
In general, the content of the health certificate should not only certify that the animal is in good health but also contain details of the tests that were conducted on it, along with their results. This is not a compulsion, though, and may vary from region to region. In addition, some design and content tips should be kept in mind when writing a health certificate, some of which are as follows:
- The name of the hospital, clinic, or private practitioner should be the title of the document, and the heading ‘Health Certificate’ should immediately follow it.
- A short description of what is being certified should be written. Since this is an official document, the phrasing should be formal. In general, phrases like ‘it is to certify that’ should be used.
- The details of the animal should come next. This section varies from region to region due to different legal requirements in different places. If the animal is registered with a regulatory body, its registered name is included, along with its breed, color, and registration number. If known, the date of birth of the animal is also included in the health certificate, as is the date of the report. The sex of the animal is also included.
- The tests and test results are also included in the certificate. For the ease of the reader, these are usually organized in the form of a table with several headings. For example, the headings can be ‘Serial number’, ‘Name of Test’, ‘Result’, or ‘Date’. This makes it easy for the reader to find the exact information that he or she is looking for. Also, there are medical code digits for tests, and they should also be included in the health certificate.
- Authentication of the health certificate is an important feature. A signature line should be included at the bottom right-hand side of the document, which should contain the signature of a veterinarian or other authority. Most hospitals and practitioners also include seals and stamps on the health certificate to make the document more authentic and trustworthy. Finally, if the logo of the hospital or the practitioner has not been included at the top as the title, it can also appear at the bottom center of the page. The contact details and address of the hospital and/or doctor should also be included in this section.
Here is a preview of a Free Sample Health Certificate Template created using MS Word,
Here is the download link for this Health Certificate Template,
