Accreditation recognises HARC’s continued compliance with international standards for animal welfare, specialist handling and live-animal air transport
The Heathrow Animal Reception Centre (HARC), operated by the City of London Corporation, has secured its third consecutive IATA CEIV Live Animals re-certification, reinforcing its role in the safe and compliant movement of animals through Heathrow Airport.
The internationally recognised certification confirms that HARC continues to meet IATA standards covering animal welfare, specialist handling, infrastructure, staff training, quality management and operational procedures for the transportation of live animals by air. The latest re-certification followed an independent assessment of the centre’s facilities, procedures, staff expertise and regulatory compliance.
Supporting UK biosecurity
Located on the perimeter of Heathrow Airport, HARC operates as a Live Animal Border Control Post and Travellers’ Point of Entry. It conducts health and welfare checks on animals entering the UK through Heathrow, covering everything from household pets and livestock to horses, zoo animals and exotic species.
The centre is also responsible for checking animal shipments against IATA requirements and enforcing applicable UK and international animal-movement regulations. Its biosecurity role includes measures designed to reduce the risk of diseases such as rabies entering the country.
HARC is the only Heathrow Border Control Post licensed to handle all animal species, according to the City of London Corporation. The authority says the facility handles approximately 22,000 dogs and cats, 400 horses, 100,000 reptiles, 1,000 birds and 28 million fish each year.
IATA certification raises handling standards
IATA’s CEIV Live Animals programme establishes standards covering competency, infrastructure and quality management throughout the live-animal air transport supply chain. Its assessment framework includes personnel and training, documentation, infrastructure and equipment, transportation, temporary storage, aircraft loading and unloading, and animal-handling operations.
Re-certification requires refresher training for key personnel and a new assessment to verify continued compliance and ongoing improvement.
Peter Dunphy MBE, Chair of the City of London Corporation’s Port Health and Environmental Services Committee, said the re-certification demonstrated the expertise of HARC staff and their focus on animal welfare.
“Achieving our third CEIV Live Animals re-certification is an important endorsement of the expertise and dedication of our staff,” Dunphy said.
Brendan Sullivan, IATA’s Global Head of Cargo, congratulated HARC on achieving the certification for a third time, highlighting its position as Europe’s only CEIV Live Animals-certified Border Control Post.
A specialist cargo operation
The latest accreditation comes as live-animal transport remains a highly specialised segment of the air cargo supply chain, requiring coordination between airlines, freight forwarders, border authorities, handlers and specialist facilities.
IATA’s CEIV Live Animals programme is designed to standardise practices across those stakeholders, with the objective of improving safety, regulatory compliance and humane treatment throughout the transport process.
For HARC, the re-certification provides an external validation of its procedures and infrastructure while reinforcing its role in the UK’s animal-import and biosecurity system.
The centre has operated at Heathrow since 1977 and continues to serve as a key point for animals arriving in the UK through one of the world’s busiest aviation hubs.
