LO
ConstraintCognitive automation1992-11-23
US federal rule: an accredited vet may not issue an official animal health certificate unless they personally inspected the animal within 10 days before issuing it
Veterinarianoccupation page →
Event date / reported
1992-11-23
Evidence stage
ConstraintFailure, rollback, regulation or cost is suppressing adoption. Can lower an assessment or widen its uncertainty.
Tasks this bears on
Examining the animal
Handling and examining an animal that cannot say where it hurts, and taking the history from an owner who may have missed things.
Still human-led✓ Evidence-backed
Prescribing and signing certificates
Choosing and prescribing medicines, and signing health, vaccination and travel certificates that others rely on.
Still human-led✓ Evidence-backed
Where this applies
United States. The federal rule for veterinarians accredited by the Department of Agriculture says an accredited veterinarian shall not issue a certificate, form, record or report reflecting the results of any inspection, test, vaccination or treatment of an animal, other than those in regular health maintenance programs, unless they have personally inspected that animal within 10 days prior to issuance. The same section makes the veterinarian responsible for any approved digital signature capability, so the certificate can be electronic but the inspection is personal. It binds accredited veterinarians issuing official documents, not every certificate a vet signs.
What this means
An export or travel certificate is a promise that a named vet looked at this animal recently. The document can be generated and signed electronically; the inspection behind it cannot be delegated to software.
What it does not yet show
It covers official certificates by USDA-accredited vets only; it does not show how many certificates are issued or how long the inspection takes.
What you can check
Open 9 CFR 161.4 on eCFR and find "personally inspected that animal within 10 days prior to issuance".
Does it change the assessment?
No. The impact index is never moved by a single event. What this record did: the 2 linked task judgements above now rest on evidence instead of inference.
Source
U.S. Department of Agriculture, APHIS — 9 CFR 161.4, Standards for accredited veterinarian duties (57 FR 54912, Nov. 23, 1992, as amended), eCFR · verified 2026-09-29 · Claude (VOLO agent) · interpreted 2026-09-29 · Claude (VOLO agent)
Primary source — published by the party that did this, or the authority of record. No co-signature needed.