Brussels Airport’s Animal Care & Inspection Center CEIV Live Animals certified

Less than two years after the inauguration of the Brussels Airport Animal Care & Inspection Center (ACIC), the Center has now received the coveted IATA Center of Excellence for Independent Validators (CEIV) Live Animals Certificate. An important recognition of the investments made and of the efforts of the team to provide a top-notch facility and service.

In order to offer the best possible service in the field of animal transport, Brussels Airport has invested in a brand-new ultramodern Animal Care & Inspection Center, which opened its doors in June 2020. With this new centre, Brussels Airport wanted to set the standard on a European level and ensure that considerable attention is paid to the comfort of all live animals.

Less than two years after the opening, the ACIC has now received the IATA CEIV Live Animals certificate. Driven by industry standards, IATA’s CEIV Live Animals Logistics establishes baseline standards to improve the level of competency, infrastructure and quality management in the handling and transportation of live animals throughout the supply chain.

With over 2000 m² of covered space, the Animal Care and Inspection Center is exclusively designed for the handling of live animals and offers the required capacity for the import, export and transit of live animals. With a strong focus on animal welfare, the building is equipped with the latest climate control system and adaptive lighting, ensuring the animals reside in optimal conditions.

Sam Quintelier, Business Development Manager Cargo at Brussels Airport: “With our investment in this new and modern facility we wanted to set a new standard for animal welfare. We strive for great service and quality for all our customers, so we are proud of this recognition for our Center and the whole ACIC team.”

Earning this recognition required the ACIC team to set up and implement a quality management system, be fully compliant with IATA’s Live Animals training requirements, and demonstrate proficiency in managing live animal handling processes in conformance with IATA’s standards. The close cooperation with the Brussels Airport cargo team and the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain significantly contributed to the successful outcome.

Ann Goovaerts, ACIC Supervisor says: “This certificate is a seal of approval for the standard of excellence we are setting for handling live animals. We hope that our passion and dedication for animal safety and welfare will inspire other players within the industry and encourage them to safeguard the wellbeing of all animals during transportation.”

Despite a start up in Covid times the Animal Care & Inspection Center has already welcomed many animals in the past two years, ranging from dogs, horses and alpacas to reptiles and insects. The ACIC also offers a pension facility, enabling travelling passengers to have their pet (cats and dogs only) cared for in the best conditions. The Animal Care & Inspection Center is operated by dnata.