Animals
Buying, selling and leasing horses and livestock.
What it takes
- A horse or pony, bought, sold or leased
- Cattle, goats, sheep and other livestock, by the head or by the herd
- The papers that move with an animal: bill of sale, registration transfer, health papers, and brand inspection where a state asks for it
What it leaves
- Dogs, cats and rabbits. California bars brokers from selling dogs under a year old, cats and rabbits, and we leave the whole category alone.
- Wild and exotic animals.
How a job runs here
These steps make up the job's checklist. Its page shows each one as it is done.
- The animal is identified: registration papers, brand, microchip or tattoo, and current photos.
- The buyer is offered an exam by a veterinarian of their own choosing before anything is signed.
- A written bill of sale states the price and is signed by both sides.
- What the broker is paid, and by whom, is written on the terms both sides sign.
- Health papers for the trip are ordered: whatever the state the animal is going to asks for.
- Payment clears before the animal moves.
- The haul is booked, and the animal is delivered and received in writing.
What backs it
0 of 1 license in place. The full list for every line is the credentials register.
| Credential | Issued by | Covers | Status | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Livestock dealer and market agency registration, with bond | USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, Packers and Stockyards Division | Buying or selling livestock in commerce for others or on commission: cattle, sheep, swine, horses, mules and goats. The bond starts at $10,000. | Not yet held | None yet |
Rules this line follows
In California the sale of a show or race horse needs a written bill of sale that states the price and is signed by both sides. An agent may act for both sides only if both agree in writing first, and may not take more than $500 from anyone but their own client unless that client agrees in writing. Every job on this line is written that way, in any state.
The state an animal is going to sets what must travel with it. For a horse that is usually a certificate of veterinary inspection, and often proof of a negative test for equine infectious anemia.
Since January 1, 2026 a broker in California may not sell, or offer for sale or adoption, a dog under a year old, a cat or a rabbit.