The Caribbean animal health network (CaribVET) is a collaboration network among veterinary services, diagnostic laboratories, research institutes, universities and regional/international organisations to improve animal health in the Caribbean. Its specific objectives are to foster exchange of information and collaboration among people involved in animal health, promote a regional approach for emergency preparedness and diseases control, develop and harmonise regional veterinary diagnostic capacities, and strengthen national epidemiological surveillance systems through training and skills building. The CaribVET website (www.caribvet.net) is a participatory website which encompasses information and data on surveillance systems, diagnostic laboratories, conferences, bibliography, and diseases of major concern in the Caribbean region. A steering committee of CaribVET, a coordination unit and six working groups were established to organize the collaboration on specific diseases or activities. Control of emerging, re-emerging and exotic animal disease threats have been at the forefront of CaribVET activities. The working group for avian influenza (AI) developed a regionally harmonised surveillance protocol to be adapted to each country, performance indicators for an efficient follow-up of the surveillance in the whole region, a diagnostic network in the Caribbean and a specific CaribVET web page for Avian influenza surveillance in the region. (Texte intégral)