Moving and traveling with your pet requires planning and forethought! Whether you are traveling domestically or internationally, getting your cat or dog onto a plane, train, bus, or even a car requires preparation, preventative care, and often certain documentation. For instance, when traveling by plane, you will be required by law, and by airline regulations, to have a valid Domestic or International Health Certificate, completed by a USDA accredited veterinarian.
As soon as you determine you will be traveling with your pet, the first step should be to check requirements for travel with the USDA’s travel website (Domestic and International Travel With a Pet). As the regulating authority, the US Department of Agriculture keeps the most extensive and up-to-date list of travel requirements for your pet, both for domestic as well as international travel.
Domestic travel will require that your pet be:
- Healthy enough to travel
- Current on Rabies vaccinations
- Disease-free
- Parasite-free
International requirements include the above, but may also include:
- 15-digit microchip
- Current on all vaccinations (and a history of no lapse in vaccinations)
- Application of parasite protection
- Rabies Titer Testing (which can take up to eight weeks)
- Fecal parasite testing
- And other specialized testing based on the destination country’s regulations
The USDA’s website provides a comprehensive guide on when and how you should include our veterinary office in the travel plans for your pet, including when to obtain a Domestic or International Health Certificate. Timing for obtaining an International Health Certificate is critical as the window of validity on this document is small. Please call our office as soon as your travel plans have been confirmed to ensure proper timing of your examination!
Please also keep in mind that preparation for travel to locations with a rabies quarantine (Japan, Hawaii, Korea, Australia, etc.) can take several months to coordinate.
Don’t forget to contact your airline to book travel for your pet and to make sure that they do not have any additional requirements beyond that of your destination. Many airlines will not be aware of, or notify you of, requirements for the country you are booking travel to, so be sure you have checked the USDA site personally. Your pet CAN be turned away or forced to quarantine upon arrival to your destination if you have not met the necessary requirements. This will be at YOUR EXPENSE.
Have questions? Our team has years of experience and would be happy to guide you through this process!
