Do You Need a Pet Travel Health Certificate?

Pet owners who enjoy taking their furry friends along with them on trips need to be up to date on whether or not a pet health certificate is required. Within the United States generally there is not pet health certificate required, although there are restrictions for taking a domesticated dog or cat to the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaii is a rabies free state and is intent on remaining that way by control of pets that are brought to the islands.

Pet travel health certificates are required for most travel to foreign countries. It is recommended that if you want to take your pet to a foreign country that you contract the consulate for the country that you wish to visit with your pet. Look online or in the telephone book for the contact information for those consulates. Some countries require specific pet health certificates, while others will accept a certificate that is issued by an APHIS compliant veterinary doctor.

To enter a foreign country with your pet you may need a hard copy of a pet health certificate, or you may be able to have the certification electronically transferred. On the pet travel health certificate the age and description and breed of the pet will be listed. It will also tell where the animal comes from, a home address including city and state. The pet health certificate certifies that the animal in question is in good health, free from disease and up to date on immunizations. It also will certify that the pet is parasite free.

Seek a pet health travel certificate for your pet, and be prepared that the animal may still have a minimal quarantine to fulfill. Some countries, like the UK require six months of quarantine whether there is a health certificate or not. A good window for getting the certificate is sixty days to two weeks before the planned travel.