Dog Transport USA
Have questions or comments on USA pet immigration? Have you transported a pet to the USA recently? Share your experience!

DISCLAIMER:
To the best of our ability, we ensure that recommendations given on PetTravel.com reflect the current regulations. We cannot predict how a given country may enforce these regulations. Noncompliance may result in the need to make arrangements to put the pet into quarantine, return the pet to the country of origin, or destroy the pet. We suggest that you minimize the disruptions that may occur by following the rules of the country you are visiting.

 

Pet Immigration - United States (except Hawaii)

Dog Passport United States

CAT OR DOG TRANSPORT TO THE USA (not including Hawaii - see regulations for taking a pet to Hawaii)

United States does not quarantine healthy pets who meet the following requirements:

Your pet be vaccinated for rabies and various other diseases at least 1 month prior to travel. This requirement does not apply, however, to puppies less than three months of age or to dogs originating or located for at least six months prior to transport in areas designated by the U.S. Public Health Service as being rabies-free. If this is the case, then home quarantine will be required and rabies vaccinations will be required as soon as appropriate.

A licensed veterinarian will complete the United States Veterinary Certificate. This certificate should be in English or be accompanied by a translation in to English. It should identify the animal, the dates of vaccination, the expiration date of the rabies vaccine, and be signed by a licensed veterinarian.

If your pet is transported unaccompanied as cargo, it will need a Health Certificate issued within 10 days of travel. Together, this documentation will complete your cat or dog passport to the United States.

Pet Passport United States

All domestic dogs and cats must be free of evidence of disease communicable to humans when examined at the port of entry. If the animal is not in apparent good health, further examination by a licensed veterinarian may be required at the owner's expense.

SCREWWORM: If your dog is transported to the United States from a country that is infested with screwworm*, then not more than five days prior to entry the veterinarian in the country of origin must endorse that the pet has been inspected for screwworm and the results are negative. If this is not done then the pet will be quarantined in the USA. THIS APPLIES ONLY TO A LIMITED NUMBER OF PETS ARRIVING FROM A COUNTRY WITH A HIGH INCIDENCE OF SCREWWORM.

HAWAII & GUAM: Dogs and Cats arriving in Hawaii or Guam, both countries which are free of rabies, are subject to that state's/ territory's quarantine requirements, and the immigration information here does NOT apply.

Pets transported out of the United States and returned are subject to the same pet immigration requirements as those entering for the first time. This means that USA residents returning to the United States might need to get a Certificate of Health from an international vet if you stay in the foreign country for more than 20-30 days.

Pet Passport United States

Countries that the United States considers are infested with screwworm: Angola, Argentina, Bhrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, China, Colombia, Congo, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, French Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Easter Island (Isla de Pascua), Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kenya, Kuwait, Laos, Lesotho, Liberia, Macau, Malawi, Malaysia, Maui, Mauritania, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nigeria, Oman, Pacific Islands, Papua New Guinea, Paraacel Islands, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Spratly Islands, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zaire, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Failure to comply with these regulations will mean that your pet may be refused entry and the relevant authority in consultation with an authorized veterinarian can decide to return the pet home, or place the dog or cat in quarantine at the expense of the owner or natural person responsible for pet, or as a last resort, without financial compensation, put the pet down where the return trip home or quarantine cannot be arranged.

All other pets (birds, invertebrates, tropical fish, reptiles, amphibia, mammals such as rodents and rabbits) are not subject to the regulations in respect of the anti-rabies vaccination but may have to meet other requirements as to a limit on the number of animals and a certificate to accompany them in respect of other diseases. Pet owners are strongly advised to seek further information from the relevant authority of their country and/or that of the country of destination.

Although USA pet immigration does not require an ISO pet microchip, we strongly suggest microchipping your pet prior to traveling.

ADDITIONAL PET IMMIGRATION INFORMATION

Why is a pet passport important for transporting a pet to the USA?
Am I transporting my dog or cat to the USA from a rabies free country?
Great Tips for Transporting a Pet by Air to the USA

Everything essential for traveling with a pet can be found at PetTravelStore.com.

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