International Health Certificates
Written by Krista Vernaleken, VMD
Will you be traveling to another country? Do you want your pet to experience the wonders of the Greek islands, downtown Montreal, or people watch at a sidewalk cafe in Paris? Sounds blissful, but there are a few steps you need to take before boarding that plane. Every country will have a different policy on visiting pets. Follow these steps to access further information about bringing your pet on an international trip.
International Health Certificates:
When scheduling your pet for health certifications for international travel, please prepare for the visit:
- Your pet’s veterinary records – it is a good idea to ask your vet to send these as far in advance as possible, as well as make copies for you to have on hand for the visit and for travel. Vital information we will need includes the date a microchip was placed, and the dates of rabies vaccination.
- Look up the requirements for the country you are traveling to: www.aphis.usda.gov as far in advance as you can. Some countries have very specific requirements and your pet may be denied entry or quarantined if the requirements are not met.
- Leave ample time required for any vaccinations, microchipping, and certification of the health certificate. The certificate must be completed within 10 days of travel, and needs to be sent to the local USDA office via overnight carrier. A health certificate cannot be performed the day before travel.
If you have any questions, your veterinarian can look up the requirements, even if he/she is not USDA certified. Or you can look them up on the United States Department of Agriculture website. Safe travels!