International Travel With Your Pet Is Possible (When Rules Are Followed)
There are many good reasons to plan a trip with your pet in tow, and leaders in the hospitality industry go above and beyond to welcome both human and animal guests with equal enthusiasm. Narrowing down where you and your furry friend want to go may well be the hardest part of the process!
While traveling abroad has become more relaxed in recent years, international travel with your pet truly cannot be approached lightly. It takes an excessive amount of preparation and planning, but then you can expect to have a much smoother trip to any destination.
Getting Real
The best place to start is by assessing whether or not your pet is up for a trip abroad. Certainly, if they are familiar with air travel, strangers, and routine disruptions, they may be keen to accompany you. It is crucial that you have total confidence in their ability to coast through new and potentially trying circumstances in strange places.
Secondly, they will require approval from a veterinarian to not only fly, but to leave the country. You will need to have documentation proving that your pet is free of infectious diseases and not a health risk. There must be proof of vaccinations, parasite control, negative screening results, and their microchip number. This health certificate is critical to your airline, international customs, and the accommodations.
We are happy to help you with your pet’s health certificate. Please consider allowing as much as six months before departure to start this process. Please consult this USDA website for more information about international travel with your pet.
A Pet Passport?
Depending on where you and your pet are traveling, you may or may not need a pet passport in addition to their health certificate. As such, please reach out to your destination’s consulate or regulatory agency at least a month in advance. There could be a quarantine period after arrival, requiring additional planning and preparation, and more to ensure the safety of all.
Every Country Is Different
You might be visiting a single country during your international travel with your pet. However, if you plan on going between countries, please plan for every leg of the journey to ensure that your pet will be allowed in with you.
Furthermore, when you are approaching your departure date to fly home, you’ll likely need to show documentation of where your pet has been in order to gain entry back in the United States. It may be worthwhile to schedule a follow-up examination for your pet to check if they were exposed to illness or parasites while on your top abroad.
If you have additional questions or concerns about the process, or whether your pet is up to such a big trip, please call us at (732) 531‑1212. Our team at Oakhurst Veterinary Hospital is always here for you.