Travelling across the state, across state lines, or internationally with pets can be stressful for everyone involved; from the stress some pets experience from being out of the house in unfamiliar places and around strangers, to the loud noises and vibrations of vehicles like cars and airplanes, to the stress and worry of the owner about having proper documentation, accommodations, and a general travel plan in order, it can be a lot. We are happy to help direct you to or provide you with information to help make this process easier.

General Tips For Travel By Airline, Car, or Other Modes of Transportation

A lot of variable factors can impact your pet’s experience while traveling by any means, including different stressors and unexpected risk factors that can pose a danger to your pet. The ASPCA offers some helpful guidance on safety tips and preparation for trips of any kind, which can be found here: https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/travel-safety-tips

Traveling to Another US State or Territory

Individual states and territories can set their own regulations and requirements for people bringing pets across their borders; as a result, these requirements vary state-by-state and should be assessed prior to your trip to ensure you have any documentation that you’ll need. The USDA website has great resources with the most up-to-date information for all US states’ and territories’ requirements that you might plan to visit, which can be found here: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel/state-to-state

International Travel

Every country sets their own requirements for what you need to do to bring your pet across their borders; you must always check that county’s requirements for documentation and the health requirements for your pet. This typically includes proof of rabies vaccination, health certificates, and microchipping, but it truly varies from country to country. In some cases, a USDA APHIS-endorsed health certificate may be required; comprehensive information on this and other related general information can be found here: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel/us-to-another-country-export/frequently-asked-questions-about-traveling-your-pet

Additional and more detailed information about the specific steps involved in getting USDA APHIS-endorsed health certificates can be found here, including how to set a plan in place to get this done: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel/us-to-another-country-export/pet-travel-guidance-pets-traveling-another-country-united

As a USDA-accredited veterinarian, our very own Dr. Jane Barlow offers services to issue USDA health certificates and other necessary documentation for the import/export of animals for clients of our practice.

Returning to the US With Your Pet

In addition to the requirements to bring your pet into other countries, there are specific requirements that must be met to bring your pet back into the US, which is always best to set in place before you leave for your trip. The CDC’s website has comprehensive information about the documentation required by US officials to come back into the US with a pet, which can be found here:

For dogs: https://www.cdc.gov/importation/dogs/faqs.html

For cats: https://www.cdc.gov/importation/bringing-an-animal-into-the-us/index.html#cdc_generic_section_5-cats

For other animals: https://www.cdc.gov/importation/bringing-an-animal-into-the-us/index.html