Requirements to fly a dog can sometimes be daunting, but getting the right and up to date information can help you through the process. First and foremost, no matter where you are shipping a dog, you will need vaccination records, a health certificate from your veterinarian, an airline approved crate and a reservation on a pet friendly airline for your dog. Depending on where you are going the rest of the requirements and time it takes to prepare will vary greatly.
If you are flying a dog within the US (continental US), then that’s all you’ll need. A health certificate from your veterinarian that states your dog is in good health and that all his shots are up to date. So if you already keep your dog’s shots up to date then all that’s left is to teach your dog to love his travel crate, schedule the shortest flight possible to your destination and a visit with your veterinarian within 10 days of travel. A pet shipping expert can help you schedule the flight with the fewest stops and the shortest travel time, we can also help if you need a custom crate for your dog.
If you are flying a dog to Hawaii for example, in addition to the above will need: 2 separate rabies vaccinations, a waiting period, titer test, and a health certificate by a USDA accredited veterinarian. The timing is crucial for all of these requirements, so get in touch with a dog shipping expert who can help you step by step so you are not losing your time.
When flying a dog internationally, the requirements change a bit. For example, if you are flying a dog to Australia then you will need the following: dog microchipped, vaccinations, parasite treatment, titer tests, an import permit, as well as a health certificate from a USDA accredited veterinarian. Once there your dog will be in quarantine for about 10 days.
If you are flying a dog to Japan you will need: dog microchipped, 2 sets of rabies vaccinations, antibody tests, advanced notification to Animal Quarantine Services in Japan, approval for import, clinical and health inspection, import inspection and quarantine in Japan.
If you are flying a dog to Europe, most of the countries (except for UK, Sweden and Norway) will require: a microchip, full vaccination records, an EU veterinary health certificate, government endorsement of (microchip, rabies certificate and health certificate) and an International health certificate.
Planning in advance is the key when flying a dog anywhere, the more planning you do ahead of time the faster and smoother the move. Planning a dog move ahead of time can avoid lengthy quarantines, waste of money and a whole lot of trouble. If you have any questions a dog shipping expert can walk you through every step of your move.
