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What You Need Before You Travel
The Pre-Trip Veterinary
Examination
Before any trip, have your veterinarian examine your pet to ensure
that he or she is in good health.
A veterinary examination
is a requisite for obtaining the legal documents required for
many forms of travel.
In addition to the
examination, your veterinarian may vaccinate your pet against
rabies, distemper, infectious hepatitis, leptospirosis, Bordetella,
and Lyme disease, and test for heartworm and prescribe appropriate
medication.
After examining your
pet, your veterinarian may prescribe a sedative or tranquilizer
and recommend a trial run so you can observe the effects of the
prescribed dosage.
Do not give your pet
any drug not prescribed or given to you by your veterinarian.
Legal Requirements
When traveling with your pet, it is always advisable to keep a
health certificate (a document from your veterinarian certifying
that your pet is in good health) and medical records close at
hand.
If you and your pet
will be traveling across state lines, you must obtain from your
veterinarian a recent health certificate and a certificate of
rabies vaccination.
Although pets may travel
freely throughout the United States as long as they have proper
documentation, Hawaii requires a 30- or 120-day quarantine for
all dogs and cats. Hawaii's quarantine regulations vary by species,
so check prior to travel.
If you and your pet
are traveling from the United States to Canada, you must carry
a certificate issued by a veterinarian that clearly identifies
the animal and certifies that the dog or cat has been vaccinated
against rabies during the preceding 36-month period. Different
Canadian provinces may have different requirements.
Be sure to contact
the government of the province you plan to visit.
If you and your pet
are traveling to Mexico, you must carry a health certificate prepared
by your veterinarian within two weeks of the day you cross the
border. The certificate must include a description of your pet,
the lot number of the rabies vaccine used, indication of distemper
vaccination, and a veterinarian's statement that the animal is
free from infectious or contagious disease.
This certificate must
be stamped by an office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA). The fee for the stamp is $16.50.
If you are transporting
birds out of the United States, record the legband or tattoo number
of each bird on the USDA certificate, and get required permits
from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Regardless of what
country you and your pet are traveling to, be sure to learn the
animal quarantine policies long before you pack your bags. You
may be able to find out a country's legal requirements through
your veterinarian (who may refer you to other resources) or on
the Internet or by contacting the embassy for that country.
Traveling with your
pet to another country requires some research by you, the caregiver,
but it's worth it to ensure a smooth trip for your pet, with no
last-minute surprises
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