Pet Health Certificate: Rules and Important Notes
If you want to take your dog, cat, or ornamental bird with you on international trips, you should know that having a pet passport and all required vaccinations is essential. Without them, leaving the country is not possible, because one of the most important rules for traveling abroad with a pet is holding a passport that records every administered vaccine.
Keep in mind that holding the original health certificate, the pet passport, and the traveler’s passport is another key requirement for obtaining an exit permit for your animal. The health certificate must be arranged through your veterinary clinic.
Note that entry and exit rules are not the same in every country. If you are planning to travel, you should request your pet’s health certificate before doing anything else. Also remember that every country requires a rabies titer test from an accredited laboratory in addition to the health certificate before accepting your pet. For this reason, we recommend starting the process at least 3 months before your trip.
Key Notes on Issuing a Pet Health Certificate
As mentioned, all vaccinations must be administered before the health certificate is issued. However, there is an important detail about the rabies vaccine that many pet owners are unaware of and only discover when they run into problems at the time of issuance.
Pet owners should apply for the health certificate only after at least 14 days have passed since the last rabies vaccination (especially if it was the animal’s first rabies shot). For domestic travel, vaccination and deworming are mandatory. And do not forget that for international travel, in addition to the items above, a rabies titer test, microchip implantation, and other documents issued by the veterinarian are also required.
Validity Period of a Pet Health Certificate
Before making travel arrangements, note that a pet health certificate is valid for one week. If this period passes, you must submit a new request.
Under the regulations, each traveler may take a maximum of two dogs or cats, and 2 to 10 birds per species, in or out of the country. The time needed to issue a pet health certificate is 1 working day for domestic travel; for international travel to countries outside the European Union, a 24-hour step and a 7-day step are required. If the destination is an EU member state, allow roughly 10 working days to 3 months.
With the permit described above, you can easily take your cat, dog, birds, rabbits, and rodents on domestic or international trips. However, note that the entry and exit of aquatic animals, reptiles, and other animals is prohibited, and carrying medicines, supplements, feed, or any animal-derived product as traveler baggage is also not allowed.
Cost of Issuing a Pet Health Certificate
The animal’s condition and the type of health certificate requested vary by city and country, so an exact amount cannot be quoted for issuing a pet health certificate. For precise pricing, visit a veterinary hospital and take advantage of their expert consultation.