When you are planning to travel with your pet dog be it a short domestic flight or a road trip across state lines or an international relocation, the word dog health certificate is one that you will soon encounter. This document is also referred to as a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI), and it is a vital document in ensuring the safety of pets, people and local animal populations.
The process may appear disorienting to many owners of pets. What is this certificate? Why do you need one? And how do you get it? In this guide, we will take you through all that it takes to know in a simple, practical and easy manner.
What Is a Dog Health Certificate?
A dog health certificate is an official document completed and signed by a licensed and USDA-accredited veterinarian that verifies your dog is:
- Free from contagious diseases
- Current on necessary vaccinations (particularly rabies)
- Healthy enough to travel.
Imagine that it is a kind of a passport of your dog to travel. The airlines, state governments, and international governments use this paperwork to make sure that the pets entering their country will not be a health hazard.
What the Certificate will Generally Include?
In a typical health certificate, there is:
- Identifying information of your dog (name, breed, age, sex, microchip number)
- Physical exam results
- Vaccination history
- Preventative information about parasites
- Assurance that your dog does not have any signs of infectious disease
- Travel information (destination, date of examination, route of travel)
- USDA accreditation number of veterinarian, signature and clinic address.
It is a legal paper, and falsification of one has severe consequences.
Why Do Dogs Need a Health Certificate?
The reasons why a health certificate is necessary are numerous, and all of them boil down to the notion of safety, disease prevention, and regulation.
Airline Requirements
The majority of airlines such as American, Delta, United, Alaska, and Southwest insist on an up-to-date health certificate prior to permitting a dog to be boarded.
This applies whether the dog rides:
- In-cabin
- As checked pet baggage
- In cargo.
The airlines desire to know that your dog is safe to be transported and that it will not put other passengers and animals in danger.
Interstate Travel Requirements
Whereas certain states in the U.S. have less restrictive regulations compared to others, in most states, a health certificate is needed when a dog is transferred to another state.
This is necessary in particular when you are:
- Moving to a new state
- Coming to a dog show or competition
- Going to sell or adopt a dog.
Other states can also insist on the evidence of microchipping and rabies vaccination.
International Travel Requirements
When you are not in the United States, a dog health certificate will have an even greater significance.
Most countries require:
- A USDA-endorsed certificate
- Rabies vaccination proof
- Microchipping
- The potential other tests or therapy (e.g., titer test of rabies, treatment of tapeworms)
Every country has its regulations and some of them are extremely tough–if you do not observe them, your dog will be quarantined when it arrives at the destination.
Animal Welfare Laws
In other areas, health certificates are necessary in order to make sure that animals are transported in a humane way and that they are healthy enough to travel.
Types of Dog Health Certificates
Although you may be hearing only a single general term, there are actually two major types of certificates.
Domestic Health Certificate (In the U.S. Travel)
This certificate is applied, during traveling by car or plane.
It depends on requirements that differ depending on:
- The state you are entering
- Airline policies
- Your dog’s health history.
Domestic certificates have a tendency of being valid within 10 to 30 days depending on the purpose of traveling.
International Health Certificate
International certificates are more complicated and may necessitate:
- Vet accreditation of USDA.
- Recommendation by an office of the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
- Country-specific forms
- Other vaccinations or blood tests.
Timeline: In some countries the health certificate should be issued within 10 days of entry, others may take months of preparation (e.g. dogs going to the EU or to Japan).
How to Get a Dog Health Certificate
Obtaining a health certificate of a dog is not complicated when you are aware of the procedures.
Here’s the process:
Book a Veterinary Appointment
The issue of a valid travel health certificate can be issued by only a USDA-accredited veterinarian. This accreditation is not issued to all vets, and it is always worth making a call to verify.
Your vet will:
- Perform a physical exam
- Monitor the temperature of your dog, the heart rate, lungs, ears, skin and condition.
- Verify vaccine records
- Provide any necessary injections.
- Make sure that microchip is compatible (when travelling internationally)
Meet All Vaccination Requirements
The most important vaccine for travel is rabies, and many states and countries require:
- Evidence of an up-to-date immunization.
- Waiting (at least 21-30 days) following vaccination.
A rabies titer test can also be demanded in case of international travel.
Complete Required Tests or Treatments
Your dog can require:
- Treatment of parasites (fleas, ticks, tapeworms)
- Blood tests
- Health screenings
Particular type of microchip (internationally travel ISO-compliant)
USDA Endorsement (Travel abroad)
In case you are leaving the U.S., your vet will send the certificate to the USDA APHIS office so that it can be endorsed.
This can be done:
- By mail
- Face to face (you have to book an appointment)
- Via electronic methods via the APHIS Veterinary Export Health Certification System (VEHCS).
Most international destinations do not accept the certificate unless it is endorsed by USDA.
How Much Does a Dog Health Certificate Cost?
Prices vary widely depending on:
- Your vet’s fees
- Testing and vaccinations necessary
- International paperwork requirement
- USDA endorsement fees.
Approximate cost ranges in the U.S.:
Domestic health certificate: $50 200.
International health certificate: 200-600 and above.
Endorsement at USDA: $38-300 (depending on form and quantity of pets)
The preparation of international travel is also costly, but taking shortcuts can result in refusal to board the plane or quarantine.
How Long Is a Dog Health Certificate Valid?
Health certificates do have an expiration date so that the pets are healthy and current.
Domestic Certificates
Typically, a 10-to-30-day period, as specified by airline policies and state laws.
International Certificates
Validity depends on the country and type of certificate:
- The majority of them must be entered within 10 days of issuing the certificate.
- Others can permit greater periods of validity when used with a valid rabies vaccine record.
You should always ensure that you check the rules in your destination in advance.
When You Might Not Need a Health Certificate
You typically do not need a health certificate for:
- Routine local trips
- Driving in your home state (except in case some events are attended)
- Emotional Support Animals (but still documentation is needed by airlines)
- Service animals might however have different needs based on airline.
It is always safer to bring one along when you are not sure that you might need it- particularly when flying.
Tips for a Smooth Travel Experience
Traveling with a dog doesn’t need to be stressful, here are some helpful tips:
Start Planning Early
International traveling, start planning 3-6 months before. Certain destinations- such as Hawaii, Australia and Japan need a lot of preparation.
Keep Copies of All Paperwork
Bring print and electronic copies of:
- Health certificates
- Vaccination records
- Microchip registration
- Rabies certificate.
Multiple forms may be requested by the airline personnel and border guards.
Leave a Comment