Ensure a Smooth Travel Experience for Your Pet
Health certificates for pets are required by many airlines and countries to ensure the safety and health of pets during travel and typically include information on vaccinations, health status, and medications.
It is important to follow all requirements to avoid delays or issues when entering a new country or state. By obtaining the proper health certificates, you are demonstrating responsible pet ownership and prioritizing your pets' well-being while traveling.
These requirements can be found on the USDA Pet Travel website.
Before Your Appointment
Please follow the list below when preparing for your cat or dog's health certificate appointment:
- Review the requirements for pet travel to your destination
The requirements can be found on the USDA Pet Travel website.
It is essential for pet owners to be aware of the specific health certificate requirements for traveling with their pets. Our team at Advanced Veterinary Care is dedicated to assisting you in coordinating your pet's necessary medical appointments and ensuring all documentation is completed accurately and on time.
- Contact your airline
It is important to contact your airline to ensure that your pet meets all necessary travel requirements. Failure to comply with these requirements could result in your pet being denied boarding or entry at your destination.
- Gather the required information
Once you know the travel requirements, you can gather the necessary health documents, such as vaccination certificates and test results. This will help to save time and allow us to determine exactly what you still need before your appointment.
We also ask that you complete a travel information form to submit no later than two weeks prior to your appointment. Click the link below to fill out the form online or download the form and submit online.
- Call the hospital to make an appointment
When calling to schedule your appointment, we will ask for the travel dates and destination, along with requesting a $100 deposit. This covers the time we spend preparing to issue the certificate and is applied to the balance on the day of your appointment.
If you need to cancel for any reason, we allow a three-month grace period for you to rebook, after which the deposit will be forfeited.
The actual appointment for writing up an international health certificate is 1 hour per pet. If you are traveling within the United States, appointments will be 30 minutes (excluding Hawaii, which is also an hour).
Most health certificates we issue are valid for 10 days, and can take up to five business days for endorsement by the USDA. Make sure you plan around these constraints when you are booking your travel and your appointment.
- Bring all required to the appointment
- Your full name, current address, and phone number.
- The name of your travel destination (person, hotel, etc.), address, and phone number.
- The date your pet will be traveling, method of transportation, and port of entry.
- All previous records from other veterinary clinics.
- Many health certificates need an original signed rabies certificate and the exact date of microchip implantation. If these were not performed at Advanced Veterinary Care and are needed for your pet's travel, you'll have to get these from your original vet and bring them with you to your pet's appointment.
During Your Appointment
During your visit, our team will perform a thorough examination to evaluate your pet's health and review their medical records to ensure they are fit for travel, as well as complete the necessary forms.
Your pet’s international health certificate will be submitted electronically to the USDA for review and endorsement (approval).
Once it is endorsed, which typically takes 2-5 days, it will be either returned electronically to your veterinarian or shipped via FedEx/UPS overnight to your home, depending on the requirements of the country to which you are traveling.
In the case of electronic endorsement your veterinarian will contact you to have you pick up a printed copy or it will be emailed to you to print out at home.
Please ensure all travel requirements are fulfilled before your appointment to avoid any delays in processing your pet's travel certificate. So, be sure to come prepared for your visit with us!