Veterinary Public Health Program
313 N Figueroa St. Rm 1127
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Tel (213) 288-7060
Fax (213) 481-2375 vet@ph.lacounty.gov
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Importing or Exporting a Dog or Cat
What you need to know about
importing a
pet into the United States (US):
Don't import a disease.
When an animal is import into the United States, there is
some risk that the animal may have a disease that is rare or not normally found in the
United States. Animal
importers should investigate the animal's original
location and the exporter before importing a pet. They should
also work closely with a
local veterinarian to assure that the imported animal is
healthy and stays healthy after arrival. Scroll
down to read more about the risks of importing a disease.
DOGS
Dogs need to be healthy. A health
certificate is not legally required to enter the US, but is
STRONGLY recommended.
However, some
airlines may require a health certificate to
transport your pet.
Dogs require an up-to-date rabies
vaccination certificate signed by a licensed
veterinarian, showing they were vaccinated
at least 30 days prior to entry into the US.
If your dog has not been vaccinated against
rabies (i.e. it’s too young to vaccinate or
coming from a rabies free country), it may
not be allowed to enter the United States.
In some cases, the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) may allow it to
enter the country, but it will be required
to be confined after arrival.
If
your dog is placed under federal confinement
(quarantine) in Los
Angeles County:
The importer must
provide a confinement
address to CDC upon the
dog's arrival (e.g. where
the owner will be able to
quarantine the dog, usually
its new home).
It will be under quarantine
at that location until 30 days (1 month) after rabies
vaccination. Discuss rabies
vaccination age with your
veterinarian.
There will be two health
inspections of your dog, one
at the beginning of
quarantine and one at the
end of quarantine.
The dog cannot leave the
quarantine site (except to
see the veterinarian) and
cannot have any contact with
other animals or people
outside the
immediate caregiver.
If you have other questions,
please contact our office at
213-989-7060.
The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) is the federal agency in
charge of dog importation. Click
here to visit their page about dog
importations.
CATS
Cats need to be healthy. A health
certificate is not legally required, but is
STRONGLY recommended.
However, some
airlines may require a health certificate to
transport your pet
Cats do not need rabies vaccines to enter
the United States. Some states and cities
require cats to be vaccinated against
rabies. Check with the authorities at your
final destination to determine whether your
cat needs to be vaccinated against rabies.
What you need to know about
exporting a
pet from the United States:
Have your pet examined by a veterinarian to
ensure they are healthy enough to travel.
Some airlines and countries may require a
health certificate from your veterinarian.
The requirements for travelling with pets
may be different for each country.
Check the USDA’s website and work with your
veterinarian to ensure your pet is legally
ready to travel to the country of final
destination.
Please note that
this process may need to be initiated 6
months or more before the trip, depending on the
destination country's requirements.
Click here for a link to USDA’s website about
international regulations.
For other tips about traveling
with your pet, check out these websites:
