Are you travelling with your pet? You may need to have your pet examined by a veterinarian first. Many diseases spread easily between animals and people, so government authorities everywhere want to make sure every pet travelling inside and outside of the country are healthy. Most destinations usually require a health certificate to accompany any pet, especially if travelling by airplane. Airlines may also have their own set of rules, depending on how your pet will be travelling.
Our veterinarians are USDA accredited, meaning they are up to date on all of the pre-travel requirements of other states and countries. We will be here to examine your pet, ensure your pet is adequately healthy and properly vaccinated for his trip, and provide you with all the necessary paperwork for your trip. USDA veterinarians are also authorized to sign most government-required travel documents. If you know that your are going to travel with your pet, please call us as soon as you find out, so you have plenty of time to complete the necessary pre-travel process.
Before you travel, please make sure to do the following:
1. Start Planning Early. Although most domestic travel exams don't need to be done more than 10 days in advance, many international trips, or trips to Hawaii can require the pre-travel process to start 6 months or more in advance to avoid quarantine for your pet once you arrive at your destination. Also, starting the process early allows us to screen your pet for contagious diseases which may prevent your pet from travelling, thereby avoiding last-minute changes is your travel plans.
2. Call your airline. If you know you will be flying, call your airline to get their specific travel requirements. Airlines may have special requirements for pets travelling in the cabin or cargo holds.
3. Bring all of your records. If your pet has been seen at another clinic for his vaccines, bring all of your paperwork. You will need to bring your ORIGINAL Rabies certificate. If you don't know what this is, bring all of records and we can assist you.
4. Have your pet vaccinated. For some pets, it may be time for their regular vaccinations, and for others it may be smart to have them get a booster dose of certain vaccines prior to travel, depending on where they are going. We will help you determine the best course of action, and can usually take care of this step during your pre-travel visit.
5. Follow all of your vet's instructions. In some cases, you may need to return for follow-up testing prior to signing all of your papers. In other cases, we may have to refer you to an area USDA office to have your health certificate endorsed by the Area Veterinarian (the closest one is in Des Plaines, IL). These processes will depend on your final destination.
