On May 13, 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued its final ruling associated with the importation of dogs into the United States to provide clarity and safeguards that address the public health risk of dog-maintained rabies virus variant (DMRVV).
This final rule addresses the importation of cats as part of overall changes to the regulations affecting both dogs and cats, but the final rule does not require that imported cats be accompanied by proof of rabies vaccination and does not substantively change how cats are imported into the United States.
This final rule is effective August 1, 2024.
In this final rule, HHS/CDC aligns U.S. import requirements for dogs with the importation requirements of other DMRVV-free countries by requiring proof of rabies vaccination and adequate serologic test results from a CDC-approved laboratory.
The final rule requires for all dog imports: * a microchip * six-month minimum age requirement for admission * importer submission of a CDC import form (CDC Dog Import Form)
The rule requires airlines to confirm documentation, provide safe housing for animals, and assist public health officials in determining cause of animal illness or death.
» Read More…I'm a former travel agent, so I know the value of reconfirming reservations. For 8 years now, I've traveled with my 11 lbs. dog as an in-cabin pet between Central America, where I currently live, and the USA.
» Read More…Do you know where the closest emergency veterinary hospital is? How fast could you find the information? What if you were on the road or traveling by airplane?
PetFlight has recently added an Emergency Veterinary Clinic Search to make it easy to find this information. This includes the information for almost 700 emergency vet clinics and hospitals in the United States and it is very easy to find the closest one.
» Read More…Generally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regulates the importation of pets into the United States. The Department of Agriculture has additional restrictions on some types of dogs imported to work livestock. The CDC does not require general health certificates, though they are required by some airlines and some states. Pets taken out of the United States are subject to the same regulations as those entering for the first time. Pet dogs and cats are subject to inspection on arrival for evidence of zoonotic disease (a disease that can be transmitted to humans). If they show evidence of a disease that may be transmissible to humans, they are subject to veterinary medical...
» Read More…The Transportation Security Administration reports that there are no security procedures that prohibit you from bringing a pet on a flight.
If you are taking your pet in the cabin, you will have to...
» Read More…Exercise your pet before the flight so it will be more relaxed and tired this will help it to remain calm in the kennel.
» Read More…Your pet should be completely comfortable with its kennel or carrier that it will be traveling in. Trying to escape from a kennel is another common cause of pet injury during transport by plane.
» Read More…Choose the most direct flight to your destination. This will help reduce the stress on your pet.
If warm temperatures are a concern, book an early morning, evening, or overnight flight when the temperatures are cooler. If cold weather is an issue, book your flight for the middle of the day.
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Map of all airports that have reported an air travel, pet related incident.
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