Bringing a pet to the United States is very doable, and the rules are clearer than many people expect. Every dog needs to be at least six months old, healthy, microchipped, and have a CDC Dog Import Form receipt, and the exact paperwork depends on which country your pet is coming from. Cats have lighter federal requirements. Pet Travel Advisors handles the CDC and USDA steps, the documents, and the routing so your pet arrives smoothly and you are reunited without stress.
Different destinations, different routes, different challenges.
Because the requirements depend on where your pet is travelling from, we build a plan that fits your pet and your route.
We use the CDC and USDA import rules as the baseline, then turn them into a simple checklist and timeline you can follow.
We help choose practical routes, travel windows, and handoff procedures so your pet’s trip is safer and more predictable.
Pet Travel Advisors assigns a move coordinator who keeps you updated and checks details before travel so nothing important is missed.
Bringing a pet into the United States is mainly governed by the CDC for dogs and by the USDA for broader animal health, and the steps depend on whether your pet has been in a high-risk rabies country. Planning early keeps it simple. If you would like a simple overview of international moves first, start here.
To keep everything clear, we break the process into steps:
We confirm what rules apply based on your pet and travel details.
We map out what happens when, so steps are completed in the right order.
We help keep appointments and timing aligned with what’s required.
We check the details that cause delays (microchip digits, dates, names, signatures).
We help align crate setup and routing with airline handling expectations.
We guide you on travel-day handoff and what to expect on arrival.
We keep your checklist aligned with the official rules. For dogs, we follow the CDC dog import requirements. For the broader animal-health side, we follow USDA APHIS guidance on bringing a pet into the United States.
Most pets arrive by air. Dogs that have been in a low-risk or rabies-free country can enter at any approved airport, while dogs coming from a high-risk rabies country must arrive at an airport with a CDC-registered animal care facility and have a reservation there. We confirm the right route and entry point for your pet’s situation before booking.
Whether your pet enters smoothly comes down to the country it is travelling from and the paperwork. Dogs from low-risk or rabies-free countries need a microchip, the CDC Dog Import Form, and proof they are at least six months old and healthy. Dogs from high-risk rabies countries need additional rabies documentation and a reservation at a CDC-registered facility. We check your pet’s exact path and prepare the right set of documents.
Before scheduling vet steps or flights, we confirm what rules apply to your pet and whether airline policies affect travel. Most moves are dogs and cats, though we handle other pets too, and the requirements can differ by species. Eligibility can come down to your pet’s type and health, airline rules for certain breeds or conditions, the documentation and timing, and which routes are available. Ready to start? Request a quote.
Every dog needs to be at least six months old, appear healthy, have an ISO microchip implanted before its rabies vaccination, and have a CDC Dog Import Form receipt completed before travel. Dogs from high-risk rabies countries also need a valid rabies vaccination certificate, and in some cases a rabies serology titre and a CDC-registered facility reservation. Cats do not have a federal rabies requirement, though airlines and some states ask for a health certificate. We line these steps up in the right order and check that microchip numbers, dates, names, and signatures all match across the paperwork.
Bringing a pet to the United States can move quickly for pets from low-risk countries and needs more lead time for high-risk ones. A typical timeline runs like this: a consultation and a check of your pet’s origin and route, the microchip and rabies vaccination if needed, the CDC Dog Import Form, any extra rabies documentation or facility reservation for high-risk countries, then booking the route, getting the crate ready, the health certificate, a document review, and travel.
Costs depend on your pet’s size and crate, the route and airline, vet and document fees, any facility reservation for high-risk countries, and whether the move is door to door. The fastest way to get a real number is a quote based on your origin country and travel date. Request a quote here.
Every dog needs to be at least six months old, healthy, microchipped, and have a CDC Dog Import Form receipt. Dogs from high-risk rabies countries also need rabies documentation and a CDC-registered facility reservation. Cats have lighter federal requirements but usually travel with a health certificate.
There is no general government quarantine for pets entering the United States from low-risk countries. Dogs arriving from a high-risk rabies country without valid US documentation may need to go to a CDC-registered facility, which we arrange in advance.
It can be quick for pets from low-risk countries. Pets from high-risk rabies countries need more lead time for the rabies documentation and the facility reservation, so we plan around that.
Cats do not have a federal rabies vaccination requirement to enter the United States, though airlines and some states ask for a health certificate and current vaccinations. We confirm what your route needs.
We confirm your pet’s origin and route, prepare the CDC Dog Import Form and any extra documentation, arrange a facility reservation if one is needed, handle the crate and routing, and stay with the move through arrival.
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