International Health Certificate

Going out of the country? As a federally accredited veterinarian practice, we can issue travel and acclimation certificates for your healthy pet so they can travel internationally with you.

A brown dog outside staring off a rocky cliff with trees below

Overview

We understand that your pet is family, and that when you travel, you want them right by your side. As a federally accredited veterinarian practice, we can issue travel health certificates (Certificate of Veterinary Inspection) for your healthy cat, dog, or other animal so that they may travel internationally with you.

Why does my pet need a certificate to travel?

Only pets in good health are permitted to travel by plane or boat. The country you are traveling to may have specific health requirements that must be met before your pet can enter. Certain health requirements may include: up to date vaccinations, a passing health exam, etc. Health certificates ensure that your pet is healthy to travel and isn’t susceptible to transferring diseases to other pets or people.

When should I start the process?

Certificate timing varies greatly by country: For example, rabies-free territories such as Australia and New Zealand take six months. We strongly encourage checking the APHIS website as early as possible.

How can I obtain an international health certificate?

Before you start the process, you need to determine the destination country and dates of travel.

We will work with you to determine the health certificate requirements based on your travel destination. Since requirements are determined by each country and can change frequently, we suggest you check the current pet travel health requirements for your destination country on the USDA website: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/pet-travel/take-pet-to-foreign-country

We will perform a health exam to determine if your pet has any sign of disease or health risks that could pass along to others while traveling. We will also ensure that your pet has all the required vaccinations to travel. Once all requirements are met, we will issue a certificate indicating that your pet has been cleared to travel.

Important EU Pet Travel Regulation Changes: Effective April 22, 2026

As of April 22, 2026, new EU regulations have come into effect regarding pet travel for non-EU residents entering the European Union.

The most significant change is that only EU residents are now permitted to use an EU Pet Passport as a travel document for their pets. Previously, many veterinarians throughout the EU issued EU Pet Passports to non-EU residents; however, under the new regulations, non-EU residents may no longer be permitted to rely solely on these passports for entry into the EU.

As a result, non-EU residents traveling with pets to the EU may now require an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) issued by a USDA-accredited veterinarian in the country of departure.

Because these regulations are still new, enforcement has been inconsistent. However, non-EU residents traveling with only an EU Pet Passport should be aware that there is a potential risk of being denied entry or turned away by authorities.

If you have any questions regarding these new requirements or need assistance scheduling your pet’s international health certificate examination, please do not hesitate to contact our office. We are happy to help guide you through the process and ensure your travel documents are prepared correctly.