Pet Health Certificates
USDA certified veterinarian on staff.
Pet health certificates are required for pets traveling both domestically within the United States and internationally. We’re happy to assist you with your pet’s health certificate, but the associated paperwork can take several weeks to process.
Different countries have different travel criteria, so we’ll need to determine exactly what you'll need and what requirements you’ll have to meet in order for your pet to travel with you.
Start planning at least two months in advance for domestic travel and four months in advance for international travel. If rabies titers are required, i.e. Hawaii, Australia, etc, it is likely that you may need more time for planning and testing. Please check requirements for both interstate and international travel at aphis.usda.gov/aphis/pet-travel.
What do I need to do to make travel plans for my pet?
If you’re traveling by car, you should carry your pet’s vaccine history, their most current rabies certificate, and a veterinarian issued pet health certificate that includes information about their most recent wellness exam.
If you’re planning to fly, research the specific airline you plan to use. Some airlines have their own requirements while others defer to those issued by the destination state or country.
Important questions to ask your airline might include:
- What are your pet travel policies?
- Do you offer fleet cargo space for large pets? Will this affect which flights I can book?
- Are small pets allowed in the cabin area?
- Do you have specific pet carrier requirements?
- What are your pick up and drop off policies for pets?
- How do you handle layovers when there are pets on board?
Bear in mind that only USDA certified veterinarians are able to issue international health certificates.
What we will need to know when scheduling your pet's International Health Certificate appointment:
- Departure date
- Where are you flying out of?
- Where are you traveling to?
- What is the address of your destination?
- Is there a contact number for your destination?
- Are your pet's vaccines current? If your pet has had their Rabies vaccine given anywhere other than Finger Lakes Animal Hospital, you will need that original copy.
- Does your pet have a microchip? If no, some countries require a microchip prior to entry.
What you need to know when scheduling your pet's International Health Certificate appointment:
- The appointment will be tentatively booked for 60 minutes and 10 days prior to departure date. Appointment may change based off of where you are going. We will leave inform your doctor of your travel plans and the appointment. We will call you to confirm or make any changes to your appointment.
- Turnaround time for the certificate to get back to you is not immediate or over night. However, you can purchase an over night shipping label with Fed Ex (preferred shipping company) for us to scan in with your pet's other paperwork. The return address and the mailing address needs to be your address.
Interested in additional information? Check out this USDA resource.
New Returning to the USA requirements
Starting on August 1, 2024, dogs entering or returning to the United States must meet new, specific requirements depending on where they have been in the 6 months before entering the U.S. and where they received their rabies vaccines (if required). If you plan on traveling with your dog (even if it is just a weekend trip to Canada or Mexico). For further details and a checklist of what is required, please visit this CDC website.
Call us at (585) 394-2288 for your pet's health certificate appointment.
