United States
Entry Requirements
Importing Dogs to the USA: Travelling With Pets to the United States
Here are reviews and details to help you see if this country is a good place to travel with your pets (excluding Hawaii).
Official government website on importing dogs to the US
Official government website on cats coming to the US
Notice of Temporary Suspension of pets from High Rabies Countries Extended Until July 2023
If you are bringing cats or dogs coming from a non-high rabies country, it is pretty simple, and this information should provide a good foundation.
If you are coming from a high-rabies country with dogs or have visited a high-rabies country within the past 6 months, the requirements are significantly more complicated. Many links are provided here to official government websites to ensure you have access to the most accurate and up-to-date information. You will need to plan your entry a minimum of 2 months in advance.
Dogs – Entry Requirements from Non-high Rabies Country
Medical Requirements:
- The CDC doesn’t require proof of a rabies vaccine, but the state you are flying into probably does.
- Your dog needs to look healthy
- If you are coming from a country that has screwworms you have to get an inspection from the vet within 5 days of departure and either get an all-clear or a treatment.
Documentation Required and how to get it:
- Your dog has to be 6 months old
- Provide a 6-month travel history statement (make sure you didn’t go to any high-rabies countries)
- You can fly into any US airport
Dogs – Entry Requirements from High Rabies Country (If Originally from the US)
List of Countries Considered High Rabies
Medical Requirements:
THIS ONLY WORKS IF THE US RABIES VACCINE IS STILL VALID
You can get a rabies vaccine in the US. Leave the US and go to a high rabies country then return to the US without an import permit if the dog:
- was given a rabies vaccine in the US by a licensed vet, and it is still valid
- ISO compatible microchip
- Over 6 months
- Healthy on arrival
- Arrives at one of the
- fly into one of the 18 airports with a CDC quarantine
Documentation Required and how to get it:
You will not need to apply for an import permit if you meet the above criteria.
Dogs – Entry Requirements from High Rabies Country (any within the last 6 months):
List of Countries Considered High Rabies
Medical Requirements:
Rabies
- Get a rabies titer test (blood test) from an approved laboratory. The blood sample has to be taken 30 days after the vaccine. Also, the results are only valid for 1 year
- Once you arrive in the US, your dog goes into confinement at your house until they are re-vaccinated against rabies by a US vet. You have 10 days to get this done
Screw Worm
If you are coming from a country that has screwworms you have to get an inspection from the vet within 5 days of departure and either get an all-clear or a treatment.
Foot and Mouth Disease
If you are coming from a country with foot and mouth disease (FMD), your dog needs to be clean and given a bath once they arrive at their destination. They shouldn’t be around livestock for 5 days.
Documentation Required and how to get it:
You need to get the following in English
- CDC import permit at least 40 business days (8 weeks) before arrival. Application Instructions
- A CDC Rabies Vaccination and Microchip Record needs to be filled in by the vet in whatever country the vaccination occurred. They won’t accept foreign pet passports.
- Once you get a permit, it is valid from 14 days before the planned date of arrival in the United States until 90 days after the planned date of arrival
- A reservation at a CDC-approved animal care facility for an exam
- 2 photos of your dog’s teeth to prove they are over 6 months old
- A copy of the first page of your passport
Note: If you are using a pet import service, you need to give them power of attorney to apply for a permit
Different states have different rules. You can select your state here to read about any more regulations.
Cats – Entry Requirements
Medical Requirements for cats:
Rabies vaccines are recommended but not required by the CDC except for Hawaii.
Vaccinations may be required for the state you are going to
Documentation Required for cats and how to get it:
The airline may require a health certificate, but the USDA does not
Additional Considerations
Microchip Requirements:
ISO-compatible microchips are required for dogs coming from high rabies countries. None are required from non-high rabies countries.
Quarantine Requirements (if any):
Dogs coming from high-rabies countries without the CDC import permit or rabies vaccine may get quarantined for up to 28 days.
Breed Restrictions:
None listed
Number of pet restrictions:
From a high-rabies country, each person is allowed to bring in a maximum of 2 dogs for one trip during the temporary suspension
Is this country considered high rabies for entry into EU countries?
No
Are you flying to the US?
Read Flying with a Dog Under the Airplane Seat: The Ultimate Guide
Read Flying with a Big Dog: Travel Tips for Ease & Safety
This information was last updated February 2023. If you notice any errors or updates, please let us know by contacting us here.
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2 Reviews on “United States”
The Top 12 dog-friendly cities in the United States
Best Dog-friendly cities on the East Coast
-Greater Washington DC area including Arlington and Alexandria, Virginia
-Greater Tampa Bay area including St. Pete, Florida
-Asheville, North Carolina
-New York, New York
Best Dog-friendly cities on the West Coast
-San Diego, California
-The Greater San Francisco Bay Area including Oakland
-Portland, Oregon
-The Greater Seattle Area including Bellevue
Best Dog-friendly cities in the Southwest
-Austin, Texas
-The Greater Pheonix area including Scottsdale, Arizona
-Santa Fe including Taos, New Mexico
-Denver, Colorado
Austin the dog
Friendliest city in Texas. Most everyone has a dog or two and restaurants allow dogs on the patio.
Reviewing the US can be a bit challenging because it is a huge country with many variations by state. The requirements to enter are incredibly easy if you are coming from somewhere like the EU, but really difficult if you are coming from Africa. When I brought my dog from Kenya to California and then later from Ecuador to California, it wasn’t actually that difficult on the US side of things. We needed a rabies vaccine and a health certificate and that was pretty much it. Now, if you are coming from a country with rabies, the requirements are really tough and require a lot of advanced planning, documents and tests. Yikes!
It was also fairly easy to fly with our dog from one state to the other. We had a health certificate that no one looked at, and he flew in the cabin.
California has great weather all year round making it a great state for traveling with dogs. Pets aren’t usually allowed inside of restaurants or anywhere with food especially, but because of our good weather, you can eat outside in the daytime pretty much all year round and your dog can join you. There are a few stores dogs can go in such as hardware stores and pet stores (see photo). Leashed dogs are allowed in a lot of recreational places like parks, beaches, trails etc. They can even go to designated areas in national parks. Off-leashed options tend to be pretty few and far between. It’s not too hard to find a place to stay that allows pets. It will just cost you extra. Sometimes that means a pet fee from a hotel. Other times like with airbnbs, it may not include a fee, but they just tend to be pricier when dogs are allowed.
Americans tend to love their pets and treat them like parts of the family. However, there is also a lot of sensitivities towards people with allergies, so that limits where they are able to go.
Overall, the US is a good country for living and traveling with pets.