Traveling is a wonderful experience especially when you’re going with your family, friends, loved ones and dogs?!
Who wouldn’t love to go away with their best friend, the pet dog?
But, before you decide to take your pet dog abroad with you, make sure that you know the 9 rules written by Sarah Bray, titled: “9 Rules To Know Before You Travel Abroad With Your Dog“.
If you follow these hints, then it is likely that you will prevent problems with your flight.
- Go to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website – Before planning any trip, dog owners should check up with the CDC to learn what vaccinations their dog will need for entry and whether it is necessary to obtain visas for the dog.
- Know which breeds are banned – Many airlines, like American Airlines, do not allow brachycephalic (short nose) pets to fly as a result of the likely effect on their breathing caused by the changes in pressure.
Delta will not accept brachycephalic pets as checked baggage; instead, they need to fly separately on their special “Pets First” flights.
On their website, United Airlines makes it clear that “in the event of an emergency, oxygen service will not be available for pets;”. They also offer “PetSafe” flights just for pets.
- International Health Certificate needed – You will need to obtain an “International Health Certificate” from your veterinarian (it’s recommended that you should visit the vet at least a month before the travel date).
This document will certify that your pet has passed the required tests and received necessary vaccinations for the countries you’ll be visiting and for reentry into the United States.
- Baby dogs are not allowed to travel – All airlines have rules about puppies. For example, neither American Airlines nor United Airlines allows pets younger than eight weeks old to fly.
- Buy the strongest and most secure kennel for your dog – USDA requirements say that all kennels on international flights need to provide enough room for your dog to stand and sit erect—without the head touching the top of the container—and to turn around and lie down in a natural position.
- Clean your pets – Even if your pet is certifiably healthy, a dog with dirty feet or fur could be denied entry, especially if arriving from a country or region with foot-and-mouth disease.
- Bring food and water for your pets – The USDA and APHIS require that your pet is offered food and water within four hours of the flight. Many airlines also have additional rules:
United Airlines requires that two dishes (one for food and one for water) be attached to the inside of the kennel yet be accessible without opening the door so that they can be filled from the outside.
- Long-haul flights have different rules – The USDA and APHIS prohibit pets on flights longer than 12 hours in cargo.
Translation: Unless they are service dogs or are flying in private aircraft, pets cannot be flown on normal commercial flights to Japan or Australia. These pets would have to fly on special pet services like United’s PetSafe and Delta’s Pets First flights.
- All pets must be declared at customs – When entering any country, all pets have to be declared at customs.
As well as these tips, you must be sure of the quarantine rules that apply in the country that you’re visiting. For example, Australia has very strict quarantine rules that forbid any animal from entering the country unless it has a valid import permit and until it has spent at least ten days in an Australian quarantine facility.
If you don’t follow these requirements, then the authorities can enforce the removal of the dogs from the country. See this news story about dogs belonging to Johnny Depp
Be sure not to forget these rules if you don’t want to get jailed and fined thousands of dollars for bringing your favorite pet.
