Health Certificates for Pet Travel

RABIES CERTIFICATES

​If your dog, cat or ferret receives a Rabies Vaccination at the Dog Cat & Bird Clinic of Nutley, you will receive a Rabies Certificate of Vaccination, which will be required to obtain a license for your pet. Check with your local government for licensing requirements in your town. Generally, all dogs are required to be licensed and, in some towns, cats are required to be licensed. Each town's licensing year may vary, and you will be required to present a Rabies Certificate of Vaccination with an expiration date that is good for the entire licensing year for your town. 

HEALTH CERTIFICATE FOR TRAVEL IN THE UNITED STATES

If you are traveling with your pet, check the requirements of the states of arrival and departure, and the requirements of your airline. They will often require a health certificate within a specified number of days before travel. If you are driving, check the requirements of each state you will be traveling through. Be sure to schedule an appointment within the required time frame, and a veterinarian at the Dog Cat & Bird Clinic of Nutley will provide you with a Health Certificate, providing your pet is in good health to travel. The website of the United States Department of Agriculture is a great source of information.

INTERNATIONAL HEALTH CERTIFICATE FOR TRAVEL OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES

​If you are traveling with your pet outside of the United States, you must contact your airline and the consulate or embassy of the country of destination for the most updated requirements. The website of the United States Department of Agriculture is a great source of information.

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/regulations/vs/iregs/animals/

​The USDA also has a website for finding the consulate or embassy of the country of destination

http://www.state.gov/s/cpr/rls/fcol

We do have doctors on staff that are USDA-Accredited and can write international health certificates. Be sure to allow yourself enough time to comply with the regulations of the country of destination, and enough time to schedule an appointment with one of the veterinarians who are certified to issue the certificate. In some cases, countries will require Rabies titers, which may require additional time for blood test results. After an international health certificate is issued by one of our veterinarians, the certificate must be endorsed by an official USDA officer. The closest USDA Office that services our area is in Albany, NY. Please allow yourself enough time to have the health certificate and any other necessary paperwork to be mailed overnight to Albany, endorsed by the USDA, and returned to you prior to your travel date.