– By Dr. Kaitlin Thompson-
With summer coming up, your family is probably starting to plan your next vacation. But the question is, what do you do with your pet while you’re gone? Well, surely we should take them with us!
Road Trips with Pets: Tips for Safe and Comfortable Travel
For road trips, this is a fine option! Consider how long your drive is and how your pet does in the car. Do they sleep the whole time? Do they pant, howl, or meow the entire time? Do they get car sick?
Luckily, there are many things we, as your veterinarian, can do before you embark on your road trip. We can provide anti-anxiety medication for nervous travelers and anti-nausea medication for car-sick pets. We can also advise you on additional protections your pet may need as you travel to a new region.
Flying with Pets Domestically: What Pet Owners Should Consider
Flying domestically? As previously stated, we as your veterinarian can provide anti-anxiety medications as well as anti-nausea medications for nervous or nauseous travelers. However, one big consideration is the stress of air travel for your pet.
Stress can make pets more susceptible to certain illnesses. So, for short trips, consider boarding your pet or having a pet sitter stay with them in their home!
International Pet Travel Requirements: Health Certificates, Rabies Rules & More
Traveling internationally? This is where there are the most logistics to consider. Every country has a different set of standards that pet owners importing animals must adhere to.
For example, planning on going to Japan or Australia? The requirements for pet entry are lengthy, as these countries are considered rabies-free. Both countries have very strict rabies vaccination protocols that owners must follow. One requirement includes rabies titers, which must be run at one of only four labs in the United States.
These titers can take anywhere from 5 to 8 weeks to be returned. If they come back with insufficient levels, your pet must be re-vaccinated for rabies and then re-tested—resulting in an almost 5-month process.
Another requirement for traveling internationally is a health certificate issued by a USDA-accredited veterinarian. These certificates must be issued within 10 days of your departure.
Do you have a layover in a separate country (for example, traveling to Japan with a layover in South Korea)? Then you will need a second certificate—one for your final destination and one for your layover country.
Finally, if you are traveling to a country considered high-risk for rabies, you will also need a health certificate to return to the U.S. So that is a health certificate to leave, plus any layovers, and another certificate to return.
USDA Pet Travel Resources for International Trips
More information can be found on the USDA-APHIS website:
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel
Should You Travel with Your Pet or Use Boarding or a Pet Sitter?
All of this is to say, if you are only traveling internationally for one week to one month, it may be more reasonable to have your pet stay in the U.S. until you return. The health certificate process can be a lengthy commitment with very strict deadlines.
At the end of the day, we love our pets and want to include them in all parts of our lives—but it’s important to ask: do we want to complete 5 months of preparation for a one- to two-week international trip? Or can we find a trusted pet sitter to help prevent stress in our pet’s (and our) lives?
At Vickery Place, we are happy to help you prepare for domestic and international pet travel, or guide you through the health certificate process.