Pet Travel DogMost people have no intention of traveling abroad with their pets. In NYC, we have a population of jet-setting people who like to bring along their pets where ever they go.
Whether you are traveling just a hop-skip over to Canada, or moving to France for the next two years, here are a few tips to get your pet on the plane and onto the next adventure.

  • You should expect to pay for a few things, such as a veterinary check-up, crate, pet airline ticket, and a pet passport.
  • Microchips are mandatory in just about every country you want to visit with your pet. This is doubly important in island countries where the government may be very strict on your pet due to their rabies-free status (the US is not rabies-free, so your pet is a suspect to them).

  • There may be tests or treatments necessary for entry, and they will cost money and take time to report. Your veterinarian may not even be able to help you through the entire process unless she or he is accredited by the USDA.
  • Finally, the information that you get from your airline may not be accurate because they do not necessarily have all of the pertinent pet-import guidelines at their disposal for every country. They only have to tell you what they require for your pet to get onto their planes.

    • If you are interested in taking your pet to a specific country, visit the USDA website. They have a web page with a list of countries with pet import regulations. Please be aware that you will need to double check their information with that of the consulate of your destination. The more you know about the process, the easier everything will be for your pet.

    Any questions? Ask away.
    (Photo from Flickr.com user Lonely City)