Animal transportation
Transporting your pet to the United States?
Here’s what you need to know
You are allowed to bring certain animals to the United States if monitored by the USDA APHIS, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
Not all animals qualify as pets. If your animal is not listed as a pet under the USDA APHIS website or is deemed livestock, the USDA lists different requirements for your animal.
Medical requirements and regulations vary by state.
For dog owners
APHIS Veterinary Services and the CDC have specific requirements for bringing dogs to the U.S. If you don’t follow these requirements, your dog will be banned from entering the United States and sent back to the country you were last in, at your expense. Please see the detailed requirements on the CDC website.
The CDC has temporarily suspended dogs from entering the United States from Ukraine because it’s a high-risk country for rabies in dogs. This suspension is effective until January 2023. This includes dogs arriving from low-risk countries if the dogs have previously resided in high-risk countries in the past six months. For more information on which countries are considered high-risk, please click this link.
Your dog(s) could be eligible despite the suspension, and able to be imported from high-risk countries if your dog(s) meet the requirements below:
Your dog has been vaccinated for rabies in a foreign country and you are bringing in no more than 2 dogs. You must apply online for a CDC import permit for dogs, at least six weeks before traveling to the United States. Before applying, ensure that your dog(s):
Have a valid foreign rabies vaccination certificate
Have a valid rabies serological titer from an approved laboratory at least 45 days, but no more than 1 year, before arriving to the United States
Arrive at one of the 18 airports with a CDC quarantine station: Anchorage (ANC), Atlanta (ATL), Boston (BOS), Chicago (ORD), Dallas (DFW), Detroit (DTW), Honolulu (HNL), Houston (IAH), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), Minneapolis (MSP), New York (JFK), Newark (EWR), Philadelphia (PHL), San Francisco (SFO), San Juan (SJU), Seattle (SEA), and Washington DC (IAD)
If you are bringing three or more dogs to the United States, or your dogs don’t have a U.S.-issued rabies vaccination certificate or CDC import dog approval. In order to be approved, your dogs must:
Appear healthy upon arrival
Have a valid rabies vaccination certificate upon arrival
The rabies vaccine must be administered by a licensed veterinarian
At the time of vaccination, your dog must have been 12 weeks or older and at least 28 days before arrival if this is the dog’s first vaccination
Book a place at one of the CDC-approved animal care centers with necessary follow-up services (such as screening, revaccination, and a potential 28-day quarantine)
Dogs must enter an airport-approved animal care facility where they have a reservation. This reservation must be made prior to arrival.
For cat owners
There are no specific health or vaccination requirements for bringing cats into the United States.
However, all cats are likely to be examined at ports of entry. Cats may be denied entry if they have evidence of an infectious disease that can be transmitted to humans.
If your cat appears ill, they will likely be subject to further examination by a veterinarian at your expense.
Cats are not required to have general health certifications or vaccination certifications against rabies: however, it is recommended to have your cat vaccinated against rabies. Specific states may have additional requirements.
All cats arriving in Hawaii and the territory of Guam are subject to local quarantine requirements.
