original documentation

If you are planning to travel with pets within the US, you'll need a domestic health certificate from your local veterinarian. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has issued the template below for domestic pet travel use. Feel free to download and print out the form below to take to your veterinarian.

Health Certificate for US Pet Travel

We received a question today about what is required to move pets from Hong Kong to Indonesia.  Below are the import requirements.

Import Pet (Dogs & Cats) to Indonesia from Hong Kong

The documents required for obtain an import permit 3 weeks in advance :

1. Copy of owner passport, front page only
2. Copy of vaccination certificate/ books/ certificate
3. Address and phone no. for delivery the pets

An import permit must be available by the time of pets arrive.

This question came from our partnership with PetTravelCenter.com as their Pet Relocation Expert.  Click here to read past questions and our answers on their site.

Hello, I will be moving to Cairo with my dog in late August.

Below is a letter to the IPATA organization reminding them of the importance of serial numbers on the EU veterinary certificate (form 998).  This is commonly overlooked by veterinarians and USDA officials, so it is the responsibility of the pet owner (or their pet relocation company!) to ensure that it is filled in.  We thought it'd be useful for our readers to remind them about the importance of the serial number (emphasis ours):

Hello,  We have a little cat (7 pounds) who needs to get from China to America this summer. We've had an emergency and need to move home on June 29th. We got Scout's rabies shot on June 11th. We're really worried about her being under the 30 day requirement for a rabies shot - if we're able to self-quarantine her, that's no problem, but I'm nervous about it. We were also blown away by the tiny size of container Delta told us was acceptable for pet-in-cabin travel. Even though she's little, 17x12x8 still seems a bit inhumane...?

An example of the USDA APHIS Form 7001

If you're moving internationally, you're most likely going to need a Vet Health Certificate, also known as the USDA APHIS Form 7001.  We get asked about this form often and it is actually our most-searched item once people arrive on our website.

Hi,

I am considering relocating my pet cat to Japan, where there is a possibility that we will move in the future. I have read the Japanese pet import regulation and I have two questions:

We often receive calls from concerned pet owners who are soon to be moving with their pets and have no idea how to begin the process.  While every country has different import requirements, all pets, regardless of destination, are required to have a health certificate issued by their veterinarian at least within 10 days of travel.  Not only does this ensure that your pet is in good physical shape to fly, but it is required by all airlines as proof that your pet is in good enough condition for them to accept any type of liability in the transport.<

Whenever you move there is so much going through you mind that many many things can get lost in the crowd.   One common issue that we see come up a lot at PetRelocation.com is that the pet owner may not have access to original vet documentation.

Let's say you are moving overseas but before you depart you are going to spend the last few months with family on the other coast of the country. You pack up all your household goods and send them off and then you and whoever is left including your pet head to Grandma's several thousand miles away.