Arranging a Dog Move to the United States

Name: Colin
Number of Pets: 1
Pet Type: Dog
Pet Breed: Mixed Breed (Half chow)
From: Pretoria, South Africa
To: Newral, Delaware

Dear PetRelocation,

Please advise about the regulations to bring our dog to the US. We leave in December 2013 and would like to first settle in and then transport the dog over a month later. The dog will be with friends during January.

Thank you,
Colin

 

Hi Colin,

Thanks for your message, we'd be happy to assist. Start by taking a look at the pet import requirements for the United States (they're actually pretty straightforward and not as strict as many other countries). As you can see, your dog will need an updated rabies vaccine and an international health certificate issued by your vet within 10 days of travel. A microchip is not required but we do recommend it.

Contrary to popular belief, it's not a problem for you to fly separately from  your dog. Many people do this and it makes the  move transition much easier; you'll just need your friends or a move agent to bring your dog to the airport and handle the check-in, and someone will need to be on the arriving end to pick up the dog and arrange customs clearance.

If you'd like to find out about our door-to-door services, please fill out our free quote form. You're also welcome to research the pet travel process on our blog and/or check out IPATA.org for more info about finding agents, etc.

Hope this helps! Let us know if you need anything else, and good luck with the trip.