Traveling With Your Pet Can Be Stressful, But Our Team at Queen City Animal Hospital Is Here to Help Make It as Easy as Possible.
Whether you are traveling in the continental United States, to Hawaii, Alaska, or even internationally, there are steps you need to take prior to travel to ensure your pet is ready to travel and can arrive safely at your destination.
Domestic Travel
For pets traveling in the continental United States, a domestic health certificate may be necessary. This involves an exam by one of our veterinarians, and ensuring your pet's basic care, vaccines, and identification is up to date. To schedule a domestic health certificate, please contact our team to arrange an appointment.
International (+HI, AK) Travel
If traveling to Hawaii, Alaska, or internationally, the process can be much more extensive. As such, we are excited to share that we now work with a company called Pawsitive Pet Health Certificates, who specialize in helping pet parents such as yourself — so you'll be in great hands from the start.
Here's how it works:
- You contact Pawsitive. As soon as you know your pet will be traveling (even if you don't know the dates yet), visit the Pawsitive contact page and fill out the Client Travel Questionnaire at the bottom of the screen. This will allow you to share your travel details (destination, travel plans, and your pet's information). They will research all the requirements for your destination country, send you a custom quote depending on where your pet is traveling to, and send you a personalized timeline outlining exactly what needs to be done and when.
- Follow the timeline provided. Pawsitive's timeline will guide you through any vaccines, treatments, or other steps your pet needs before travel. They will also handle preparing the health certificate paperwork on your behalf.
- Call to schedule a day admission visit and exam with one of our veterinarians. Once your timeline is in hand, you'll know exactly when to book an appointment with us. One of our USDA-accredited veterinarians will perform a physical exam to confirm your pet is healthy and fit to travel, and then review and sign the completed health certificate.
- You're all set. Pawsitive will handle any remaining steps, such as USDA endorsement if your destination requires it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How much do international health certificates cost?
A: Pawsitive Pet Health Certificates charges anywhere from $300–$2,000, depending on travel location and complexity of requirements. They will be able to provide you a specific quote after you complete the travel form as outlined above.
Queen City Animal Hospital charges $150, which includes the examination and verification of information provided on the international health certificate. Depending on where you are traveling to, additional vaccines, tests, or services may be required and will be provided at an additional expense.
Q: I'm traveling to Hawaii. Why is this considered an "international" health certificate?
A: Hawaii has very complex pet import rules and standards, which are similar to traveling outside of the country. As such, a straightforward "domestic" health certificate does not apply.
While traveling with pets can be challenging, Pawsitive Pet Health Certificates and Queen City Animal Hospital are here to help make it as simple as possible. We look forward to seeing you and your pet when the time comes!