Are you traveling internationally with your pet?
It’s our responsibility to ensure your pet’s health certificate is completed correctly, but it’s your responsibility to ensure the necessary appointments are scheduled on time and all the requirements are met so you can travel safely with your pet.
If you’re interested in getting an appointment with us for an international health certificate please email us at pettravel@clarendonanimalcare.com with your travel destination, dates, and pet’s information!
Disclaimer: We want to set the expectation that you are contacting us not as an animal travel company, but as the veterinary professionals that act to complete the medical requirements in order for your pet to travel. This is a group effort alongside you, the client and the ultimate responsible party, to ensure all of the requirements are met in order to travel to your particular country and location.
The cost of an International Health Certificate
The basic cost of the International Health Certificate appointment is $300.
Digital submission to USDA via their VEHCS system is between $133-$335. This depends on the country and if a diagnostic testing review is required. This also covers USDA endorsement fees.
Additional costs may include deworming treatments, tick treatments, and repeat visits as needed to satisfy the country’s requirements.
$115 non-refundable retainer is taken at the time you schedule the appointment. Any cancelled International Health Certificate appointments result in the loss of this retainer in the full amount.
There is a $25 charge for rescheduling International Health Certificate appointments less than one week in advance. $50 of your retainer will be applied toward your final balance instead of the $90 after one rescheduled appointment.
All supporting documentation including rabies certificates, vaccine history, microchip implant records, etc. as well as completion of the IHC Prep Questionnaire, should be made available to us at least 5 business days before your appointment. Failure to have all the necessary prep work and documentation submitted to us may result in an additional rush IHC preparation fee of $250. If we have less than 2 business days to prep a certificate then that rush IHC preparation fee increases to $320.
We will also need physical copies of all vaccination certificates and required testing to review in order to complete ANY international health certificate. Digital copies are OK for the prep work needed before your appointment but physical copies are required at the time of appointment.
Note: If any vaccinations, tests, or other health-related issues have to be addressed, they must be done at a separate visit and cannot be done at the same time as the international health certificate exam.
Dog US Import: CDC Requirements
The CDC is in the middle of a long term update to requirements for dogs returning to the US – specifically those from high-risk rabies countries. This required paperwork/exam must be completed BEFORE leaving the US; owners who leave the United States with their dogs without first completing the steps for this form will be required to have their dogs re-enter the United States as if they are foreign-vaccinated dogs.
Owners will be responsible for figuring out their requirement needs and timelines using the CDC website and appropriate check list.
CAC can complete the Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form that is required to have USDA endorsement – the cost for the form completion and endorsement is $150 per pet. If the pet does not already meet the proper microchip and rabies requirements, the pet will be required to be microchipped and/or vaccinated and additional charges will apply. NOTE: Until July 31, 2025, you may substitute a USDA-endorsed health certificate in place of the Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form.
Important shipping label information
We recommend using overnight express service to minimize delays when it comes to receiving your endorsed health certificate from USDA.
In order for the health certificate to be returned by overnight delivery, you must provide a prepaid return label with your submission.
We don’t accept any shipping labels with credit card numbers on them. If you need to pay by credit card, you must have the service provider charge your card before generating the label.
Pickup information:
- FedEx, UPS, and USPS overnight express service packages are picked up from USDA offices every weekday evening.
- The USDA does not have ground service pick-up.
We recommend using a service provider that uses a tracking number so you can track the package to and from the endorsing office. This will also decrease the chance of the package being lost in transit. It is your responsibility to keep a record of the tracking number.
If you’re using FedEx:
- The USDA office’s address should not appear anywhere on your return label.
- Your name and address should appear on both the sender and the recipient’s area of the return label.
If you’re looking for more information about what to do when traveling internationally with your pet then check out the USDA website website for more information.
If you have any questions though feel free to get in contact with a member of our team. We’d be happy to help you and your pet gets all the information you need to travel safely.
USDA international travel requirements
PDF Resources:
“Just wow. We had an emergency with one of our kittens and called four places and the emergency vet and none could take us.
Clarendon Animal Care was so empathetic and agreed to take us at the end of the day. Every staff member-reception, techs, the vet—were so upbeat and friendly.”
— Emily Butler | Google Review