Pet Travel Worksheet
For International and Domestic Travel Health Certificates.
*****Notice: Breed and Species Specific Bans In Foreign Countries:
While many species and breeds are acceptable pets here in the USA, some countries (and some US states!) ban importation of certain pets. Ferrets, hamsters, rabbits, reptiles, amphibians, wild hybrid dogs and Savannah or Bengal cats are commonly found on the banned species lists due to risks posed to the native species of the country.
Some dog breeds commonly listed as banned are American Pit Bull Terrier and similar breeds, Dogo Argentino, many varieties of Mastiff, Doberman Pinchers, and German Shepherd Dogs. Many countries with breed specific bans do not allow crosses of these breeds or even mixed breeds that look like these breeds. For example, if your boxer mix from the shelter could be mistaken as a “Pitbull”, an immigration officer may apply that ban to your pet. Some owners elect to perform DNA tests on their pets to provide proof of genetics, but even this is no guarantee of admittance.
While an individual dog or pet may not pose any risk to the public or wildlife, these laws can be incredibly strict and attempts to import these banned animals may lead to confiscation, heavy fines, and often immediate export or euthanasia of the animal at owner expense.
While your veterinarian may catch some of these bans prior to issuing a health certificate, it is the pet owner’s responsibility to ensure their pet is legally allowed to enter the foreign country.