Your Destinationfor pet travel certificates

Cat & Dog travel health certificatesFor Chelsea Pets

Whether you’re dreaming of a vacation with your best furry friend or are moving to a different state or country, there’s a lot of preparation to be made for their travel—and that goes beyond getting them an airline-approved crate! Most destinations, and even different states, have specific requirements for animal importation. Without a proper health certificate, your pet could be denied entry and quarantined upon your arrival. At Firefly Veterinary Hospital in Chelsea, our USDA-accredited veterinarians can help you get the cat and dog travel health certificate you need to enjoy your vacation hassle-free or move your whole family smoothly from one place to another.

Planning a trip with your pet?

Let’s get this health certificate show on the road.
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UNDERSTANDING THE REQUIREMENTS FOR CAT & DOG TRAVEL

Traveling with your pet isn’t nearly as daunting as it might seem. To help you get the right health certificate for your cat or dog, we’ve collected some sound advice to follow:

  • Research your destinations’ requirements for animal transport. Not sure where to start? Check out the USDA’s APHIS pet travel website. This site is chock-full of information for pet travel in the US and abroad. If you can’t find what you’re looking for here, check your destination country’s embassy for international pet travel information.
  • Let us know where you plan to travel and what you need from us. Make an appointment to talk to us about your travel plans, where you’re going, and what your destination country requires on your pet’s health certificate. We’ll work with you to get all those requirements met in a timely manner.
  • Be aware of timelines. Some countries have tight timelines such as obtaining a pet health certificate within 10 days of travel. The sooner you let us know what you need and when, the easier it will be to ensure we complete any outstanding requirements in the appropriate timeline.
  • Get endorsement from APHIS, if needed. Some international health certificates require endorsement from APHIS. Only a USDA-accredited veterinarian can issue a health certificate that needs APHIS endorsement. Once one of our accredited vets issues your health certificate, you’ll need to send it to New York state’s endorsement office in Albany:
USDA, APHIS, VS, Veterinary Export Trade Services
500 New Karner Road, 2nd Floor
Albany, New York 12205

Keep in mind that endorsement must happen within your destination country’s timeline requirements.
  • Check with your airline, train, or cruise ship for any requirements unique to them. If you are traveling by commercial transport, whether plane, train, or ship, be sure to check with the company to inquire about pet travel restrictions they may have in place

WHAT DO PET HEALTH CERTIFICATES GENERALLY INCLUDE?

While each destination’s health certificate may differ slightly based on their requirements, many of them will have similarities including:

  • Name of your pet
  • Breed/species
  • Color
  • Age
  • Country of origin
  • Your contact information including name, address, and phone number
  • A statement that your pet is free of parasites and their prevention is up to date
  • A list of all current vaccinations and ongoing medication they take including the type, manufacturer, and if possible, the batch number
164 W 21st Street New York, NY 10011
M - F: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sat, Sun: Closed
(212) 243-3020
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