Travel With a Pet

Last Modified: March 29, 2024
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A cartoon image of a woman in her home preparing to travel. She is kneeling down to pick up her cat in a carrier and a thought bubble shows her thinking of an airplane.

Do you want to travel with your pet to another State or country? Before you go, you may need to complete certain paperwork or tasks, such as getting a health certificate for your pet. Meeting these requirements takes time, so contact your veterinarian for help as soon as you decide to travel (whether by plane, car, boat, train, or other means).

Not all animals qualify for pet travel.

What is considered a pet? A pet is a privately owned companion animal not intended for research or resale and includes only certain animal groups.

Find out if your pet qualifies to travel

Your animal doesn't qualify for pet travel and is subject to different import regulations and export regulations if you:

  • Don't see your pet listed below.
  • Are exporting semen or embryos from any animal.
  • Have a pet that's considered livestock or poultry, like pigs or chickens.

The following animals qualify as pets, meaning they're subject to pet travel requirements:

 

Dogs
Cats
Ferrets
Rabbits
Rodents
Hedgehogs/Tenrecs
Reptiles
Amphibians
Birds (not all types—see below)

The following birds DON'T qualify as pets, meaning they're subject to different regulations:

Because they may carry and transmit certain diseases to the U.S. poultry industry, these birds are regulated as poultry.

  • Chickens
  • Doves
  • Ducks
  • Geese
  • Grouse
  • Guinea fowl
  • Partridges
  • Pea fowl
  • Pheasants
  • Pigeons
  • Quail
  • Swans
  • Turkeys

View import regulations and export regulations if the type of animal you have does not qualify as a pet.

I Want To...

Take a Pet From the United States to Another Country (Export)
A cartoon woman shows a woman with a suitcase and a dog on a leash. She is standing in front of a map-like image of the United States with two planes flying away from it, representing travel out of the country
Bring a Pet From Another Country into the United States (Import)
Take a Pet From One U.S. State or Territory to Another (Interstate)
A cartoon of a person and his dog in a car, loaded with suitcases. The car is superimposed over a map-like image of the United States, indicating they are traveling domestically.