There are two types of health certificates available, one that approves pets for travel within the continental United States and another that approves them for international travel. Veterinarians must go through additional training and accreditation by the USDA to complete health certificates so not all veterinarians offer this service. VCA Jones Road is fortunate to have a USDA-accredited veterinarian on our team. Dr. Knight provides health certificates for dogs and cats.
Acquiring a health certificate will require you to schedule an appointment with Dr. Knight within 10 days of travel. Your pet will receive an overall exam during which the doctor will be able to certify that your pet is healthy and safe for travel.
What information do you need to provide us?
Your contact information, including local address, phone number, and email address.
Pet(s) information:
- Name
- Species (canine or feline)
- Date of birth (MM/DD/YY)
- Breed
- Color & markings
- Sex (male, female)
- If altered (spayed, neutered, unknown)
- Microchip number and company (if applicable)
- All previous medical records, including rabies certificate(s) if VCA Jones Road is not your primary veterinarian, or if we have not given any vaccinations.
How are your pet(s) traveling?
- With you
- A designated person (not the owner)
- Travel company or moving company
- Kenneled in cargo
Travel information:
- Airline/Shipping Company contact information
- Departure date (MM/DD/YY)
- Departure airport(Country/City)
- Arrival airport (Country/City)
- Address of destination
- Please email all information requested to [email protected] with the subject as Health Certificate Request. Call our office at 281-890-9525 to schedule an appointment so we can ensure that our health certificate team is available to assist you. Booking online appointments for health certificates is not recommended.
It is the responsibility of the client to familiarize themselves with the travel requirements of the destination country before the appointment. Please refer to the USDA Pet Travel website to find requirements.
Also, please print, fill out and sign this document and present it to Reception and Dr. Knight upon Arrival.
A few important tips:
- Always check with your airline or shipping company for their requirements. They can differ by airline and destination.
- If traveling outside the continuous United States, please visit https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/pet-travel to review the requirements for your destination. Each island or country has different requirements that can (and do) change at any time. Some examples are vaccines, microchips, testing, treatments, quarantines, and pet passports. Please note that international health certificates vary in price depending on the complexity of the destination’s requirements.
- Contact your destination’s Department of Agriculture or Ministry of Agriculture for their most up-to-date import/export requirements.
- Be sure to plan ahead for your return. You may be required to have another health certificate completed at your destination.
