Traveling Abroad
If you are traveling abroad with your dog, you will be required to have a health certificate filled out for the country you will be visiting, in addition to the form you need for your domestic flights. To request this form, call the country's embassy or nearest consulate. Provide sufficient time to get all documents in order prior to your departure. Follow all rules to the letter.
Be aware that there are different requirements for the dog carrier when flying internationally. For a start, it must have more airflow panels. Foreign airlines may also have strict weight limits for flying in-cabin and in cargo — if they allow companion dogs to travel with their owners at all.
Know what to expect when traveling to a foreign country. Some countries are more accepting of pets in public places. Other countries do not regard dogs as pets and may require that you acquire additional permits or licenses once in the country. Many countries have lengthy quarantines. The country's embassy or consulate should be able to provide all this information in advance.
Is my puppy old enough to fly?
Puppies must usually be at least eight weeks old to travel either in-cabin or in cargo. Some international flights require the puppy be a minimum of three months old.
Quarantines
Hawaii and several rabies-free countries require incoming dogs to be quarantined. This means your dog will be held at a government kennel for a predetermined period of time to make sure she does not have rabies. Because the rabies virus can take up to a year to become active after an animal is infected, countries with a quarantine usually require a six-month kennel stay.
Today of course, dogs can be vaccinated against rabies, and a blood sample can prove that the dog has been vaccinated against the virus, but many countries have been slow to respond. Recently Hawaii and England have eased up on their regulations for incoming dogs, but only if the owner has certain things done in advance of travel. A dog traveling to England must have a microchip inserted and registered, a rabies vaccination, a blood test to prove vaccination at least six months before travel, and be treated for ticks and tapeworm just prior to traveling.
Quarantines, as everything else about air travel, can change. Make sure that you are working with the most recent information available.
