What do I need to know about international pet shipping, international pet travel, and international pet transport?

Pet travel into or out of another country can be tricky. To be properly prepared you should seek out as much information as possible from those that have done this before.  In addition, you should seek the assistance of a professional pet travel agent.

 

With all international pet travel it is required that your pet have vaccinations that meet the country's requirements you are traveling to.  At the very least a pet traveling should have a rabies of more than 30 days or less...

Pet travel into or out of another country can be tricky. To be properly prepared you should seek out as much information as possible from those that have done this before.  In addition, you should seek the assistance of a professional pet travel agent.

 

With all international pet travel it is required that your pet have vaccinations that meet the country's requirements you are traveling to.  At the very least a pet traveling should have a rabies of more than 30 days or less than one year.  A three year rabies is not acceptable for international pet transportation at any time.

 

Also needed for most countries are the DHLPP for dogs and the FVRCP for cats.  Again, both of these must be under one year at the time of your pet's travel.

 

Some countries require that you have an import permit before your pet arrives in said country. You must check with the Ministry of Agriculture to see if this is applicable to the rules of your new location.
 

What do you need to know about international pet travel to Panama? From personal experience traveling with our dog from the states to Pedasi, Panama was a bit stressful doing it by ourselves but it can be done.

 

 It's all about timing and making sure you are in contact with the Panamanian consulate and the Ministry of Health in Panama.

 

Below is a list of what you will need to travel with Pets to Panama. You can obtain...

What do you need to know about international pet travel to Panama? From personal experience traveling with our dog from the states to Pedasi, Panama was a bit stressful doing it by ourselves but it can be done.

 

 It's all about timing and making sure you are in contact with the Panamanian consulate and the Ministry of Health in Panama.

 

Below is a list of what you will need to travel with Pets to Panama. You can obtain information by visiting the Embassy of Panama online. Click on Services then click on  Consular services and then scroll down and click on Traveling with Pets.

1. Fill out the form Quarantine for Domestic Animals (Home quarantine costs approx $130)
2. USDA Sanitary Certificate, signed and sealed by USDA Vet and signed by the pet'’s vet
3. Vaccinations Certificate for Rabies.
4. Fee: $30.00 (money order or certified check).
5. Self-addressed prepaid envelope for return of documents.
 

All of the above needs to be done within a 10 day period. So be sure and use Fed-ex when sending documents. Also be sure and check with your airline for further guidelines for your pet.

 

NOTE: Fax the completed Quarantine for Domestic Animals form to (507) 212-9449 or (507) 238-4059 or email it to the Ministry of Health in Panama. This form must be sent to the Ministry of Health authorities 3 days prior to your arrival in Panama. I highly recommend taking a copy of your reply from them because they said they never received mine and I sent it twice. They almost refused me and my dog because of this.

 

With fees, vet bills and Fed-ex charges It cost several hundred dollars to do this but worth every penny :)

 

What you need to know about international pet travel to Panama is that, first, it takes time.  Then, it takes a lot of patience and is not cheap.  Fortunately, however, there are people now doing and helping with this procedure to make it as easy as possible for you and you beloved pet. We would be happy to put you in contact with the right people who can assist you with this.
 

What you need to know about international pet travel to Panama is that, first, it takes time.  Then, it takes a lot of patience and is not cheap.  Fortunately, however, there are people now doing and helping with this procedure to make it as easy as possible for you and you beloved pet. We would be happy to put you in contact with the right people who can assist you with this.
 

I moved to Panama from California with my two cats. We opted to have them travel in cargo because we knew that they were going to be very unhappy no matter where they were and didn't want to cause all the passengers on the plane to have a miserable flight.

 

There were a lot of hoops to jump through before our move.  The airlines has a detailed list of their requirements as does the country you are moving to. I found that most of the requirements came...

I moved to Panama from California with my two cats. We opted to have them travel in cargo because we knew that they were going to be very unhappy no matter where they were and didn't want to cause all the passengers on the plane to have a miserable flight.

 

There were a lot of hoops to jump through before our move.  The airlines has a detailed list of their requirements as does the country you are moving to. I found that most of the requirements came from the airlines.  They really want to make sure they are transporting healthy animals and that you don't end up with a deceased pet at the other end of your journey.  To be honest, I was more traumatized to leave them at the cargo gate then they were.

 

In Panama City we found a man who runs a business called Golden Frog Pet Relocation. He was right there when we arrived and took care of everything very smoothly.  Our cats, though very unhappy during the journey, have adjusted and are back to their normal selves.  I was very worried about them because they are older cats, 13, but they don't seem to have suffered any permanent damage.  I suspect the only complaint you may hear them utter now that we are settled here in Bouquete, is that they'd love to get outside to hunt some of those delicious looking birds they can only stock through the window.  

Though international pet travel can seem mysterious (and frankly a little scary) at first, this part of your move can be completed safely and smoothly by taking advantage of the resources available online and by following the advice of pet travel experts.
 
Here are a few tips to help you get started:
 
Research Import Rules -- When preparing to move internationally with a pet, start by researching the pet import requirements for the country to which you’re moving....

Though international pet travel can seem mysterious (and frankly a little scary) at first, this part of your move can be completed safely and smoothly by taking advantage of the resources available online and by following the advice of pet travel experts.
 
Here are a few tips to help you get started:
 
Research Import Rules -- When preparing to move internationally with a pet, start by researching the pet import requirements for the country to which you’re moving. Every country is a little different, but most likely your pet will need an up to date rabies vaccine, a microchip and a health certificate at the very least. Once you’ve found the official rules (the USDA, Ministry of Agriculture, or a pet travel professional are good sources to check with), you’ll be able to build a timeline for your pet’s move and align their needs with your own travel logistics.
 
Crate Train Your Pet -- Second, it’s very important to start crate training your pet if they’re not already used to spending time in a kennel. Pets who see the crate as a safe and normal place to be will experience much less anxiety during their flight, and devoting time to training in the weeks before the move is one of the kindest and smartest things you can do as a world traveling pet owner.
 
Choose a Pet Safe Airline -- Another important detail is your pet’s flight. Some airlines are more pet friendly than others, so it’s worth it to do a little research and choose a carrier with established pet policies in place. International pet travel will most likely mean that your pet will fly via cargo (and not necessarily on the same flight as you), but when handled by a pet safe airline this is a safe process. The cargo area is pressure and temperature controlled and pets are overseen by trained staff (not just baggage handlers).
 
Above all, don’t hesitate to ask for help if needed. Advice from your fellow expats and guidance from pet travel professionals can make all the difference when it comes to arranging a safe move for your most precious cargo.
 
Good luck, pet travelers!

 

(Example of a fanciful  pet crate made from a barrel, not airline approved, pictured.)

I’ve had a number of clients, owners, and tenants in the Oaks Tamarindo who have moved dogs to Costa Rica. You can get a pet passport, which can be easily found on the Internet. In fact, I’ve found it for a number of clients.

International pet shipping, pet travel and pet transport in Costa Rica is not an issue. Getting a pet passport in Costa Rica is easy, but it may be different in other countries. 

 

(Pet passport, pictured.)

I’ve had a number of clients, owners, and tenants in the Oaks Tamarindo who have moved dogs to Costa Rica. You can get a pet passport, which can be easily found on the Internet. In fact, I’ve found it for a number of clients.

International pet shipping, pet travel and pet transport in Costa Rica is not an issue. Getting a pet passport in Costa Rica is easy, but it may be different in other countries. 

 

(Pet passport, pictured.)

As far as I know, the airlines are quite accommodating as far as pet travel goes. Every country has slightly different rules on transporting pets. Some might have a quarantine regulation while others are more lenient in that regard.
 
Each country has their own rules but you will not be the first person to transport a pet to an international location. There is a system in place and it’s a matter of getting the facts on the location you are going.

As far as I know, the airlines are quite accommodating as far as pet travel goes. Every country has slightly different rules on transporting pets. Some might have a quarantine regulation while others are more lenient in that regard.
 
Each country has their own rules but you will not be the first person to transport a pet to an international location. There is a system in place and it’s a matter of getting the facts on the location you are going.

When shipping pets, one thing to be mindful of are the very specific requirements that can apply to travel crates and kennels. When we flew out of the UK with our cat, we arrived at Heathrow airport with our brand new shinny crate only to be told that they could not accept it because it did not have a "central locking mechanism" (the crate happened to lock in 2 places).

 

We were extremely lucky that day to be able to buy a crate from...

When shipping pets, one thing to be mindful of are the very specific requirements that can apply to travel crates and kennels. When we flew out of the UK with our cat, we arrived at Heathrow airport with our brand new shinny crate only to be told that they could not accept it because it did not have a "central locking mechanism" (the crate happened to lock in 2 places).

 

We were extremely lucky that day to be able to buy a crate from them directly, they had one available that day, which is apparently not always the case. Otherwise the cat would simply not have been allowed to fly. 

 

As lucky as we were, the crate still ended costing us a lot more than it would have had we bought it in advance. So be careful with these requirements and don't let this happen to you (and your cat)!