Can I bring my dog or cat or other pets to Mexico?
Thomas Hellyer - Chapala Home Sales
It is very common for people to bring their pets to Mexico. Almost all expats here have pets and many of them brought pets from the countries that they came from. I have some clients who are bringing their pets from the UK soon.
The process for bringing a pet to Mexico is not too complicated. You have to get an international health certificate from a veterinarian in your local area, where you are coming from within at least a week of your actual travel to Mexico. This...
The process for bringing a pet to Mexico is not too complicated. You have to get an international health certificate from a veterinarian in your local area, where you are coming from within at least a week of your actual travel to Mexico. This...
It is very common for people to bring their pets to Mexico. Almost all expats here have pets and many of them brought pets from the countries that they came from. I have some clients who are bringing their pets from the UK soon.
The process for bringing a pet to Mexico is not too complicated. You have to get an international health certificate from a veterinarian in your local area, where you are coming from within at least a week of your actual travel to Mexico. This process is not difficult. The government just wants to have control over pets coming in so they don’t have rabies or some other kind of horrible disease.
The reality is, when you are driving across the border, which most people choose to do rather than putting their pet on a plane, they rarely check anything. I remember waving our special hundred-dollar health certificate in front of the guys face when we had our golden retriever with us and he just waved us on. I said, “Hey, I’m proud of this thing. It cost us $100! You should look at it.” But they didn’t and that is the same experience that was relayed to me by some friends and clients who brought their pets down here.
It is a lot more strict when you fly your pets down to Mexico than when you drive across the border. If you fly the your pets, they basically go through a screening by some veterinarians at the airport and if there is any inconsistency with the paperwork or in the apparent health of the pet, then you have to have a veterinarian give your pet a special examination before the pet is released.
Overall, bringing pets to Mexico is very doable and many people do it. You have to plan ahead by getting information from the consulate and from the airlines that you are flying in to make sure that you crossed all your “T”s and dotted your “I”s.
The process for bringing a pet to Mexico is not too complicated. You have to get an international health certificate from a veterinarian in your local area, where you are coming from within at least a week of your actual travel to Mexico. This process is not difficult. The government just wants to have control over pets coming in so they don’t have rabies or some other kind of horrible disease.
The reality is, when you are driving across the border, which most people choose to do rather than putting their pet on a plane, they rarely check anything. I remember waving our special hundred-dollar health certificate in front of the guys face when we had our golden retriever with us and he just waved us on. I said, “Hey, I’m proud of this thing. It cost us $100! You should look at it.” But they didn’t and that is the same experience that was relayed to me by some friends and clients who brought their pets down here.
It is a lot more strict when you fly your pets down to Mexico than when you drive across the border. If you fly the your pets, they basically go through a screening by some veterinarians at the airport and if there is any inconsistency with the paperwork or in the apparent health of the pet, then you have to have a veterinarian give your pet a special examination before the pet is released.
Overall, bringing pets to Mexico is very doable and many people do it. You have to plan ahead by getting information from the consulate and from the airlines that you are flying in to make sure that you crossed all your “T”s and dotted your “I”s.
Posted February 1, 2016
Gary Coles - Paradise For Gringos
Dogs and Cats Are Welcome in Mexico
It is absolutely no problem when it comes to bringing your pets to Mexico. But just like there are more hassles for people returning to the US from Mexico, the same is true for pets.
It seems that most of the pets are brought to Mexico by driving across the border. In Mexico, the pet must meet the requirements of the National Department of Health, Food Safety and Food Quality, SENASICA. This requires a...Dogs and Cats Are Welcome in Mexico
It is absolutely no problem when it comes to bringing your pets to Mexico. But just like there are more hassles for people returning to the US from Mexico, the same is true for pets.
It seems that most of the pets are brought to Mexico by driving across the border. In Mexico, the pet must meet the requirements of the National Department of Health, Food Safety and Food Quality, SENASICA. This requires a health certificate issued by a veterinarian stating that the pet is in good health and has a current rabies vaccination. Service animals are not exempt from these requirements. For certain countries (not the US or Canada) the pet must have been de-wormed recently. For airline travel, there are requirements for the kennel or carrier which must be followed. The airlines will also require the health certificate and may have other requirements. Several years ago, I landed at the airport in Veracruz with my cat, Yazmine. It was interesting that the officials did not even know what paperwork was required and had to contact another person at home in the evening to find out where the forms were located and what needed to be done. Everyone was very helpful and finally we were on our way.
If you return to the US, the United States requirements state that a dog requires a rabies vaccination and a physical exam. A cat is luckier and only needs the exam. If there is no certificate of vaccination, the dog will be quarantined. However, I have friends who drive across the border all the time and they have never been asked for the certificate or had their dog examined. Airlines will usually require a current statement of health from a veterinarian..
Posted February 2, 2016
Juan Eufracio Marquez Flores - LM&A Immigration and Legal Services
Yes, you can bring your dog or cat with you to Mexico. Basically, there is a form that you can review in any Mexican consulate before you come, depending on your country of origin. The basic requirement is that the dog or cat must have all their shots or the paper that says it’s been vaccinated and the paper that says who’s the owner. You get these from a vet. Sometimes the dog or cat owner can even get a permit right away at the Mexican...
Yes, you can bring your dog or cat with you to Mexico. Basically, there is a form that you can review in any Mexican consulate before you come, depending on your country of origin. The basic requirement is that the dog or cat must have all their shots or the paper that says it’s been vaccinated and the paper that says who’s the owner. You get these from a vet. Sometimes the dog or cat owner can even get a permit right away at the Mexican consulate, if they follow the requirements. If they don’t get the permit right away, they go to the vet, make sure that the pet is up to date on all their vaccinations, and provide information on the pet. There are some vets that even put a picture, the name, the address, and the pet ID and just bring it to the airport or drive across.
(Dog being ridden by a toy cowboy, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, pictured.)
Posted November 4, 2016
Yolanda Martinez
Yes, you can bring your dog or cat or other pets into Mexico. It depends on what country you’re coming from. I had friends flying from Ecuador with four cats and two dogs. My experience is more with Ecuador because there’s a huge expat community in Cuenca and you have to have the right permits and vaccinations for the animals. You can’t just pick them up from your house and just take them on the plane. You need to make sure you go to your...
Yes, you can bring your dog or cat or other pets into Mexico. It depends on what country you’re coming from. I had friends flying from Ecuador with four cats and two dogs. My experience is more with Ecuador because there’s a huge expat community in Cuenca and you have to have the right permits and vaccinations for the animals. You can’t just pick them up from your house and just take them on the plane. You need to make sure you go to your vet, get the vaccines and ask.
When you’re bringing your pets to Mexico, you start your process with your consulate wherever you are in the world. With that being stated, when you’re at the consulate, ask the agent. We have a booklet that is amazing in Mexico. It’s a book that the Mexican government and the Fox Administration (President Fox) made to help people lives easier for foreigners or Mexicans who are traveling in Mexico or to Mexico. It’s a booklet that you can receive in any consulate and embassy and all these questions come up and then they will give you the correct and the legal answers.
You have to follow the Mexican laws or else you will have an uncomfortable experience waiting at our customs for a vet that is authorized to the customs agent to come to the Guadalajara area port and make sure that the animal is not carrying any diseases from a foreign country. Your dog or cat will have to take a pill to make sure that they don’t have any bugs in their stomachs. Also they need to have something like frontline for fleas and ticks. Frontline is the medicine you give on your dogs to avoid fleas and ticks. All the vets sell it. It’s actually an American brand. You put it on the back of your animal every month.
(Pictured: expat dogs in Mexico. Click on the picture or here for the YouTube.)
Posted July 30, 2017
SONIA DIAZ - Sonia Diaz
Yes, you can bring your dog, cat or other pets to Mexico. Most people bring along the vaccination record of their pets, but this is usually not asked when entering Mexico via car. It will, however, be important when returning with your pet to the United States and when entering Mexico via a plane.
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Yes, you can bring your dog, cat or other pets to Mexico. Most people bring along the vaccination record of their pets, but this is usually not asked when entering Mexico via car. It will, however, be important when returning with your pet to the United States and when entering Mexico via a plane.
Posted February 28, 2018