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

I think you need to know that it's not an easy task but 

you can do it yourself. It's all about timing and having the correct documents in hand. 

I think you need to know that it's not an easy task but 

you can do it yourself. It's all about timing and having the correct documents in hand. 

What do you need to know about traveling with your pets to Panama?  So many suspect that traveling internationally with their pets is an easy thing.  It can be, but you must research your specific situation and know the requirements before your travel date.  I have heard many times that “It’s no problem to bring your dogs with you.  I know someone who did it and said it was a breeze.”  This may be true, but to experience it yourself is...

What do you need to know about traveling with your pets to Panama?  So many suspect that traveling internationally with their pets is an easy thing.  It can be, but you must research your specific situation and know the requirements before your travel date.  I have heard many times that “It’s no problem to bring your dogs with you.  I know someone who did it and said it was a breeze.”  This may be true, but to experience it yourself is certainly another story. 

Here’s the simple process:

Sounds simple enough, right?  Maybe, maybe not.  Keep informed with the regulations and current requirements. (It was easier for me to communicate directly with the embassy.)  Know that things change and you don’t want to be caught off guard with this process.  To avoid any snags, here are some things to keep in mind. 

So, in order for you and your beloved pets to travel safely, do your research.  Know the pet guidelines for your airline carrier.  Establish contact with the various offices before you travel.  And, remember to remain calm.  We traveled with three dogs, so it can be done.  We encountered a few challenges, but the embassy was our biggest help. Expect some stress but remain calm.   It will all be worth it in the end.

Shipping a pet to Panama is difficult. You have to take your pet to a veterinarian and get a report that the pet is healthy. The paperwork has to be apostilled (an apostille is like a notary) and then you have a ten-day window to get the animal into the country of Panama before the paperwork expires. Otherwise, you start again. You have to make sure that the paperwork is authenticated before you come.

 

It can be relatively expensive to ship a pet, but only...

Shipping a pet to Panama is difficult. You have to take your pet to a veterinarian and get a report that the pet is healthy. The paperwork has to be apostilled (an apostille is like a notary) and then you have a ten-day window to get the animal into the country of Panama before the paperwork expires. Otherwise, you start again. You have to make sure that the paperwork is authenticated before you come.

 

It can be relatively expensive to ship a pet, but only if you start out in Canada. It costs about US $25 or so to ship one animal from Canada down to Panama, but it can be expedited. In Canada, it is difficult because the only place you can get the paperwork authenticated is in Ontario, which was 2,600 miles from our place there. I think part of  the problem was that we had to fly to Ottawa so that would have cost an extra $500 or $600 for us to fly across the country to get paperwork processed, and then put the dog on the plane. So from our point of view, in Canada, it is more expensive and more difficult than it would be in most places in the US.

 

In the US, it is a different story. We had a customer who lives just 2 miles from the place where he needs to get his paperwork authenticated, so it was easy for him. It’s a lot easier to ship a pet from the US because there are numbers of places in the US where you can take the paperwork and get it authenticated rather than driving of flying all the way across the country.

 

Once the animal arrives in Panama, the vet inspects it at the airport here. There is no quarantine once the animal arrives. You can pick up the animal at the airport and take it home with you. We are licensed pet carriers and have done this for a number of people over the years.

 

(Ginger, a rescue dog, in her new home in Panama, pictured.)

Shipping pets to Panama is easy and common. Dogs are the most popular pets that are brought down here. Cats fall in the similar category. Just don’t bring your parrot. There are different rules for bringing birds to Panama.

 

To ship your pet to Panama, you have to first take them to your local veterinarian and get their basic shots and their records up to date. You have to get some other paperwork from your agricultural department because sometimes...

Shipping pets to Panama is easy and common. Dogs are the most popular pets that are brought down here. Cats fall in the similar category. Just don’t bring your parrot. There are different rules for bringing birds to Panama.

 

To ship your pet to Panama, you have to first take them to your local veterinarian and get their basic shots and their records up to date. You have to get some other paperwork from your agricultural department because sometimes they have to tell you what needs to be done from your area.

 

Once you get all the paperwork, you can then bring your pet to Panama. There is a quarantine but it is a home quarantine. When you land, it is preferable that it be during daytime because then you would have a veterinarian receive your dog on this end. However, the vet would also come at night if you make prior arrangements and he will charge you a fee for it. If you follow the rules (and the rules on what you need to do are simple), it is very easy to ship your pet to Panama. The problem only comes in when people do not follow the rules. Yes, there is some paperwork that you need to do before you could bring your dog but it is way better than Australia, where you cannot bring your dog at all.  

 

(Man carrying his dog in his backpack, Panama, pictured.)