Pets & Animals

Relocating internationally with a pet is a logistics project that should begin three to six months before departure, because the longest-lead requirements — rabies vaccination, a rabies antibody titer test, and mandated waiting periods — cannot be rushed. The U.S. has almost no rules for taking a privately owned dog or cat out of the country; the binding requirements are set by the destination, and most are documented and enforced through a USDA-accredited veterinarian and a USDA-APHIS-endorsed health certificate. The universal first step is an ISO-compliant (ISO 11784/11785) 15-digit microchip, which must be implanted before the rabies vaccine is given — if the order is reversed, most countries treat the vaccination as invalid and the clock restarts.

Key Points

• 1Microchip first, then rabies: an ISO 11784/11785 15-digit microchip must be implanted before or at the rabies vaccination, or destinations like the EU, UK, Japan, Australia, and Hawaii will reject the vaccine record and require you to start over.
• 2Rabies titer (FAVN/RNATT) must read ≥0.5 IU/ml: rabies-free countries require it, and the wait periods are long — Japan mandates 180 days outside the country after the blood draw, and Australia requires the rabies vaccine ≥180 days before export, so plan 6+ months ahead.
• 3USDA-accredited vet + APHIS-endorsed health certificate: most destination certificates must be endorsed by USDA-APHIS and are typically valid only ~10 days before travel, so the final vet visit and endorsement are tightly timed to the flight.
• 4Strict-quarantine destinations: Australia requires a minimum 10-day stay at the Mickleham Post Entry Quarantine Facility; Japan can quarantine non-compliant pets up to 180 days; Hawaii's '5-Day-or-Less' / direct airport release requires all documents submitted at least 10 days before arrival, two rabies vaccinations, and a passing FAVN test.
• 5Easy/no-quarantine destinations: the EU, UK, Canada, and Mexico admit compliant pets with no quarantine — the EU needs only a microchip, valid rabies vaccine, and EU health certificate/pet passport; the UK adds a dog tapeworm treatment 24 hours to 5 days before arrival and a 21-day wait after the rabies shot.
• 6Costs vary widely: airline in-cabin fees for small pets run roughly $60–$200 each way, larger pets travel as cargo, and full-service international pet shippers (IPATA members) typically charge $1,000–$6,000 depending on size and destination, plus $50–$1,200 for an IATA-compliant travel crate.
• 7Returning to the U.S.: since August 1, 2024 the CDC requires every dog entering or re-entering the country to be microchipped, be at least 6 months old, appear healthy, and arrive with a completed CDC Dog Import Form (with extra rabies documentation for dogs coming from high-risk rabies countries).