Animal travel and transport

Dog importation: What are the rules?

Starting August 1, 2024, all dogs entering or re-entering the U.S. must meet new requirements. AVMA's FAQ will answer your questions.

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As a matter of animal and public health, countries, territories, states, and even public modes of transportation have requirements and restrictions on transporting animals. These regulations help protect people, animals, and ecosystems by guarding against the spread diseases, pests, and invasive and injurious animals. As veterinarians, we’re often needed to issue certificates of veterinary inspection (CVIs) before animals are transported—this helps protect the health and safety of the people and animals both during transport and at the destination.

Interstate regulations on animal transport

In the United States, import requirements are set by the receiving state or territory. To find animal import regulations posted by the state departments of agriculture from across the nation, try using the USDA’s locator. (Though this locator is primarily for pet species requirements, in most cases, the links will also show requirements for other animal species.)

You may want to verify that the information there is current by calling the state veterinarian of the receiving state.

If you are unable to find the requirements online, contact the state veterinarian of the receiving state or, depending on the species, the state wildlife management agency.
If the animal being moved was obtained through the National Wild Horse and Burro Program, the animal owner should also check with the Bureau of Land Management.
Generally speaking, terrestrial and freshwater endangered and injurious wild animal species are regulated by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources regulates certain marine animals, including endangered marine species.

If you have heard or know that a receiving state allows a recognized alternative form of official animal ID (brand, tattoo, etc.) for livestock, be sure to contact your state veterinarian before you issue a CVI based on that alternative ID. Your state needs to have an agreement in place with the receiving state before animals are sent there with only alternative forms of official ID. Also, there may be additional requirements for interstate movement of animals with only alternative forms of ID. See animal disease traceability for more detail.

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Importing animals into (or back into) the U.S.

Practitioners in the U.S. generally are not involved with the steps required for an owner to import animals into this country, but there are some situations when they would be—such as if a client intends to transport an animal to another country and then have it return to the U.S. after a short period of time. Here is some guidance on importing animals into the U.S.:

The USDA has import regulations on many animals, including livestock, pets (dogs, cats, and pet birds), fish (and their gametes), elephants, rhinos, hippos, and tapirs.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has regulations on the importation of dogs, cats, turtles, monkeys and other nonhuman primates, African rodents, and bats. Civets are banned from being imported into the U.S.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regulates the importation of endangered species, birds, reptiles, and other captive wildlife.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has regulations on the import of certain marine species, including endangered marine species.

In addition to the federal import requirements, the shipper will need to ensure that the animals meet the requirements of the receiving state or territory. Contact the state’s animal health official for details.

Note: Starting August 1, 2024, dogs entering the United States must meet a series of new federal import requirements. AVMA’s FAQ resource will help you understand and follow the rules

Exporting animals from the U.S.

Finding the import requirements for the country of destination for a given species can be time-consuming and confusing. This is especially true if the species in question is regulated differently at different ages, when exported for different purposes, or in situations where more than one authority is involved. International movement of certain species of animals may involve checking with more than one authority, but these USDA resources can help you get started:

If the country or animal is not listed, it does not mean that the country does not have import requirements for the species. If you cannot find the receiving country’s import requirements for the animal(s) intended for export, contact your local USDA APHIS veterinarian.

In addition, the animal owner should contact the consulate or embassy of the country of destination or the country’s animal health authority for information on the importation requirements, including if an import permit is required and if a designated port needs to be used.

Acclimation statements

Acclimation statements may be requested by airlines so that they might ship dogs and cats below the minimum temperature range allowed by animal welfare regulations (9 CFR section 3). There are key points to note:

Veterinarians may advise clients not to ship animals with transporters or airlines that cannot guarantee compliance with animal welfare regulations.
Veterinarians may deny the request to issue an acclimation statement.
Ambient temperatures listed in the acclimation statement cannot be higher than 85° F for more than four consecutive hours while in animal holding areas of airport terminals or for more than 45 minutes while transferring the animal between the aircraft and the animal holding area.
See the AVMA’s full policy on Acclimation Certificates/Statements for more detail.