Pet Travel and International Health Certificates in Naples, FL

Our veterinarians and staff at Town and Country Animal Hospital work closely with clients and their pets to help facilitate international travel. Our veterinarians maintain active accreditation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), allowing them to complete the required documentation for pets traveling internationally.

Because every country has its own rules and regulations regarding the importation of pets, careful planning is essential. Requirements may include specific vaccinations, microchip identification, laboratory testing, parasite treatments, permits, or other documentation. These requirements can change, sometimes with little notice, so we recommend beginning the process as early as possible—ideally up to six months before your anticipated travel date.

At the time of your appointment, your pet will receive a complete physical examination. Once all destination requirements have been met, one of our USDA-accredited veterinarians will complete and sign the appropriate international health certificate.

International health certificates often have a very limited period of validity, sometimes as short as 10 days before travel. In many cases, after the certificate is completed and signed by our veterinarian, it must also be endorsed by the USDA. We are able to electronically submit eligible certificates to the USDA on your behalf and provide a prepaid shipping label so that the endorsed documents can be returned directly to your home prior to departure.

Because international travel preparation requires additional time to research your destination’s current requirements and review your pet’s records, a deposit is required when scheduling an International Health Certificate appointment.

The USDA APHIS Pet Travel website is also an excellent place to begin researching the requirements for your destination:

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel

If international travel is on the horizon, the best time to contact us is now. Planning ahead allows us to guide you through the necessary steps and helps provide peace of mind as you prepare to travel with your pet.