Pet Travel: Rabies Vaccines and Pet Importing Exporting Concerns
Pet owners here in the U.S. need to take the importance of rabies vaccinations for our pets very seriously. The United States is not considered a ‘rabies free country’ and because of this importing a pet from the United States can be difficult. This must be for a reason.
Most other countries have very strict rabies vaccine policies for pets entering or importing to their countries. If your pet is traveling into any island country - New Zealand, Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the islands of Hawaii-the requirements to avoid long term quarantine are extensive. Your must complete rabies FAVN titer test with an ‘accredited USDA vet’ at an ‘approved lab’ many months in advance of entry. These results must meet a specific criteria stating that your pet is adequately vaccinated against rabies. Some countries may require a 30 day waiting period after the first rabies vaccine before entry is allowed. Other countries recognize the 3 year vaccine that we use here in the United States-but not all countries do. The documentation to verify that the rabies is valid and proof provided is strict and enforced. In reverse, to enter or reenter the United States-except Hawaii-all you really need for your pet is a valid health certificate. I sometimes wonder if any customs officials even look at these documents for validity and verification before letting pets enter the U. S. You rarely hear of a dog or cat that has rabies but I guess that there are bats and rodents that still carry rabies in our country. I personally wish we had a better method for containing rabies and also for what we allow to come into our country. The Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah has prides itself on the ‘animal lifts’ and extensive efforts in bringing homeless pets from countries in the Middle East to the U.S. While it is wonderful that they want to save so many pets lives around the world, what new challenges that we do not even know about disease wise are they introducing by the ability to so easily bring pets into our country? With our country as sophisticated as it is, is this really a good thing to introduce to our pets that already exist here? I am not a vet and do not have that kind of a background, but is seems to me that if most other nations have strict regulations about rabies and diseases before allowing pets to enter their counties, why don’t we?
Pet Travel Advice for Dummies: Never ever let your pet’s rabies vaccine expire!