Bringing pets to the U.S. from Canada
We are new snowbirds who just retired. We'll be driving down to Mesa where we have rented a house for the upcoming winter and will be bringing our dog. What do we need to do to bring our dog across the border with us?
First of all, your pet must be healthy, look healthy and be well groomed or it can be turned away.
It is required that all pets are up to date with rabies shots and other vaccinations and you should carry a document from your veterinarian certifying general good health and vaccination records. It is also required for coming back to Canada.
Before you travel, be sure to look at the websites of the departments that oversee the importation of pets (even though you are not importing your pet, you are subject to the same health requirements).
In the United States, this is the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). You can find regulations for importing pets on the USDA website. The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) website also has requirements for importing pets, including rabies vaccinations.
It is also highly recommended that your dog be micro-chipped for identification purposes should he or she escape during travel or during your stay in the United States.
You can find more tips for Canadian snowbirds travelling with pets here.
