QUARANTINE AND INTERNATIONAL PET TRAVEL – WILL YOUR PET BE QUARANTINED?Before your travel, it is important that you are aware of the classification of your country of origin (where you begin your travels) and the rabies classification of the destination (where you end your trip). If you have layovers on your trip, you need to be aware of quarantine requirements of countries in which you clear customs. The intelligent traveler will be able to avoid quarantine requirements of rabies free countries by planning in advance.The countries of the world have been divided into three classifications that relate to pets: rabies free countries, third countries (low incidence of rabies) and countries with high incidence of rabies. Third Countries include all the countries of the European Union except the United Kingdom which is rabies free. The United States, Canada, Mexico are also considered third countries. For a complete list of countries in each category, go to Pet Travel and click on the Immigraion tab.Below are scenarios for people traveling worldwide with their pet:Traveling with a pet from a RABIES FREE COUNTRY to a THIRD COUNTRY or a COUNTRY WITH A HIGH INCIDENCE OF RABIES:
If you are traveling with your pet from a RABIES FREE COUNTRY, you can visit any THIRD COUNTRY or any COUNTRY WITH A HIGH INCIDENCE OF RABIES with minimal paperwork and without quarantine or a blood titre test. However, there will be restrictions and perhaps quarantine upon your return.Traveling with your pet from one THIRD COUNTRY to another THIRD COUNTRY:
Your pet must have resided in a THIRD COUNTRY for a minimum of six (6) months prior to your travel date. You can then travel to another THIRD COUNTRY fairly easily. You will need a microchip for certain countries and the proper veterinary certificate for the country that you are entering. Your dog or cat’s rabies vaccinations must be current. There are a limited number of these THIRD COUNTRIES that also require an import permit for entry.Traveling with your pet from a THIRD COUNTRY to a RABIES FREE COUNTRY:
If you are traveling from a THIRD COUNTRY to a RABIES FREE country, a blood titre test will be required, and the pet must have a microchip as well as the proper forms for the destination country. There is always a waiting period from the time you have the blood titre test until the time you enter the RABIES FREE country. In some cases, it is 120 days and in other cases, it is 180 days. If your schedule does not allow for a waiting period, quarantine will be imposed at the destination country. Jamaica is an exception as it does not allow any animals other than those born and raised in the UK.Traveling with a pet from a THIRD COUNTRY to a COUNTRY WITH A HIGH INCIDENCE OF RABIES:
You can also travel to a COUNTRY WITH A HIGH INCIDENCE OF RABIES from a THIRD COUNTRY without a blood titre test and, in many cases, without a microchip. The problem may occur when you return from that country with a HIGH INCIDENCE OF RABIES to a THIRD COUNTRY. In most cases, except for the United States and Canada, a blood titre test will now be required.Traveling with your pet FROM a COUNTRY WITH A HIGH INCIDENCE OF RABIES to a THIRD COUNTRY:
With the exception of the United States and Canada and a handful of other countries, anytime you travel from a country with a HIGH INCIDENCE OF RABIES to a THIRD COUNTRY, a blood titre test will be required, your pet must be micro chipped and you will need the proper forms for that country.Traveling with your pet from a COUNTRY WITH HIGH INCIDENCE OF RABIES to another COUNTRY WITH A HIGH INCIDENCE OF RABIES:
In most cases, a blood titre test will NOT be required, and you will only need the proper paperwork for that country.Travel from a COUNTRY WITH A HIGH INCIDENCE OF RABIES to a RABIES FREE COUNTRY:
If you enter a rabies free country with your pet from a country with a HIGH INCIDENCE of rabies, then you will either be refused entry, or your pet will be placed in quarantine for a period of four to six months. As COUNTRIES WITH HIGH INCIDENCE OF RABIES are not included in the UK Pet Scheme, quarantine is unavoidable.There are several destinations where quarantine is unavoidable unless you are entering from a RABIES FREE COUNTRY.NOTE: the above rules apply to 95% of travel between countries with a pet. Be sure to check the pet immigration information section of Pet Travel before travel. If you have questions, post to our blog or send us an email. We respond within 24 hours. The above rules only apply to dogs, cats, and ferrets.