If you are going to travel to the United States and want to go with your pet, you must know all the necessary documentation that you must present so that neither you nor your four-legged friend have problems when entering That country. Keep in mind that to apply for an ESTA for the United States you will need to do it at least 15 days in advance, so don't leave all the paperwork for the last minute.
In this article on our site we'll explain how to travel with pets to the United States, so we'll talk about both the requirements you need to meet the animal like those you have to follow.
What animals can travel to the United States?
We know that for many people who have adopted an animal it has become another member of the family and it is often difficult to travel without it. For this reason, most airlines allow small animals to travel on board and larger ones can travel from the hold.
For animals, traveling and changing your environment is not as fun as it is for you, so it is recommended that, if you are going to travel with your pet to the United States, it be for a long time. These are the animals that can travel to the United States if they have all the necessary documentation:
- Dogs
- Cats
- Pet Birds
- Fish and reptiles that are not in danger of extinction
- Guinea pigs
- Ferrets
- Hamsters
- Rabbits
Requirements and documents to travel with animals to the United States
When traveling with pets to the United States, the majority of requests found by airlines are to be able to transport cats or dogs. It is necessary that pets have very specific documentation, as well as the people who accompany them. For this reason, it is important to start preparing the documentation in advance so as not to have to run at the last minute or run into some unforeseen event that prevents you from flying. These are the requirements and documents necessary to travel to the United States with animals.
Requirements and documents for the animal
When we talk about pets, there are two different ways they can travel. Animals weighing less than 8 kg may go in a carrier and be brought on board in the same cabin as the passenger. On the other hand, dogs that exceed this weight must go in a space prepared for them in the aircraft hold.
It is important to take into account all the necessary documentation so that your animal can travel to the United States by plane without problems:
- You must have the vaccination certificate with the corresponding vaccines according to your age.
- You must have a veterinary he alth certificate made 3 days before the flight by a veterinarian confirming that your animal is in perfect he alth to travel.
- You have to get the export sanitary permit. You can get it for free if your animal is over 4 months old.
- Get the screwworm certificate as your animal does not have larvae in its fur.
- The traveling pet must have a ID microchip.
Moreover, find out about the specific restrictions that each airline may impose before buying your ticket. While there are some companies that will not charge you to bring your animal, there are others that will ask you for an extra charge that you will have to pay if you want your pet to travel with you to the United States.
Requirements and documents that people need
If you are too worried about letting your animal fly with you, you may forget about the documentation that you have to present in order to be allowed to travel to America. Take this documentation into account and prepare it some time in advance so as not to run into any unforeseen events:
- Apply for ESTA visa to enter the United States. The approval of this visa takes approximately 72 hours, but if, due to some error, it is negative, you must wait at least 10 days to try again. That is why we recommend that you apply for the ESTA visa when there are about 15 days left before your flight.
- You must bring the necessary documentation proving that you are vaccinated against COVID-19, in addition to having a negative test dated no more than 72 hours.
- You will be asked for the passport to be valid.
- It is optional to take out he alth insurance, however, this will allow you to travel much more calmly in case something happens to you once you are there.
Recommendations for traveling with animals to the United States
As we have said before, for animals it is quite a big change to have to travel on a plane, especially for those who have to go in the hold far from their family. That's why it's important that, if you do that, be for a long season and mentally prepare your animal a little beforehand. Likewise, it will be essential that your animal is completely used to the carrier, since, depending on your country of origin, it will spend many hours inside it. To do this, don't miss our article on How to get a cat used to the carrier and How to take my cat on vacation.
You should avoid making your animal nervous the season leading up to the trip, even taking him for a run quite often to release all the stress that may have accumulated. If your veterinarian recommends it and prescribes it, just before boarding the plane you can give him a tranquilizing or relaxing drug so that he can rest better. Of course, we insist that a specialist must be the one who prescribes this type of drug, since an incorrect administration could be fatal for your animal.
When you arrive at your destination, avoid greeting him warmly or having a party, especially if he is very nervous. On the contrary, continue with the same concept of tranquility and take him to play sports as soon as possible. It may be that your pet is a little upset and stressed and it's normal, but you just keep giving it all the love it needs, give it the calm it lacks and be very patient.
