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Please
note: Media Relations is unable to answer questions about pet health
problems. Contact your veterinarian.
Source:
Dr. Susan Nelson, 785-532-4130, snelson@vet.k-state.edu
http://www.mediarelations.k-state.edu/WEB/News/MediaGuide/nelsonsusanbio.html
News release prepared by: Amber Haag, 785-532-6415
Thursday,
March 24, 2005
TRAVELING
OR MOVING OUT OF THE CONTINENTAL U.S. WITH YOUR PET
MANHATTAN
-- Some pet owners vacation or even move out of the continental
United States with their pets. Both traveling and moving out of
the country involve extensive planning and preparation, said Dr.
Susan Nelson, assistant professor of veterinary medicine at Kansas
State University.
Nelson
said pet owners need to be aware of the extra planning and time
it takes to travel outside the continental United States with your
pet. She said a pet owner needs to plan at least six months and
preferably 12 months ahead of time.
Although
you may want your pet to go with you, it's important to consider
your pet's needs, Nelson said.
"If
you're not going to be there very long, look into the pros and cons,"
Nelson said. "You'd like to have your pet, but how is your
pet going to fare on the trip and adjust to its new environment?
Is your pet healthy enough to travel?"
After
making the decision to bring your pet along, Nelson said pet owners
have many things to take care of.
"The
first thing a pet owner should do is contact APHIS -- the Animal
and Plant Health Inspection Service," Nelson said. "It
has the regulations for different countries and what pet owners
need to do to get into these countries." Current guidelines
are listed online at http://www.aphis.usda.gov
"There
are different things they'll have to be vaccinated for. It just
really varies with where you're going," she said.
The
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service recommends that pet owners
contact their state veterinarian's office for Hawaii travel requirements.
For U.S. territories and foreign countries, the inspection service
says to contact the appropriate embassy, governmental agency or
consulate.
Nelson
said the minimum vaccines usually needed for pets to travel out
of the continental United States are the rabies and distemper combination
vaccines.
When
traveling or moving out of the country, pet owners usually have
to consider air travel for their pets.
According
to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, no airline will
guarantee acceptance of an animal it has not seen. Some of the important
considerations for acceptance of animals include the health and
disposition of the animal, proper health certificates and kennel
markings and sizing.
Federal
regulations require that pets be at least 8 weeks old and weaned
at least five days before flying. Nelson said a health certificate
not more than 10 days old generally also is required for pets to
be allowed to fly. She said it is also a good idea to carry a valid
rabies vaccination certificate.
"It's
more difficult to go to states and countries that are rabies-free,
such as England and Hawaii," Nelson said. "The regulations
for bringing in animals are much more strict and usually require
quarantine time for the pet. This quarantine time can be up to six
months."
Nelson
said owners should contact airlines and hotels well in advance for
specific regulations and to secure the pet's reservation.
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