At this time, to schedule an appointment for a health certificate, you must be an existing client of La Cumbre Animal Hospital and your pet must be up to date on vaccines and wellness services.
La Cumbre Animal Hospital greatly appreciates your confidence in our hospital to help you facilitate your upcoming move/vacation inside & outside of the continental U.S, including Hawaii. Each country, state, and island have their own pet travel requirements and forms that need to be completed and submitted in addition to the USDA requirements. This includes, but is not limited to vaccines, parasite control, and possible bloodwork.
It is imperative that you plan ahead. Meeting country and state requirements can take up to a year, depending on the destination.
What we do:
La Cumbre Animal Hospital will facilitate all the veterinary services that you need for travel, such as:
- Updating vaccines
- FAVN Rabies Titer blood work and paperwork and/or other required lab testing
- Placing International Microchip
- Parasite preventative application and/or administration
- Health certificate exams with completion of health certificate
- Other veterinary services necessary
What you do:
As the pet owner and traveler, you are ultimately responsible for researching thoroughly and knowing what is needed.
- Plan far in advance!
- Confirm your pet is eligible for travel on your airline and entry to your destination country. Some countries and airlines do not accept certain breeds!
- Check the website resources below for specific pet entry requirements for the country or state you are traveling to
- Check requirements for RE-ENTRY to the USA if you are planning on returning from out of the country. Make sure vaccines, including the rabies vaccine, do not expire while you are abroad.
- Check with the airline (if flying) for their specific requirements. They often differ from the destination.
- Consider a professional shipping company for complicated international travel such as Australia.
Web Resources
| USDA APHIS | APHIS Pet Travel |
| Hawaii State Animal Quarantine Information |
| CDC - Traveling with Pets |
|
| Find a list of International Pet & Transportation Association Accredited shipping companies by country at the following website: |
| International Pet and Animal Association (IPATA) |
As the owner, your responsibilities include but are not limited to:
Providing LCAH with up to date, correct information for travel certificates at the earliest possible date, including:
- Correct Client and Pet names
- Current address
- Contact phone numbers
- Destination address
- Up to date medical records
- Up to date and past vaccine certificates
- Testing results and/or travel documents not performed at LCAH
Researching and understanding requirements needed for international, interstate, or Hawaii travel for your pet. Including reviewing the USDA requirements for the country, state or location you are traveling to. Requirements can change without notice. (see website resources above)
Communicating to us what services you need & when (ex/ ISO microchip needs to be done before rabies vaccine, 2 rabies vaccines needed but pet only has a history of one rabies vaccine, etc)
Determining logistics, timelines, and deadlines:
- Timing of flights - most countries and airlines require the pet travel exam and USDA endorsement done within a specific number of days before departure or arrival date.
- Timing of health certificate exam, any required testing, vaccines, etc
- Timing of paperwork submission (rabies certificates, health certificates, import forms, etc)
- Timing of payment submission
- Completing Dog/Cat import forms if required and getting them notarized when needed and submitted on time
- Obtaining USDA Endorsement on certificates and forms within the time frame required
For Hawaii, in addition to other requirements:
- Reading & understanding State of Hawaii Department of Agriculture requirements for travel to Hawaii
- Coordination with Hawaiian department of agriculture regulations
- Making sure you have printed, read and understand the checklist for 5 days or less quarantine program, which can be found at https://hdoa.hawaii.gov/ai/aqs/aqs-info/
- Use this checklist!
Interstate travel:
- Each state has its own requirements for Animal movement into the state. These rules are in place to protect the animal population of the state and these laws ensure that an animal traveling into the state is moving into a safe and healthy environment.
- Please visit the USDA website for state-specific requirements USDA APHIS | APHIS Pet Travel
- Check with your airline if flying as they may have requirements that differ from the destination state.
There is an abundance of legal paperwork that needs to be completed by the owner. Please make sure to follow those guidelines for a smooth transition to your new home or vacation destination.
- Due to scheduling and time constraints, we may NOT be able to accommodate last-minute appointment requests (e.g. same day or next day) appointments for health certificates.
- Prior to the day of your appointment, you must complete our online ‘Travel Questionnaire’. There are separate questionnaires for both interstate and international travel. (*Please allow 1 to 2 business days AFTER our staff receives your completed Travel Questionnaire for us to call you to schedule your pet’s doctor appointment. Please bring all relevant previous history or paperwork to your pet’s appointment.*)
Click here to complete the Interstate Travel Questionnaire
Click here to complete the International Travel Questionnaire
- You must review your destination state/country’s admission requirements for your pet on USDA APHIS | APHIS Pet Travel
- Be aware that the majority of international health certificates require an ADDITIONAL endorsement (stamp/signature) by the federal USDA veterinary services.
USDA Endorsement Information
As of 01/2022
Most countries require USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) endorsement of health certificates that are to be used for international travel.
Each individual country has its own specific requirements and time frame to meet requirements. Please review information thoroughly and carefully and plan well in advance of travel.
See USDA website: USDA APHIS | APHIS Pet Travel for travel requirements and endorsement information.
The USDA charges a fee for endorsement which needs to be submitted along with the health certificate and other travel documents.
- Credit card only (cash is not accepted).
- A current rabies vaccination certificate signed in blue ink by the doctor also needs to be submitted.
- As of January 2022, the current USDA endorsement paperwork turnaround time is 3 days NOT including mail days.
An endorsement may be obtained by OVERNIGHT MAIL/FED-EX to either USDA office below:
Los Angeles Animal Import Center (LA AIC)
USDA-APHIS
222 Kansas St
El Segundo, CA 90245
-------or-------
USDA Sacramento
10365 Old Placerville Road, Suite 210
Sacramento, CA 95827-2518
Kansas State FAVN Rabies Titer Testing
As of 04/2022
“The FAVN test is required by many rabies-free countries or regions in order for dogs and cats to qualify for a reduced quarantine period prior to entry. Some of these regions are Hawaii, Japan, Korea, Australia, Guam, New Zealand, and some islands in the Caribbean. Always check with the destination authority to verify pet importation requirements.” ~Kansas State University
PLAN WELL IN ADVANCE
It takes several months from microchipping and updating the rabies vaccine in preparation for FAVN Titer testing to drawing the blood sample, receiving titer results, and fulfilling a destination country’s wait period. This cannot be rushed.
In preparing a pet for travel, we follow Kansas State University's recommendation of administering a rabies vaccine and waiting 21-30 days between rabies vaccination and FAVN Titer Testing for optimum antibody response. There are countries that may have a longer wait period between rabies vaccine and FAVN titer testing. Be sure to check with your destination country/region.
- Microchipping is required before FAVN Titer testing If your pet has a microchip but we did not insert the microchip at LCAH, please bring a record of the date the microchip was implanted. Some countries require the date of microchipping on their health certificate.
- Rabies vaccine(s) Some countries require more than one rabies vaccine prior to Rabies FAVN Titer Testing. We must have a written record of any rabies vaccines given, in the form of rabies certificates, to complete the Kansas State Rabies FAVN Titer form. If we did not perform the rabies vaccine at our hospital you will need to provide a copy of the rabies certificate to us. You will also need original, “signed in blue ink” copies of the rabies certificate(s) for your destination country/region. Be sure to check with your destination country/region for their rabies vaccine requirements.
- FAVN Rabies Titer testing is scheduled as a drop-off to the hospital for the day. This is to allow us the time to make sure the blood sample we collect is viable and the FAVN paperwork is properly completed by one of our USDA accredited veterinarians.
- A 12-HOUR FAST IS REQUIRED FOR ALL DOGS AND CATS FOR RABIES TITER TESTING. This means do not feed 12 hours prior to drop off.
FAVN RABIES TITER RESULTS
FAVN Rabies Titer results currently take 7-8 weeks to receive back from Kansas State University Rabies Laboratory.
Our Doctor will call you with the FAVN Rabies Titer results once these results are electronically imported into our database by our lab.
Please note: If the titer result is below the accepted level, the rabies vaccine will need to be “boostered” and titer testing will need to be done again. If this occurs you are financially responsible for payment to update the rabies vaccine and a second rabies titer test.
FAVN Titer Results for International Travel
- If you are traveling INTERNATIONALLY and your destination country requires original documentation, Kansas State will mail/FedEx the original official FAVN Rabies Titer result document to our hospital, once the results are available. You will need this document for USDA endorsement and entry into your destination country
- We will call or text you to pick this original document up as soon as we receive it.
FAVN Titer Results for Hawaii
- If you are traveling to HAWAII, you will NOT receive the original hard copy of the FAVN Rabies titer results. Results are automatically forwarded to The Hawaii Department of Agriculture.
- A COPY of the original official FAVN Rabies Titer results will be sent to us once available, which we can print or email for you.
- Our doctor will call you with the rabies titer results once they are received and reviewed.
- It is recommended that you check your pet’s blood test results at the Hawaii Department of Agriculture website.