Flying with Four-Legged Family

Traveling with your pet this season? Heart of Chelsea can help! Whether you are planning a trip within the United States, or escaping the cold in favor of an exotic destination abroad, our team of travel experts can provide the guidance, medical treatments and paperwork you’ll need to travel securely and with peace of mind.

Domestic Travel

The requirements for traveling domestically within the United States are typically assigned by individual airlines, although some states do have their own requirements to consider. Some of the common airline requirements include:

• An exam and Health Certificate within 10 days of travel
• Proof of up-to-date vaccinations, including but not limited to Rabies and Distemper
• Service and support animal documentation

Factors like age, breed and carrier size can also be stipulated by the airlines. If you have plans to travel with Fluffy within the United States, you can search for the airline requirements on their websites, or call to speak with an agent before booking your flight.

Did You Know?
The travel team at Heart of Chelsea maintains a list of airline requirements for domestic flights. It’s all part of our promise to provide clients with concierge service that makes pet health and care easier for pet parents.

International Travel

Every country has its own list of requirements for pet export, and those requirements are reported to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA often acts as a buffer to ensure that requirements are met before travel, so all documentation is typically required to be reviewed and endorsed before departure, with very few exceptions.

Did You Know?
Veterinarians must be USDA-accredited to complete international travel documents. Every Heart of Chelsea doctor has completed a rigorous USDA curriculum in order to obtain their accreditation.

International travel requirements vary widely from country to country, and some countries require up to six or seven months’ worth of preparation before a move can be made. Here are some of the common international travel requirements:

• An exam and Health Certificate completed within a timeframe designated by the destination country.  This is often 10 days but can vary.
• Proof of up-to-date vaccinations, including but not limited to Rabies, Distemper, Bordetella, Canine Influenza, Lyme, and Leptospirosis
• Rabies Titer (Blood test that measures antibody levels)
• Tick and Tapeworm Treatments
• Intestinal Parasite Screenings
• Import Permits issued by the destination country

Heart of Chelsea’s travel team facilitates treatments and travel documents for thousands of clients each year, and we guarantee our work! Let us know your travel plans by giving any one of our locations a call, or by completing the International Travel Form located on our website: