There are two types of health certificates available, one which approves pets for travel within the continental United States, and another which approves them for international travel. Veterinarians must go through additional training and accreditation by the USDA to complete health certificates so not all veterinarians offer this service. VCA Preston Park is fortunate to have three USDA accredited veterinarians on our team. Dr. Soileau, Dr. Suarez, and Dr. Dowd provide health certificates for dogs and cats.
Acquiring a health certificate will require you to schedule an appointment with Dr. Soileau, Dr. Suarez or Dr. Dowd within 10 days of travel. Your pet will receive an overall exam during which the doctor will be able to certify that your pet is healthy and safe for travel.
What information do you need to provide us?
Your contact information including local address, phone number, and email address.
Pet(s) information:
- Name
- Species (canine or feline)
- Date of birth (MM/DD/YY)
- Breed
- Color & markings
- Sex (male, female)
- If altered (spayed, neutered, unknown)
- Microchip number and company (if applicable)
- All previous medical records including rabies certificate(s) if VCA Preston Park is not your primary veterinarian or we have not given any vaccinations.
How is your pet(s) traveling?
- With you
- A designated person (not the owner)
- Travel company or moving company
- Kenneled in cargo
Travel information:
- Airline/Shipping Company contact information
- Departure date (MM/DD/YY)
- Departure airport(Country/City)
- Arrival airport (Country/City)
- Address of destination
Please email all information requested to vcaprestonpark@vca.com with the subject as Health Certificate Request. Call our office at 972-985-0081 to schedule an appointment so we can ensure that our health certificate team is available to assist you. Booking online appointments for heath certificates is not recommended.
A few important tips:
- Always check with your airline or shipping company for their requirements. They can differ by airline and destination.
- If traveling outside the continuous United States, please visit https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/pet-travel to review the requirements for your destination. Each island or country have different requirements that can (and do) change at any time. Some examples are vaccines, microchips, testing, treatments, quarantines, and pet passports. Please note that international health certificates vary in price depending on the complexity of destination’s requirements.
- Contact your destination’s Department of Agriculture or Ministry of Agriculture for their most up to date import/export requirements.
- Be sure to plan ahead for your return. You may be required to have another health certificate completed at your destination.
