Cold Lake Veterinary Clinic - Exporting Pets to the United States

Traveling can be very stressful and we are here to help! There are new requirements for dogs traveling to the United States starting
August 1st, 2024, and we will have more information near the middle of July 2024. 

Some important information to know for traveling or moving to the U.S with your pets:

• Your dog must be microchipped prior to crossing the border and be up to date on their Rabies vaccination. 
  • If the rabies vaccine was done BEFORE the microchip was placed, the vaccine is considered to be "invalid" and requires a booster vaccine AFTER microchip has been placed. This vaccine will NEED to be boostered in 1 YEAR!
  • There is a 28 DAY waiting period AFTER the rabies vaccine has been administered before you are able to cross the border
    • IF YOU ARE TAKING YOUR PET BEFORE THIS WAITING PERIOD THEY WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO CROSS
  • The vaccination certificate and paperwork is valid as long as the rabies vaccination is valid (1-3 years)
    • This is dependent on when your dog received their vaccination
• If you are traveling, not moving, to the U.S, the address you are staying at the LONGEST is the address needed for the paperwork.
• You are able to make multiple entries, however the CDC does NOT cover individual state requirements. 
  • You are needing to contact where you are going in order to know what that state requires for paperwork 
    • This could include specific parasite treatment, other vaccinations (such as Distemper/Parvo or Bordetella (kennel cough), etc
• Please see the links below for more information. We notice that traveling to the states at this time is very confusing, stressful and frustrating, and we hope that we are able
  to help you through this process as smoothly as possible. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you require any assistance. 

Exporting Dogs to the United States

CDC - How to Apply for Dog Import Permit