Do you plan to travel and have the opportunity to bring your family with you? What luck! Whether you are going on a trip for a vacation or a permanent move to another country, it is important to plan Ti-Loup’s trip as well, since each destination has its own requirements.
It is good to know that it is the traveller, you, who is responsible for ensuring that you have ALL the papers and test results required in order for your pet to be admitted to another country. Veterinarians are unaware of all international requests and time requirements for vaccination and quarantine of all destinations. We have nevertheless gathered some important information here to help you plan your departure.
APPROXIMATELY 4 MONTHS BEFORE DEPARTURE
It is essential to carry out your research a few months before departure in order to be sure of the requirements of the country where you wish to travel.
For example, at the time of writing this article, while Australia and New Zealand require a titration of antibodies against rabies in order to be able to transport your pet there, this is not a requirement to enter into USA. This titration requires 4 to 6 weeks before the results are received. If the quantity of antibodies is too low, it will then be necessary to redo the vaccination and the validations of the antibody level. This process may therefore take much longer than anticipated.
- Visit the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) Traveling with Animals website. You will find a wealth of relevant information there. Please visit this site to travel to USA.
- Contact a CFIA veterinarian, as certain forms will have to be completed by the latter to access certain countries. Schedule your appointment now, which could be a few days or hours before departure.
- Contact the consulate or embassy of the country or region to be visited to clarify the prerequisites and add them to your list of actions to do before departure.
- Contact the competent authorities of the host country to confirm if a quarantine is required upon your arrival in this new country. Depending on the species and the country, the durations and places accepted for quarantine vary, so it is important to be well informed before departure.
- Also plan times for appointments with your family veterinarian
- In general, a health examination by your family veterinarian is required less than 10 days before departure, but this delay must be confirmed with the CFIA in order to comply with the requirements.
- Depending on the means of transport, contact your transport provider for options and obligations.
- If you want to keep Ti-Loup with you in the cabin when traveling by train or plane, it is important to check with your carrier the volume of cages accepted and confirm the associated costs.
- If you are traveling by car, make sure your pet is safe.
- Cats should be placed comfortably in transport cages and well laid out in the car to avoid movement.
- Dogs must also be placed in a transport cage if they are small enough or attached via a travel harness and attached to the seat belt.
There is nothing more dangerous than a loose animal in a car…and even for just a few minutes. In an accident, his body will be thrown, could seriously injure you and his death is also possible. Plus, it’s too much of a distraction for driving.
THE LAST STRAIGHT LINE
(a few days before departure)
Having taken your steps with enough time, the last days will serve you to finalize the actions that you will have noted in the planning phase of your trip.
- If required, meet with the CFIA veterinarian, according to what was arranged with him during your initial call.
- Visit to your family veterinarian
- Make sure you get the correct dewormers for the area you are visiting. Prescriptions can be put in your luggage, but it is important to have a tag with a valid prescription.
- During your veterinary visit, you may be provided with a certificate of good health in order to facilitate entry into the new country.
- Traveling by plane, train or car can cause a lot of stress for your pet. It is therefore recommended to give a tranquilizer or anxiolytic a few hours before departure and during departure. Be sure to discuss this with your veterinarian.
- For the trip and the full duration of the stay, make sure you have the required food for your pet, as there may be changes in the brands available depending on the country. If your pet has a weak stomach or restrictions, avoid dietary changes while traveling, in addition to stress, this can cause more problems. Do not hesitate to provide some additional rations, in case of delay or cancellation of transport.
- If your animal has a known medical condition, it is important to leave with a copy of its medical file so that you can inform the veterinarian of the host country in case of problems.
Interesting fact : Pet passports exist, especially in Europe. However, a veterinarian from another country or region cannot complete this document. It is therefore possible that you have several official documents for your animal, depending on the countries where it has lived.
In summary, we don’t plan an overseas trip for ourselves in a single day, so neither do our animals. The secret to a successful trip and peace of mind is definitely planning. Don’t hesitate to talk about it with the veterinary team if you plan to travel soon, so you can enjoy a pleasant trip for Ti-Loup…and you!
The Vet & Cie Team
Photo credits:
Erik Mclean, Maria Orlova, Marek Kupiec on Pexels.com
