Cat Travel: Crossing the US/Canada Border

Name: Joan
Number of Pets: 1
Pet Type: Cat

Dear PetRelocation,

We are visiting Florida from Toronto for one month. We will be traveling by car and taking our cat. We have her vaccinations and rabies shot up to date.

Do we need a special certificate from the vet or other documents to cross into the U.S. or to return to Canada?

Thank you,

Joan

Hi Joan,

Yes, you'll need to be able to prove that your cat is up to date with her rabies vaccine by carrying the proper documentation with you. You'll need:

-An original rabies vaccine certificate.

-An International Health Certificate issued by your vet within 10 days of departure.

You should also check with the USDA about whether or not you need the health certificate to be endorsed by them. 

Please read this post about crossing the US/Canada border with a pet for more information about the process. Note that the experience of crossing the border with a pet can vary from person to person -- not every agent checks everything, but it's better to err on the side of caution and fulfill all the requirements. 

Hopefully this is the information you were looking for. Good luck to you, and please contact us if you need any more guidance. Thanks for the great question!