FAQ / Can I enter Pets and/or Wildlife into the United States?

Travelers frequently inquire about taking their pets with them to the United States. All such imports are subject to health, quarantine, agriculture, or wildlife requirements and prohibitions. Pets taken out of the United States and returned are subject to the same requirements as those entering for the first time.

The Centers for Disease Control, U.S. Public Health Service requires that pet dogs and cats brought into this country be examined at the first port of entry for evidence of diseases that can be transmitted to humans. A valid rabies vaccination certificate must accompany dogs coming from areas not free of rabies. There is no requirement for a rabies vaccination certificate for domestic cats.

Certain imports of rodents are prohibited. For instance, the recent outbreak of monkeypox in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control, banned ALL personal and commercial imports of rodents, such as squirrels, dormice’s, rats, porcupines, and mice from Africa. Presently rodents from other countries have not been banned.