Pet Import and Quarantine
Know which dog import documents, rabies timing, and quarantine rules apply before flying.
If you are moving to the United States with a pet, start by checking whether the animal actually qualifies as a pet under the federal travel rules. APHIS lists dogs, cats, ferrets, rabbits, rodents, hedgehogs and tenrecs, reptiles, amphibians, and birds as pets, but some birds are regulated differently, and CBP warns that not all animals count as pets at all. That matters because importations can be subject to state and local veterinary health rules, federal quarantine, agriculture, wildlife, and customs requirements, and excluded animals can be returned to the country of embarkation at the owner’s expense. The safest first step is to identify the species-specific rule set before you buy a ticket or book a border crossing, then confirm the arrival port with the airline and the government page for that species. CBP also recommends contacting the anticipated port of arrival ahead of time so you can reduce delays and avoid arriving with paperwork that does not match the route. For anyone bringing a dog, CDC says the rules depend on where the dog was vaccinated and which countries it has been in during the previous 6 months, so a simple vacation stop can change the paperwork you need. Bringing a Pet Dog into the United States, Bringing Pets and Wildlife into the United States, Bringing a Dog into the U.S.
For dogs, the CDC Dog Import Form receipt is the baseline document for every dog entering or returning to the U.S., and it applies even when the dog is just transiting through a land border. If the dog has been only in dog rabies-free or low-risk countries during the last 6 months, CDC says it can enter at any port of entry, but it still must have the receipt, appear healthy, be microchipped, and be at least 6 months old. Dogs that have been in any high-risk country during the last 6 months need additional documents, and the port of entry rules become stricter depending on whether the dog is U.S.-vaccinated or foreign-vaccinated. U.S.-vaccinated dogs with the correct USDA-endorsed paperwork can enter at any port as long as the port matches the CDC Dog Import Form receipt. Foreign-vaccinated dogs that have been in a high-risk country within the last 6 months can only enter at a U.S. airport with a CDC-registered animal care facility and a reservation, and they cannot enter through a land border crossing. CDC also says there is no limit on the number of dogs you can bring, but each dog needs its own receipt, so families traveling with multiple pets should prepare one set of documents per animal. For frequent trips between Canada and Mexico, the receipt can be valid for multiple entries for 6 months as long as the country of departure does not change. Keep digital and paper copies together so the microchip number, form receipt, and vaccination records can be matched quickly at inspection. Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations, Bringing a Dog into the U.S.
Rabies timing is where many travelers get surprised, because the date of vaccination can matter as much as the vaccine itself. CDC says dogs must receive their first rabies vaccination on or after 12 weeks, or 84 days, of age, or according to the manufacturer’s guidance if the product is licensed for older dogs. If you are taking a U.S.-vaccinated dog to a high-risk country and then bringing it back, the first rabies vaccine must have been given at least 28 days before leaving the U.S., and the Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form must be submitted to USDA and endorsed before the dog leaves. For dogs that arrive from a high-risk country without a valid rabies serology titer, CDC says a 28-day quarantine at a CDC-registered animal care facility may apply, but the quarantine may be shortened if the dog is a personal pet or service dog, has at least 2 rabies vaccines aligned with U.S. schedules, is healthy on veterinary exam, the facility gets CDC approval for prospective serologic monitoring, the dog gets a U.S.-issued rabies vaccine as part of that protocol, and the monitoring is completed correctly. All costs for that monitoring are the importer’s responsibility. If the protocol is not followed correctly, the results are invalid and the dog must complete the 28-day quarantine. In practice, that means the ideal planning window is not the week before travel but the moment you decide to move, because appointments, endorsements, and quarantine reservations all have to line up. Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations, Bringing a Dog into the U.S.
APHIS adds a separate layer for some countries, and the extra step depends on the disease risk where the dog has been. If your dog is coming from a country affected by foot-and-mouth disease, APHIS says the fur and bedding must be free of excessive dirt, hay, or straw, and the dog should be bathed as soon as it reaches its destination and kept separate from livestock for 5 days after entering the U.S. If the dog is coming from a screwworm-affected country, APHIS says it needs a certificate signed by a full-time salaried veterinary official stating that the dog was inspected within 5 days before shipment and is free from screwworm, or was treated until free before leaving the region. CDC also defines service dogs narrowly: emotional support animals, comfort animals, companionship animals, and service animals in training do not count as service animals under that definition. For service dogs from high-risk countries, CDC gives separate airport and seaport pathways, but land border entry is still not allowed in that case. If your pet is not a dog, confirm whether the species falls under different import rules before you depend on the dog guidance, because the route, the paperwork, and the quarantine plan can change by animal type. If you are moving with a service dog, confirm the exact route, the port, and the paperwork before you book anything. Bring a Pet Dog into the United States, Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations, Bringing Pets and Wildlife into the United States
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Veterinarians and Pet Care
Find accredited vets, budget for endorsements, and watch FDA recall pages after you move.
If you are traveling internationally with a pet, contact a USDA-accredited veterinarian as soon as you decide to travel. APHIS says the veterinarian will help you determine the destination country’s pet entry requirements, explain any vaccinations, tests, or treatments, and submit the health certificate for APHIS endorsement. Accreditation is state-specific and voluntary, so not every veterinarian can sign international health certificates. APHIS also says you should call your regular vet first and ask whether they or someone in the practice is accredited, then use the NVAP self-search tool if needed. Just as important, APHIS cannot endorse a certificate if the veterinarian is not accredited in the state where they are practicing, so a clinic that works in one state may not be acceptable once the vet crosses a state line. If your trip involves birds or livestock, APHIS says you need Category II accreditation, which is a separate reminder that not every clinic is equipped for every species. The practical move is to verify both availability and state authorization before any examination, because the paperwork chain only works if the vet, the state, and the destination all line up. If you wait until the week of travel, the risk is not just a missed appointment but a certificate that cannot be used. How Do I Find a USDA-Accredited Veterinarian To Complete My Animal's Health Certificate?, Take a Pet From the United States to Another Country (Export)
Money is part of the veterinary plan, and APHIS makes the fee structure public so you can budget before you go. Endorsement fees are charged per health certificate or export document, and payment must be made before the APHIS Endorsement Office can sign it. If there are 0 laboratory tests, the fee is $101 per certificate. With 1-2 laboratory tests, the fee is $160 for 1 pet, or $160 for the first pet plus $10 for each additional pet on the same certificate. With 3-6 laboratory tests, the fee is $206 for 1 pet, or $206 for the first pet plus $18 for each additional pet on the same certificate. With 7 or more tests, the fee is $275 for 1 pet, or $275 for the first pet plus $21 for each additional pet on the same certificate. APHIS says vaccines are not considered tests for this calculation. Accepted payment methods are an APHIS user fee credit account, check or money order payable to USDA, or credit or debit card. If your pet is a service dog belonging to an individual with a disability under the ADA, APHIS does not charge the endorsement fee, but it still charges fees for emotional support animals and other animals not covered by the ADA. Those details matter because the veterinarian’s own exam fee is separate from the APHIS fee, so the full cost is usually higher than the endorsement line item alone. A move budget that ignores the endorsement stage can be tight even when the exam itself looks affordable. Cost To Endorse Your Pet's Health Certificate
When a clinic does not have a USDA-accredited veterinarian, do not assume the paperwork is impossible. APHIS says you can ask whether another veterinarian in the same practice is accredited, contact other local veterinary practices, or use the NVAP search tool to find an accredited veterinarian in your area. CDC adds that if you cannot complete the dog import form yourself because of a disability, another person can complete it on your behalf, and you can contact CDC-INFO for help if timing is tight. That is useful because travel paperwork is often the thing that becomes difficult when the move gets close, especially if you are balancing flights, housing, and school or work start dates. If you are exporting a pet bird from the U.S. and your destination country asks for quarantine or health certificates, remember that APHIS runs separate animal import centers and quarantine processes for birds and other species, so species-specific planning still matters. The main point is simple: do not wait until the week of travel to look for a veterinarian who can handle international paperwork, because accreditation, form completion, and endorsement are all linked. Even if the veterinary clinic is nearby and convenient, it only works if the vet is accredited in your state and can support the exact species and route you are using. If you are moving between states before traveling abroad, that extra move can change which veterinarian can legally sign the documents. How Do I Find a USDA-Accredited Veterinarian To Complete My Animal's Health Certificate?, Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations
After you move, veterinary care is not just about routine checkups. FDA’s animal-veterinary pages are where you check for recalls, withdrawals, and advisories that can affect pet food or medications, and those pages are updated with the kind of specific dates and product names that are easy to miss in daily life. For example, the FDA recall page lists Albright’s Raw Pet Food Chicken Recipe for Dogs on 05/07/2026 because of possible Salmonella contamination, and the advisories page lists Quest cat food alerts on 03/13/2026. Those notices matter because contaminated pet food can make pets sick and can spread illness to people through handling, bowls, counters, or direct contact. FDA says to report pet food complaints and animal drug side effects through its reporting pages, and to contact a veterinarian if your pet ate a recalled product and shows symptoms such as lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, or loss of appetite. The practical habit is to treat recall checking as part of normal care, not as an emergency-only task. When you are settling in to a new country, that routine can save time, money, and a preventable vet visit. It also helps you compare brands with a clearer eye, because a new city can mean a new store, a new food aisle, and a new list of products you have to trust. Recalls & Withdrawals | FDA, Outbreaks and Advisories | FDA
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Pet-Friendly Housing and Housing Rules
Learn how HUD rules and private leases handle pets, deposits, and local limits.
In public housing, the basic federal rule is more pet-friendly than many first-time renters expect. HUD says tenants who live in public housing developments are permitted to own common household pets, but the public housing agency may set reasonable pet rules or policies for the community. HUD also says the rules differ depending on whether the development is for elderly or disabled residents or for general occupancy. For elderly or disabled developments, PHAs must permit tenants to own common household pets and may create rules, but they cannot discriminate in admissions or continued occupancy because an applicant or tenant owns a pet or has a pet in the unit. For general occupancy developments, pet ownership is also allowed, but it is subject to reasonable requirements in the PHA’s plan and admissions policy. HUD’s guidebook also makes a key distinction that new arrivals often miss: assistance animals are not pets. They are not subject to pet size, weight, type, designated-area, or deposit requirements. If you are moving with a dog, cat, bird, rabbit, or another common pet, the first question is whether the housing is public housing or private rental housing, because the legal starting point is different even before the lease language begins. That is why a building that looks pet-friendly on a listing may still have separate rules for pets and assistance animals once you read the full policy. Pet Ownership in Public Housing
HUD says reasonable pet rules should be tied to legitimate interests such as maintaining a safe and sanitary living environment, and they should be drawn narrowly rather than imposing unnecessary burdens. In elderly or disabled developments, the PHA must consult tenants when creating or amending pet rules, provide notice, and consider comments before the final rules take effect. In general occupancy developments, the pet policies become part of the Annual Plan and are subject to public hearing, Resident Advisory Board consultation, and HUD review. HUD also says PHAs must take appropriate steps for effective communication and limited English proficiency, which matters if you need accessible formats or translation support while applying. If you are using subsidized housing or public housing assistance, USAGov says each city or county has its own eligibility rules, and you can contact your nearest public housing agency or call the Public and Indian Housing Information Resource Center at 1-800-955-2232. The practical move is to ask about both rent eligibility and pet policy early, because a unit can be financially available but still not workable if the building’s pet rules are too strict for your animal. Starting with the housing agency or the property manager saves time when your move is only a few months away, and it keeps you from falling in love with a place that cannot accept your pet under its own written rules. Pet Ownership in Public Housing, Get subsidized housing
Private rentals are usually less standardized than public housing, and the Houston pet-friendly housing list shows how wide the variation can be in one U.S. city. The same government PDF includes properties that allow cats and dogs with max 2 pets, such as 2111 Holly Hall and 57 Off Memorial, as well as properties with more specific limits like Abbey at Enclave, which allows up to 40 lbs with a $250 pet fee and a $150 deposit, or Ashley Park, which allows cats and dogs with max 2 and up to 20 lbs. Other examples show the spread even more clearly: Arcadian allows cats and dogs, max 2 pets, up to 99 lbs; Camden City Centre Apartments and Camden Travis Street Apartments both allow cat or dog, 2 max, with no weight limit; Canal Place allows cats only, max 1; Plaza Del Oro allows cats and dogs, max 2, up to 99 lbs; and Parkside Point says no pets. The list also includes buildings that accept only service animals, such as NHH 1414 Congress, NHH Canal Street Apartments, and NHH Hamilton Street Residence. That is why a rental search in the U.S. should never stop at the phrase pet-friendly. You need the actual limits, because weight caps, species restrictions, and pet counts can change whether you qualify, whether you need a smaller pet, or whether you should move on to another building before you spend time on an application. Pet Friendly Housing in Houston
The safest lease checklist is practical and boring, which is exactly what you want when you are about to sign. Ask whether the property allows cats, dogs, or both; whether there is a 1-pet or 2-pet cap; whether weight limits are measured per pet or combined; whether the building uses terms such as non-aggressive only; whether there is a pet fee, a pet deposit, or both; whether service animals are handled separately from pet rules; and whether the policy is written in the lease or only in a building policy that can change later. If you are comparing several places, write the restrictions down side by side before you apply, because one building may allow 2 pets with no weight limit while another allows only 1 small pet. The Houston list shows all of those patterns in one place, which makes it a useful template for how U.S. rentals often work. Even when a property is technically pet-friendly, you should assume the manager will want specifics: species, number of pets, weight, behavior, and sometimes even deposit or fee details. Asking before you submit an application is faster than finding out after a background check that the apartment is not actually suitable for your pet. It also gives you room to compare neighborhoods, because a slightly cheaper apartment may become more expensive once the pet rules are added up. Pet Friendly Housing in Houston, Pet Ownership in Public Housing