What Is Required to Get an EU Pet Health Certificate in the United States?
The requirements to get an EU Pet Health Certificate in the United States are:
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- Copies of all rabies vaccination certificates signed in blue
- Contact information in the EU travel destination
- An appointment with a USDA-accredited veterinarian two (2) months before the travel date
- An appointment with a USDA-accredited veterinarian within ten (10) days of arrival in the EU (but long enough before departure for the certificate to be issued and delivered)
- Fees for veterinarian and certificate
Preparing To Get An EU Pet Health Certificate
Our journey to get Gus’s EU Pet Health Certificate began a year before our full-time travel departure date. We knew it had to be issued by a USDA-accredited veterinarian. We also knew Gus’s rabies vaccinations were essential.
Annual Appointment
I called his vet in Austin to see if anyone was qualified to issue international health certificates. They confirmed one vet was certified. So, I made Gus’s annual appointment with the appropriate person.
A week later, I took Gus for his regular annual vet appointment. I explained to the vet that we would be traveling to Italy in a year, and Gus would need an EU Health Certificate before leaving. She disclosed she was not sure she would renew the credentials allowing her to issue the documents.
Nonetheless, she reviewed Gus’s three rabies certificates to ensure they were properly signed in blue ink. One certificate was signed in black ink, so it needed a new signature. Finally, she confirmed that none of the vaccinations had ever lapsed.
A Word of Caution About Rabies Vaccinations
If a rabies vaccination expires before getting a booster, the booster is no longer considered a booster. Instead, the booster is treated as the initial vaccination. This is important because, in states like Texas, the initial vaccination is only valid for one year. The boosters, on the other hand, are good for three years.
Consequently, if you ever let a rabies vaccination expire (by just one day), the next vaccine is only valid for one year. Unfortunately, you probably won’t realize this. Instead, you will likely assume it is a booster and wait three years before getting the next one. Of course, you then have a second expired vaccine, and the next one is (again) considered the initial and only valid for one year.
So, if it has been more than a year since the last rabies vaccine, it could be expired (even if it was a three-year booster). To resolve this issue, your vet must administer a rabies vaccine before issuing an international health certificate. Importantly, this must be done 21 days before your departure. All of this showcases the importance of starting the process well in advance of your trip.
Process For Getting An EU Pet Health Certificate
Getting an EH Pet Health Certificate requires two vet appointments: a pre-appointment and a final appointment.
PRE-APPOINTMENT FOR EU HEALTH CERTIFICATE
Three months before our departure date, I contacted the vet’s office to make an appointment for the EU Health Certificate. I was promptly informed that they no longer had a vet certified to issue EU Health Certificates. Fortunately, they were able to recommend a different vet that was qualified. Clearly, the previous vet decided not to renew the required certification.
I contacted the recommended vet and made an appointment to get the certificate issued. They required a $100 deposit and a pre-appointment two months before my travel date. Additionally, they asked me to have Gus’s previous vet send them his medical records. The old vet happily complied.
At the pre-appointment, the technician obtained our Italian contact information, and the veterinarian quickly looked at Gus. We were then charged $438 for the future and final appointment.
FINAL APPOINTMENT FOR EU HEALTH CERTIFICATE
The final appointment and issuance of the health certificate must be within ten (10) days of your arrival in Europe. At the final appointment, Gus was examined by the vet, the paperwork was signed, and I paid a final fee of $58.
However, I did not receive the final paperwork because it must be sent to and certified by the regional USDA Veterinarian Official. After three nerve-racking days, we received the final certificate via FedEx. In the end, Gus’s EU Health Certificate cost a total of $596.
Lesson Learned: Planning Ahead Pays Off
My takeaway from this experience is that you must start the process a minimum of 30 days before your departure date. This is critical if your pet’s rabies certificate has ever expired, and a new rabies vaccination must be administered before departure.
Also, if cost is a factor for you, call around to different vet offices. Be sure to ask how much they charge for the necessary examinations and issuance of the certificate.
I did not price compare, and, in hindsight, $600 seems like a steep price to pay for the services I received. That said, I met a lady on my flight from Austin to Newark who was flying to Switzerland with her Yorkie. She paid $1,000 for her international health certificate! So, maybe $600 is not all that bad…
If you would like some tips on flying with your dog, check out our article, “Flying International with a French Bulldog.“