Personal Import

Dogs and puppies entering the USA for personal pets, rabies vaccination certificate is not required. However, you must have a heath document or passport proving the dogs' readiness for travel, and the dogs must appear healthy upon arrival. Dogs must be at least 6 months old at time of entry or return to the US. Dogs must have a microchip that can be detected with a universal scanner to identify them.

Commercial Import

Puppies and dogs entering the United States intended for resale or adoption must be at least 6 months of age, The dogs must be in good health and vaccinated for rabies, distemper, hepatits, leptospirosis, parvovirus, and parainfluenza virus, Heath and vaccination must be issued in English by a veterinarian with a valid license to practice veterinary medicine in the country of export. Commercial import also need an import permit issued by Animal Care/USDA.

Dogs from High-Risk Countries for Dog Rabies

These dogs can only enter the U.S. at an airport with a CDC-registered animal care facility. Requirements include: The CDC Dog Import Form receipt. You complete this form online. It will only take a few minutes if you have the required information available. A Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form. This form is filled out by your veterinarian and endorsed by an official government veterinarian. If not included on the form above, you will also need a valid rabies serology titer report from a CDC-approved laboratory. Dogs must have a reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility. If you do not have a valid rabies serology titer, this must include a 28-day quarantine reservation. Dogs must have a microchip that can be detected with a universal scanner to identify them. The microchip must be implanted before getting the rabies vaccine, or else the vaccine will be invalid. The microchip number must be included on all required forms and supporting documents. Dogs must appear healthy upon arrival. Dogs must be at least 6 months old at time of entry

Cats and Kittens

A general certificate of health is not required by CDC for entry of pet cats into the United States, although some airlines or states may require them. However, pet cats are subject to inspection at ports of entry and may be denied entry into the United States if they have evidence of an infectious disease that can be transmitted to humans. If a cat appears to be ill, further examination by a licensed veterinarian at the owner’s expense might be required at the port of entry.

Cats are not required to have proof of rabies vaccination for importation into the United States. However, some states require vaccination of cats for rabies, so it is a good idea to check with state and local health authorities at your final destination.

Exotic cats, such as Bengal cats and Savannah cats must be cleared by USFWS upon import. This even applies to cats that are more than four generations removed from the pure bred specimen, which are classified as domestic cats by USDA.

1. Link for USDA dog import permit application

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalwelfare/dog-import-into-us/import-live-dogs-into-us

2. Link for high-risk countries for dog rabies

https://www.cdc.gov/importation/bringing-an-animal-into-the-united-states/high-risk.html