Puppies must be in good health to enter the United States
Shipping a puppy from Canada to a new home in the United States requires proper planning and preparation. Before you can send the puppy abroad to its new home, you must complete proper documentation that notes the dog's vaccination schedule. Some puppies may be required to have a health certificate or meet other qualifications as well, and when traveling through customs with the dog, you must complete a customs declaration form.
Proof of Vaccination
Puppies who have been vaccinated against rabies must be accompanied by documentation of their shots when entering the United States from Canada. They must have been given the vaccine at least 30 days before entering the country. Puppies who are being sent to the USA for use as service or guide dogs are not exempt from having proof of vaccination with them when entering the country, though dogs who have not been vaccinated are not required to travel with this documentation.
Confinement Agreement
Puppies under the age of 3 months are typically too young to have been vaccinated against rabies. These puppies, and other dogs that have not been vaccinated, must be accompanied by a completed confinement agreement before entering the United States. The confinement agreement notes that the owner of the puppy agrees to confine it until shots have been given and 30 days have passed. While puppies younger than 3 months must get the rabies vaccines near their 3-month birthday, older puppies must receive the shot within 10 days of entering the country, notes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Customs Declaration Card
You must complete a customs declaration card if you are transporting the puppy or picking it up at an international airport. The card is issued to travelers arriving at the border, and you cannot fill it out ahead of time. When traveling with a puppy, you must declare that you are bringing the animal with you into the United States by checking "yes" to any questions asking if you are bringing animals into the country with you and briefly describing the puppy on the back of the card.
Considerations
While no other paperwork is required to bring a dog into the United States from Canada, certain states, as well as some airlines, require puppies to travel with a health certificate. Before travel, check with the state the puppy is traveling to for specific state requirements and contact your airline for any specific documentation needed. In addition, dogs may be inspected for health at border crossings and denied entry or be required to undergo a veterinary inspection before entry is granted, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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