Rabies Vaccination Information for Shipping Dogs to the United States
Whether you are purchasing a dog from another country or are shipping your own dog to the United States, specific rabies vaccination requirements must be met. When planning to ship a dog, you should take the time to find out about rabies information for shipping dogs to the United States.
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Rabies
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Rabies vaccine requirements for shipping dogs to the United States exist for a reason. Rabies is a highly contagious disease that is communicable to both dogs and humans as well as many other animals, and can lead to paralysis and even death if not treated promptly. Dog owners in the U.S. are required by law to have their pets vaccinated against rabies, and these vaccination requirements have helped to greatly reduce the spread of this disease.
Rabies Vaccination Information For Shipping Dogs To The United States
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Dogs being shipped to the United States must be accompanied by proof of current (30 days prior to entry into the U.S.) rabies vaccination if they are 12 weeks of age or older, unless they originate from an area that has been certified to be free of rabies. In very rare cases, exceptions may be made for service dogs (Seeing Eye Dogs, etc.) accompanied by a current health certificate.
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Rabies Information For Shipping Puppies
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Puppies under 12 weeks of age are exempted from the rabies vaccination requirement, since this vaccination is not given to puppies in the United States until they are 3 to 6 months old.
Related Requirements
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In addition to rabies vaccination requirements, it is important to keep in mind that puppies must be at least 8 weeks of age before they can be shipped to the United States, and that in addition to proof of current rabies vaccine, all dogs must also have a current certificate of health signed by a veterinarian.
Things To Consider
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If you are purchasing a puppy or a dog from another country, make sure that you are purchasing from a reliable company or breeder. Ask for references, information about health and safety guarantees during shipping, and about the return and refund policy before signing a purchase agreement.
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References
- Photo Credit dog in a cage image by igor kisselev from Fotolia.com
