But it’s not impossible. It’s just that they want you to think it’s nearly impossible to dissuade you from attempting it in the first place.
First off… not all breeds of dogs are allowed on planes. If you own a snub-nosed breed type like a pug, bull dog, or boxer, or a fighting breed type like pitbull, rottweiler, or doberman pinscher… there are extensive rules regarding their travel on both domestic and international flights and many airlines won’t allow them at all.
If you have a breed that’s not on the No-No list, go to the USDA-APHIS website to find the requirements for pet import to the country you plan on visiting: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/pet-travel
For dogs going to most European Union countries (such as Spain), they require a microchip and rabies vaccination with original certificate from the vet that administers it, signed with BLUE INK. The dog’s microchip number must be included on the certificate, and must show that the microchip was in place before, or the same time as, the rabies vaccination was given. The rabies vaccine has to be up-to-date no less than 30 days prior to vet inspection for export.
Once you have the vaccinations sorted out… make an appointment for your dog to be inspected by a USDA-Registered veterinarian:
Within 10 days of the date you plan to leave the U.S. if your dog is flying on the same plane (in cabin or cargo)
or…
Within 48 hours of the date your dog is scheduled to fly if they are not flying on the same plane as you.
You will find the associated health certificate for the country you are visiting via the USDA-APHIS website. There are two different forms… one for dogs traveling with you, and another for dogs traveling on their own. Print out the correct version of the form and bring it with you to your vet appointment. If your dog passes the inspection, the vet will complete the paperwork (in blue ink) and give it back to you. It’s your job to send the paperwork (health certificate and original rabies vaccine certificate) to the USDA-APHIS office for your state with payment (check/money order… it cost me $38) and pre-paid self-addressed return envelope. I had a very narrow time frame to work with because I was flying out on a Monday, so I Fed-Exed my paperwork to the USDA with a pre-paid Fed-Ex overnight delivery envelope… and still crossed my fingers. The USDA requires 48 hours to process your application. I don’t know how they expect this time frame to work if your dogs are flying on their own (which requires the inspection to take place within 48 hours of departure), except to say that you likely have to drive the paperwork to the USDA office and have it processed in person. In my case, this would have been really difficult as I was flying out of Denver but the USDA office for Colorado was closed, and they were rerouting all paperwork to Sacramento. I felt lucky to receive my international health certificate signed and sealed and returned to me the Thursday before my Monday flight.
So I’ve just explained how I got permission to bring my dog to Spain, but that’s only half of the entire complicated hoop-jumping and making-it-really-hard-to-do-anything bureaucratic routine. Equally a pain-in-the-ass and exponentially more expensive is the issue of airlines. Not all airlines will fly dogs overseas!! You have to book your flight with an airline that will fly dogs and make sure you book with the same airline all the way through to your destination. Some airlines partner with other companies on international flights. I did a lot of research before booking with American Airlines…. they will fly pets both in cargo and cabin and they fly to lots of countries.
There are two ways to fly your dog… in the cabin, or as cargo. The airlines have been making it harder and harder to bring your dog in the cabin, for good reason, though personally I think air travel is enormously improved by the presence of dogs. If you have a physical disability they are required, by law, to allow your registered service animal on board with you for free…. no questions asked. If you have a dog you claim to be your emotional support animal, they are required, by law, to allow you to bring your dog on board for free if it’s 1) no larger than a two-year-old child and 2) you have proof of your diagnosis of a mental health issue recognized by the National Institute of Mental Health. If your dog is larger than a two-year old child the airline might require you to pay for an additional seat. (Though, dogs are not allowed on the seat itself… only on the floor. Not fair, you say? I don’t think so either!). You need a doctor or mental health practitioner to write you a letter to travel with that states your diagnosis and fill out a special form required by the airline. In addition to the mental health form, you also have to sign a waiver declaring your dog’s behavior and training, and another one stating your dog will not have to relieve itself on a flight over 8 hours and/or what you will do if it does. Something to seriously consider if your dog isn’t 100% trained to hold it.
