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How to Bring Your Pets to Costa Rica
by Matt Lloyd in Costa Rica
Moving to Costa Rica is exciting, and being able to bring your loyal four-legged friend is all the more grand. After all, they’re part of the family, aren’t they?
But flying with your pet requires some planning and preparation. Costa Rican authorities want to make sure imported animals are healthy and don’t bring any infectious diseases. In this article, we’ll show you what’s needed to bring your pet to Costa Rica.
What Pets Can I Bring to Costa Rica?
If you want to bring a pet other than a dog or a cat, you will need an import permit. Approval will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
What Documents Do I Need?
To bring your furry friend into Costa Rica, you must have a health certificate issued by a licensed vet, and endorsed by a USDA, APHIS, VS veterinarian, stating that your pet is healthy and doesn’t have any clinical symptoms of infectious diseases.
Your vet will fill out the International Veterinary Certificate and put all the necessary information like date of examination, brand name of the vaccine, lot number, etc. However, in the end, it’s your responsibility to make sure your companion meets all the requirements, so make sure you have everything you need.
What Are the Costs?
Besides your normal vet consultation fee and the cost of the vaccinations, bringing your pet with you to Costa Rica has a price.
The APHIS endorsement fee is $38 per certificate, regardless of how many animals you bring.
If your pet goes into the cargo hole, you also have to consider the price of a pet cargo crate.
What Vaccines Does My Pet Need?
If you plan on bringing your dog, the following vaccinations are required:
- Distemper
- Hepatitis
- Parvovirus
- Leptospirosis
Cats must have:
- Feline viral rhinotracheitis
- Calicivirus
- Panleukopenia
Both dogs and cats over 3 months of age must be vaccinated against rabies. This vaccine must be valid on the day you plan to enter Costa Rica.
Furthermore, your furry companion needs to be treated for internal and external parasites, within 15 days prior to exportation. This has to be done with approved products. Ask your vet for which brands to use.
Does My Pet Travel as Carry-On or In the Cargo?
Depending on the size and weight of your pet, it can either travel inside the cabin with you or as cargo in the plane.
This varies from airline to airline though, so make sure you check the travel information from your airline. Most of the time, your pet can go as a carry-on if its weight, including carrying bag, doesn’t exceed 10 kilograms, and it fits underneath the seat in front of you. If this isn’t the case, you have to check it as baggage.
Some pet-friendly airlines are:
- United Airlines
- Delta Airlines
- American Airlines
- Southwest Airlines
- JetBlue
- Allegiant Air
- Frontier Airlines
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How Do I Transport My Pet?
Every airline has slightly different requirements. In general, if your pet travels as checked baggage, you often need an IATA compliant pet cargo crate. For the safety and wellbeing of your pet, these must meet certain requirements. Sometimes it’s also necessary to provide water and food. Check your airline webpage for specific details.
Is There a Place on the Airport Where You Drop Off Your Pet?
Normally, you have to check your pet at a designated drop-off area from your airline. Check your airline’s website or call customer service for more information.
Make sure you arrive on time and your companion has been walked and fed. Even though the flight might only take a few hours, the total amount of time spent inside the crate can easily be a lot more, so make sure your pet gets the opportunity to get rid of some energy.
How Soon Can I Pick My Pet Up After Landing?
Upon arrival in Costa Rica, you can immediately pick up your pet. If you meet all the requirements, quarantine isn’t necessary.
Do I Need to Register My Pet?
When you reside in Costa Rica, it’s not necessary to register your pet.
So there you go! These are the requirements for bringing your pet with you to Costa Rica. Make sure you start well ahead of time since certain vaccines might need a booster. That way you’re sure that when the day of your flight finally arrives, you can enjoy it, without having to stress out. After all, stressing out isn’t part of Costa Rican lingo!
If this article has been helpful, or you know someone who might benefit from this information, make sure you forward it to them!
Discover everything you need to know about moving to Costa Rica while enjoying 7 relaxing days at a beachfront resort, click here.
About The Author
Matt Lloyd runs a hotel in Costa Rica since 2016. He's based on the Pacific Coast side of the country, outside the town of Jaco.
If you'd like to discuss options for moving to Costa Rica with me on a phone call, you can book a free 30-minute session here.
