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Can someone please give me the latest on bringing a small dog from Florida to Costa Rica? I ask only because I have noticed these rules keep changing and getting information from the consulate is impossible.
Hi there,
It is true that trying to get the information is not only difficult but different depending on who you ask and when. That being said, I brought 3 dogs and a cat several years ago as do people all the time. I would recommend contacting my vet Dr Adrian Molina who has a veterinarian clinic in Escazu as he could help you with current info available to him. His phone is 506.2228.1909. At the time I brought my pets, a current check up and documentation of all shots being current with a rabies free certificate from your local vet was needed. It had to be notarized and you had to travel to Costa Rica within 10 days for it to be valid. I have known from others that this notarization was not necessary for them so it really is open… Hope this helps. All my pets are doing great 🙂I just brought a puppy last month from the USA . Basically Costa Rica authorities require the international vet form to be filled out as well as stamped by the USDA within 30 days of entering , and a current rabies shot. The rabies vacine for the pet has to be current or have had it at least 30 days before traveling if it has not had one yet . Puppies for example will be exempt from the rabies shot if that is what you have .
However , the airline may tell you different , they may have stricter requirements , like the vet forms stamped by the USDA within 10 days of travel , as was my case with United Airlines. First check with the airlines you will use and see what they require as they will be more strict than what Costa Rica wants . Next set up your visit with the vet and have the USDA appointment made soon after .
The vet I used charged me $50 for the international form , which probably is cheaper , I’ve paid $20 once before on another pet I brought in , the USDA charged $24 for their signature , and the airline will make sure you have your pet in the proper air approved carrier. If the pet is small enough to fit inside the small size airline transport carrier , it can travel on board with you . Otherwise it’s special cargo.
Once arriving in Costa Rica , go past immigration line then down stairs to customs area . If your pet is in special cargo , as soon as you get downstairs , go toward the left back wall and there will be a belt your pet will come out of . Afterward simply go to customs baggage check and give the forms to the customs agent , they will smile , pet your animal , and your on your way .
Forget about the consulate , they are a bunch of knuckleheads . You dont’ need anything notorized either. The vet form with the USDA seal is all you need as far as paperwork goes .
Thanks Ticopaz. We called Dr.Molina’s office. The secretary said they only know about sending pets to the U.S. – not bringing them in. Sounds like the typical secretary. Wonder how long she has worked there not counting tomorrow. Sure glad my 23 year old secretary / assistant isn’t like that.
Thanks also to Charlie. Sounds like you have the right and full information. That’s what I like about this site. You can almost count on getting the facts. Thanks also for your P.S. about the knuckleheads. Guess they were all vet’s secretaries last year, got fired for stupidity and only the government would hire them. Isn’t that just like in the U.S.
Two sources I would consult: Roger Peterson’s Legal_Guide_to_Costa_Rica
My understanding of the process, and what we did is as follows:
First, the animal must be vaccinated against rabies thirty days OR MORE prior to the travel date. That’s due to rabies’ incubation period. And Costa Rica only recognizes one-year rabies vaccinations.
Next, your veterinarian in the U.S. must examine the dog and complete an International Health Certificate for each animal. Your veterinarian can obtain the blank form (but you cannot) from the USDA’s Animal and Plan Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The examination and completion of the International Health Certificate must be done NOT MORE than ten days before the animal arrives in Costa Rica.
Third, once your vet has completed the International Health Certificate, it must be authenticated by a member of the “Veterinary Service”. Turns out that the Veterinary Service consists of the USDA’s fifty state veterinarians one of whom is located in the USDA’s office in your state capitol. Google USDA + Veterinary Service for the name, address and phone number. You can fax your vet’s completed International Health Certificate to the USDA vet in your state capitol, hand carry it or whatever.
And finally, once you’ve got the International Health Certificate fully approved and have the rabies vaccination record, the dog must travel in an approved carrier, as someone has already stated. It’s my understanding that dogs which can fit in a small enough carrier to fit under the seat may be allowed to travel in the passenger cabin, but the airlines have a limit on how many animals may travel in the cabin at one time.
Oh, you’re absolutely right, costaricafinca. At least a couple of them have stopped handling live animals altogether.
I’d check Continental first. They appear to have air conditioned spaces in their baggage/freight areas, so the restrictions the other airlines apply regarding temperature on flight day don’t seem to apply on Continental.
I brought 2 dogs down.did the net research,got the info from the webpage for costa rica gov. then went to the vets office. they just (gratefully) ignored my papers told me to come back the next day for the pet check-up and rabies vac.
they knew what I needed what to do and such.they took all my worries away.
ya might just call your vet. apparently mine is above top notch.
he’s in jensen beach florida.on SR 714 next to the skatepark.We brought 2 labs down last year – Continental did a good job. We did have to have all the paperwork, especially the USDA stamp on the International Certificate, before they would load the dogs. That certificate has to be issued no MORE than 10 days before shipping. We were charged a $45 “customs” fee at Liberia airport once here. Realize no such fee exists but with the dogs going nuts with excitement in their cages and unable to get them out until it was paid – who’s arguing?
i came down in january with my cattle dog. flew continental. don{t ever call the consulate for this stuff — they only want you to pay for something you don{t need, and all you do need is the international health certificate and a current rabies vac which has to be at least 30 days prior to your arrival in costa rica. the usda charges $24 for the health certificate, what you vet charges you to fill it out varies. you also need the rabies certificate. my dog travels in the cabin with me, so i don{t know anything about crating a dog, although i did crate mine when i came down last year on American. do check with the airlines because depending on the time of year some will not take any dogs at all.
OK, I was the first to post this question. Now the mystery is all over for us. We landed this afternoon with the dog. Our vet in Florida knew exactly what to do. She supplied the certificate, sent it to the State Capital overnight and then sent it to us together with a letter stating his health record etc. We bought a cage at WalMart for $40 and at the airport everyone knew what to do and helped us with it. Upon arrival we took the dog to customs. They stamped every paper in sight and filled out a form giving three copies to us. There was no charge.
So, I think the moral of this story is ignore the people who tell you terrifying tails (tales) (pardon the punn), and everything is smooth sailing.
Oh, by the way we went also to Petsmart and they tried to sell us a cage for $140. They told us that the airlines will not accept a cage without thick stainless steel mesh on both sides and back. But the Walmart one had only a steel mesh front and the air vents on the side were plastic. The Wallmart one saved us $100.
easiest thing you will ever do……just went back and got my Lahsa.
Find a VET that is USDA Certified, get an exam. dog must have rabies shot current, and reccomend a booster shot, because believe it or not, the airlines have stricter polocies.
get the VET to fill out a INTL Form, take to your USGA, have them stamp it….pow you good to go……
cost 100 for the vet, 26 for the usga stamp 100 for the dog on the plane total 226$
cost of having your buddy with you in CR—-hahah PRICELESS!
Pura Vida
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