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Entry Requirements for Bringing Dogs and Cats into Texas
Although not
required by Texas law, most airlines require a health certificate issued by a
veterinarian within seven to ten days prior to travel. Check with your airline
for their exact requirements.
To enter Texas and be in accordance with
its state law, all dogs and cats three months of age or older must be
vaccinated against rabies and be accompanied by a rabies vaccination
certificate dated and signed by the veterinarian who administered the
immunizations. Veterinarians in Texas are restricted to using vaccines approved
by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA); however, for entry
purposes only, dogs and cats traveling into the state may be inoculated
against rabies with killed, modified live, or recombinant vaccine. Once in
Texas, if a USDA-approved vaccine was not used, compliance must be achieved. For
entry into Texas, the following criteria must be met:
- at the time of vaccination, the animal was at least the minimum age
prescribed for the vaccine; and
- the time elapsed since the most recent vaccination has not exceeded the
recommended interval for the booster vaccination as established by the vaccine's
manufacturer.
Additionally, to qualify as being currently
vaccinated, 30 days must have lapsed since the initial vaccination.
If
the animal is arriving from another country and is less than three months of
age, it shall be confined at home until it reaches three months of age, at which
time the animal must be vaccinated against rabies and confined for an additional
30 days. Regardless of the animal's age, if the initial vaccination was given
less than 30 days prior to arrival in the U.S., the animal will be required to
be confined for the balance of the 30 days. The U.S. Public Health Service may
have additional requirements for animals arriving from another country; the
Division of Quarantine of the U.S. Public Health Service may be contacted at
(404) 639-8107 or http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dq/animal.htm
for further information.
After moving to Texas, a person's veterinarian
should be able to advise them on local ordinances pertaining to rabies
vaccination, which can be more restrictive than state law.
Texas Department of State Health Services - Infectious Disease
Control Unit
1100 West 49th Street, Suite T801, Mail Code: 1960 PO BOX
149347 - Austin, TX 78714-9347
(512) 458-7676 - Fax: (512) 458-7616 -
E-Mail
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