If you’re planning a highway journey to Mexico, you might be questioning – Can I take my canine to Mexico by automobile? What documentation will I have to drive throughout the border?
I really like Mexico and have visited a number of occasions myself.
Whereas I’ve thought-about taking my Dachshunds Summit and Gretel to Mexico, I’ve at all times flown, they usually stayed dwelling within the US.
However I do know folks that have pushed throughout the border each with and with out their canine.
Whereas I haven’t taken this journey myself, sometime I do hope to take a highway journey to Mexico with my canines so I made a decision to do a little analysis so I’m ready.
So that you don’t must comb by way of all the guidelines and rules your self, I assumed I’d share what I discovered with you right here.
Can I Take My Canine to Mexico By Automotive?
Sure! Mexico does permit US vacationers to cross with their pets (cats and canines) so long as they’re wholesome.
If you happen to do have a canine dwelling with a long-term medical situation, you should still be capable to cross with correct documentation, relying on their analysis.
You’re allowed to cross with as much as 2 canines per particular person. Which means a pair touring might cross with as much as 4 pets in whole.
Word: These guidelines apply to companion canines, not canines which might be being imported on the market in Mexico.
What Paperwork is Required to Journey Throughout the US-Mexican Border with Your Canine?
People crossing the border don’t want to offer a Canine Well being Certificates for Mexico.
Nevertheless, your canine could also be inspected by an official from SENASICA (the Mexican Nationwide Service for Agrifood Well being, Security, and High quality) earlier than you might be allowed to cross.
Right now, you might be requested to offer an up-to-date rabies certificates so make sure that to have one readily available when crossing.
Throughout this inspection, they are going to be trying to verify that your pet:
1. Has no signal of infectious or contagious illness
2. Is free from parasites (like ticks)
3. Has no contemporary wounds or open wounds nonetheless within the technique of therapeutic
I recommend checking your canine over fastidiously at dwelling earlier than heading to the border.
If the inspector finds any parasites, wounds, pores and skin lesions, or different areas of concern, your canine could also be held on the border when you contact a neighborhood veterinarian to come back and deal with them.
Canine with Pre-Current Accidents and Well being Situations
When you’ve got a canine with wounds, infections, lesions, or pre-existing well being situations that can be recognized through the inspection, you should still be capable to cross the border.
However you’ll need to offer a letter out of your veterinarian on letterhead with the analysis and remedy directions.
The documentation might want to clearly state your veterinarian’s skilled registration quantity.
Border officers are targeted on maintaining any sickness that may very well be transmitted out of Mexico.
So, documentation out of your veterinarian addressing these issues, whereas not required, can even assist.
Particularly if it’s a much less frequent medical situation that they is probably not acquainted with.
Common Vacationers Can Apply for the “Pet Program – Frequent Traveler”
If you happen to reside close to the border and plan on touring forwards and backwards over the border incessantly, you may register within the “Pet Program – Frequent Traveler”.
This can be a free program that may mean you can pace up the method when crossing the border.
The appliance would require you to submit the next documentation, lower than 6 months previous:
- A legitimate well being certificates from a professionally licensed veterinarian
- Proof of present rabies vaccination
- Proof of remedy in opposition to ectoparasites (parasites that reside on the exterior floor of hosts) and endoparasites (parasites that reside inside them)
The Pet Passport can be legitimate for six months at which era you may submit your documentation to have it renewed as soon as once more.
Are the Guidelines the Identical if I’m Touring with a Pet?
Since puppies lower than three months previous are too younger to have been correctly vaccinated, there is no such thing as a vaccination requirement.
However you might have to show your pet’s age if requested for proof of rabies vaccination.
The principles of crossing the Mexicvan border with a pet are totally different than for an grownup canine.
A straightforward approach to verify your pet’s age and keep away from any issues throughout journey is to carry a legitimate well being certificates from a licensed veterinarian with you.
Sure, I beforehand stated one wasn’t required to carry your canine into Mexico however I used to be referring to grownup canines then.
Touring to Mexico from the US with a Service Canine
Service canines should be inspected by a SENASICA official to make sure that they’re wholesome and freed from ailments and parasites on the border crossing of your selection.
Throughout this inspection, the official might ask for a duplicate of an up-to-date rabies vaccination certificates.
In contrast to within the US the place the People with Disabilities Act protects service canine homeowners from having to offer certification, resorts and companies in Mexico might require correct documentation from a acknowledged service canine group.
Some areas of Mexico don’t acknowledge the idea of service canines as they’re seen within the US.
Be ready for the truth that there may very well be some confusion or limitations on the place you may go together with your canine if you find yourself there.
Canine Rabies Vaccination Necessities for Returning to the US
The excellent news is that Mexico is just not thought-about to be a “excessive danger” rabies nation by the Facilities for Illness Management, which implies that the federal authorities is not going to limit the entry of a wholesome, vaccinated canine.
You will want to substantiate on the border that your canine has not been in a rustic that’s thought-about excessive danger for rabies within the 6 months earlier than crossing.
Your state might have its personal necessities.
For instance, the state of California requires that each one canines over the age of 4 months previous have proof of present rabies vaccination.
In the meantime, Michigan has no particular guidelines concerning worldwide entry for canines.
Make sure to verify your state necessities earlier than crossing.
Canine crossing into the US which were to a high-risk nation are required to have proof that they acquired a rabies vaccination a minimum of 30 days earlier than arriving on the border.
In case your canine’s most up-to-date vaccination was a booster, this ready interval is waived.
Can You Transport Canine Meals and Treats Throughout the Border?
If you’re planning a dog-friendly trip in Mexico together with your canine, you might be probably trying to find the reply to some necessary questions associated to the provides that your canine wants.
The preferred query that I hear is “Are you able to carry pet food into Mexico?”
The short reply is sure, you may carry pet food with you.
However there are guidelines about how a lot meals can cross (and it’s not lots).
Bringing Canine Meals and Treats into Mexico from the US
When crossing the Mexican border with a canine, you might be allowed to journey with sufficient meals for a single day.
After all, this implies that you’ll want to search out your canine’s meals after you’ve got crossed to be able to buy sufficient for the remainder of your journey.
Most of the kibble diets obtainable within the US are additionally obtainable in Mexico.
If you happen to plan forward, you might also be capable to buy your canine’s meals on-line and have it delivered to your resort or a P.O. field to be able to choose it up after you’ve got crossed.
However, be ready for the truth that pet food prices in Mexico are sometimes a lot larger.
Bringing Canine Meals and Treats into the US from Mexico
Very like crossing the border from Canada into the US together with your canine, in case you cross the border into the US with pet food, it would must be unopened and in its unique packaging.
The package deal wants to obviously show an inventory of substances and the place the meals was produced.
There are some restrictions when it comes to substances.
For instance, merchandise containing sheep, goats, and lamb are prohibited.
Any meals should even be “shelf-stable” when crossing, which means that it doesn’t require refrigeration.
Which means uncooked pet meals will not be permitted with out receiving an import allow.
You’re restricted to a complete of 50lbs of pet meals per car when crossing a land border.
Any meals which might be dehydrated, freeze-dried, or sun-dried will need to have a label clearly exhibiting that they’re a product of Canada or the US to be allowed within the nation.
Touring to Mexico with a Reactive Canine
One factor that you could be wish to take into account when bringing your canine to Mexico is the massive variety of stray canines that you’ll typically see within the space.
Whereas these canines will normally preserve their distance, they might trigger lots of anxiousness for a reactive canine.
In case your canine is reactive to others, even when they aren’t actively transferring into his private bubble, Mexico is probably not the most effective trip vacation spot to decide on.
Remaining Ideas
The simple reply to the query “Can I take my canine to Mexico by automobile?” is YES! However, you’ll need to make sure that you’ve got any required documentation earlier than crossing.
There are various lovely and attention-grabbing areas of Mexico to discover, and who doesn’t love touring with their canine?
Plan a veterinary go to earlier than heading out to make it possible for your canine is protected for journey.
Pack solely the allowed sooner or later of meals and plan to get extra after you’ve got crossed safely.
Attempt to be calm when talking with the officers on the border and reply their questions actually. They’re educated to identify vacationers which might be nervous or hiding the reality.
Whereas crossing the Mexican border with a canine could be an anxiety-producing expertise for some, just a little preparation could make the entire course of simpler.
