Bringing pets to Panama
General guidelines for bringing a pet to Panama from the United States
We have made every effort to provide you with accurate information, however procedures do occasionally change. We recommend that you verify current regulations with the closest Panamanian consulate or your local office of the USDA Veterinary Services before traveling with your pet to Panama.
1. Health Certification
Have your veterinarian prepare a Health Certificate preferably no more than 10 days before travel to Panama. The certificate should testify that the pet is healthy and free of parasites, as well as include the following information:
- pet's name
- breed
- owner's name and current country of residence
- list of inoculations including type, manufacturer, and batch number
- confirmation that the rabies vaccination was given more than 30 days, but less than 6 months before travel
2. Endorsement of Health Certificate
After your vet completes the health certificate, two copies must be endorsed by the USDA. The USDA Veterinary Services has offices in almost all US states. At the USDA Veterinary Services website you can find contact information for the office in your state (http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/area_offices.htm). The fee for endorsement is $24 per form, but more than one animal can be listed on a single form.
3. Authentication of Health Certificate
After the health certificate has been completed by your veterinarian and endorsed by the USDA it must then be:
- authenticated at a Panamanian consulate (cost US$30)
Locations: Embassy of Panama, 2862 McGill Terrace, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20009, tel. (202) 483-1407, or the Panamanian consulates in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Juan, San Diego, San Francisco or Tampa
OR
- apostilled by your state's Office of the Secretary of State. Most states charge approximately $10-20, check with your state authorities for procedures and costs.
4. Application for Home Quarantine
If, in Panama, you would like to "home quarantine" your pet you must file an application for home quarantine at least two weeks prior to travel to Panama. Failure to do this means that your pet will be quarantined in a government facility.
5. Processing Upon Arrival in Panama
Upon arrival to Panama with your animal the veterinarian at the airport will take your pet's documentation and issue new papers allowing your animal to remain with you for “home quarantine” for 40 days at a cost of $130. This process takes approximately 2 to 5 hours. The pet will then be released to you. You must keep the pet in your possession at all times.
If you have no authenticated health certificate your pet must be held at the airport in quarantine for 40 days at $12/day. The vet at the airport is only on duty Monday through Friday 9AM to Noon and 1PM to 5PM. Saturdays 9AM to Noon. If the vet is not there when you arrive, the animal will be temporarily impounded.
General Considerations and Tips:
To consider when choosing an airline for your pet:
1. Some airlines have embargoes on pet transport during extreme summer or winter months.
2. Most airlines will allow you to take your pet in the cabin with you as long as your pet meets certain weight and size restrictions.
3. There is usually an extra fee associated with bringing pets. Some airlines charge according to the weight of the animal others charge a flat rate.
4. If at all possible, try to arrange for your pet?s flights to be as direct as possible. The less time your pet has to spend traveling, the less stress they will experience.
Tips and Facts on Animal Travel by the USDA:
1. Many injuries, deaths, and escapes can be attributed to either the pet trying to escape the kennel and as a result hurts its paws and/or gums, or due to actual escape. Escapes can be due to a variety of causes such as: a dog can chew its way out of the kennel if it can get its upper and lower teeth between slits or holes in the plastic sufficient enough to apply force; dogs and cats are able to push the door open or partially open and escape; the kennel lock is broken or not properly latched; or the kennel itself is not properly and securely assembled. For further information on the types of injuries of transported pets, please go to the Department of Transportation consumer report page at: http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/reports/index.htm Go down the long report to the very last page for animals incidents. The reports are by month and year.
2. Be sure to "acclimate" your pet to the kennel it will be traveling in. Let it spend varying lengths of time in the kennel several days before travel. Some pets are stressed severely by being placed in a strange cage. An acclimated pet will reduce that stress. Also, you may wish to put some article of clothing that you have worn in the kennel during transportation. This may help calm the pet. An old T-shirt that you have slept in for one or more nights will work well.
3. Sedation of your pet is not generally recommended for air travel. Please refer to a statement from the American Veterinary Medial Association (AVMA)
http://www.avma.org/careforanimals/animatedjourneys/livingwithpets/sedate.asp