How to travel with your pet to Mexico?
If you are planning a trip to Mexico with your pet and looking for information about it, you’re in the right place. In our guide, you will find all the related details, from planning the trip with pets to what to do upon arrival and everything in between. We’re confident that you will have all the information to enter the country with your pet trouble-free.
Traveling to Mexico with pets (cats or dogs) is allowed. However, before buying your one-way ticket, you must know certain rules that regulate their entry. Generally speaking, all the information you need can be obtained from the airline you travel with, although most have standard guidelines.
Prepare your trip with a pet
Every journey begins from your home, and, in this case, it is crucial to prepare in advance everything you need to make your pet’s trip to Mexico smooth.
Did you know that one of the most dog friendly destinations in the Caribbean is Saint Lucia? Curious to know more? Check the visiting requirements on www.stluciatravelauthorization.us.
If you travel by plane, the airline will require you to keep your pet inside a special cage or crate for this type of transfer. You must calculate the cage’s weight plus the pet because if it weighs more than 100 pounds, your pet will be transported as cargo. This could represent an additional cost for excess baggage.
Each cage or crate has to appear very well signposted. In other words, it must be readable and indicate your name, address, and telephone number at the destination. Also, inside the cage or crate, you will have to put some type of lining suitable to absorb their droppings and a small bowl so that the airline staff can feed it.
At the port of entrance
You will be required to present a document certifying your pet’s good health upon arrival in Mexico. You can get it in a center that is officially recognized by the competent authorities in your country.
- Contact details in Mexico (name, address, phone number, etc.) This document should contain the following information:
- Brief description of the pet.
- Rabies vaccine test with dates of inoculation and expiration thereof. If your pet is less than three months old, this procedure is not required.
- Test of distemper vaccine with dates of inoculation and expiration thereof. If your pet is less than three months old, this procedure is not required.
- Proof that your pet was completely dewormed six months prior to entering Mexico.
Please, note that every visitor can enter Mexico with 2 pets without additional explanations or requirements. If you wish or need to travel with more pets though, you will have to pay an additional fee.
And remember, you too will need to present a proof of paid Visitax – the new tourist tax applicable to each tourist visiting the state of Quintana Roo.
In Mexico
Once you’ve reached your destination, it’s important to follow the rules in the country. Let’s elaborate on this point:
- It is not recommended to leave your pets alone in the car. High temperatures can affect their health.
- When taking public transportation such as the bus, you will need to check the agency’s policy to be followed. They generally require animals to travel in their cages in the luggage hold. For assistance animals, it will be allowed to travel with the owner.
- In large cities and rural places, you will have to collect the excrements of your pet and deposit them in adequate containers.
- Before visiting a restaurant or commercial premises with your pet, it is a good idea to check whether or not it is allowed in. Many of these sites have spaces adapted for use where you can leave your four-legged friend. This will usually not be possible in large cities unless it is an assistance animal.
- The same goes when visiting the beach – You should be careful and check the rules to know whether or not your pet is allowed.
- You will find dog walker services in Mexico, especially in bigger, more populated cities.
Back home
We want to highlight that you must also consider the entry requirements when returning to your country. We encourage you to do your own research as each country has specific rules.
Before concluding, it’s worth noting that we went through the information specifically for pets like cats and dogs. In case you’re willing to travel with birds or reptiles, you will need to go through extra procedures and obtain additional permits.
