How to Bring Your Pet to France
With more and more travelers taking their pets along with them on vacation (because pets are family too :) or who are planning a move to France with their pets, it makes perfect sense to share tips on international pet travel with others, especially since Zoé and I have been traveling to France together for over a decade. For example, did you know that just as human travelers, our furry friends also require a “passport”? The pet passport is an official document that allows your pet to travel overseas.
It was thanks to Marika, a friendly woman whom I met at the pet travel services office in Atlanta, Georgia, and her dog Buddy, for giving me the inspiration to write a blog post on pet travel to France. As we all know, when dealing with government agencies, the process can sometimes be complicated. What better way to make things a little smoother than to share what I’ve learned over the years with other pet parents? So here it goes! Of course, these steps are to be followed once you’ve already made reservations for both yourself and your pet with your airline because you will need to provide your departure date and the destination address on the form. For pet airline reservations, simply call the company and advise them that you’re planning on traveling with your pet. They’ll ask about the breed, weight, and the dimensions of your pet carrier.
Pet Travel Requirements (and it must go in this order)
Microchip ID
Rabies certificate:
Date of rabies vaccination must be after the date of microchip (yes, they do check)
At least 21 days must have elapsed since the rabies vaccine
Certificate of vaccination should indicate the microchip number and signature of a USDA accredited veterinarian
There may be other vaccination or quarantine requirements if you plan to also travel outside of the EU (e.g. UK)
USDA endorsement (you will need to call ahead for an appointment)
Covid 19 Update: Since the pandemic, some USDA offices have discontinued in person appointments for endorsements and now only accept electronic submissions. Your USDA accredited veterinarian should have access to the new online Veterinary Export Health Certification System (VEHCS) to complete health certificates for travel. If your local USDA office is closed for in person appointments, you will need to have the health certificate returned to you by mail. I went to the UPS store and purchased a next day delivery self-addressed shipping label. When the vet uploads all of the paperwork using the online system, he/she will also be uploading your pre-purchased self-addressed shipping label.
One thing I have found is that most veterinarians do not know the travel requirements, which is understandable because otherwise they would have to know the rules for every country. And so it is best for you as the pet parent to familiarize yourself with what is needed ahead of time. Here are the steps below;
Click Pet Travel to France
Scroll down to Pet Dogs, Cats, Ferrets
Then click the box that says HEALTH CERTIFICATE
Click where it says Owner traveling on the same plane as pet(s)
This will pull up the health certificate
I saved the PDF form to my computer and filled it out (except for the rabies information). I took a printed copy of the completed form with me on the day of the vet appointment (within 10 days of travel).
Here is a cheat-sheet on how to fill out the form properly- click here
French/English Bilingual Health Certificate
This document needs to be completed and signed by a USDA accredited veterinarian within 10 days of arrival date to France
Note that all dates need to be written the French way: DAY/MONTH/YEAR
Before your departure date arrives, check with your airline about pet carrier requirements. Each airline and even the type of aircraft itself have different rules.
Gradually introduce your pet to his carrier. Never wait until departure day to put your pet in the bag as it can cause a high level of anxiety with reactive behaviors. Start out slowly by placing the carrier in a comfortable location inside your home and leave it open. Your pet will probably walk around and sniff it. I would put treats by Zoé’s carrier and each time she would go near it, I let her have the treat and gave her positive reinforcement. This lets your pet know that the carrier is for positive experiences and not for punishment. After several times of doing this, now place the treat inside the carrier but leave it open. This encourages your pet to actually go inside the bag. When your pet goes in to retrieve the treat, again, positive reinforcement. Allow him to practice this several times and be patient, as this may take several days to achieve. It’s okay to take baby steps.
Once he’s comfortable going inside on his own, try closing the carrier just for a second. Again, lots of praise, hugs and treats. This reassures him that placement in the carrier is only temporary, and before long he will get to come out and play freely. Gradually increase the duration continuing with the treats and positive reinforcement. All of this is done in the comfort of home. Next, walk around the house (or outside is even better) with your pet inside the carrier. This will get him used to being inside the carrier while in motion. Reward him with his favorite treat. The next phase will be going out in public. I would take Zoé to the mall, so that she could practice going up and down the escalators, elevators, waiting in line, being around noise, similar to what she would later experience at the airport.
Know your pet’s feeding and bathroom times and try and set their mealtime at least several hours before departure. That way bathroom needs will be taken care of before the flight.
Take your pet for a long walk before going to the airport, so that by the time the plane is ready to take off, they will be nice and tired and will want to rest for the duration of the flight.
Include inside the carrier their favorite toy. Also, a couple of treats would be nice too 🙂
Remember at the security checkpoint to REMOVE your pet from the carrier and not have him go through the xRay machines! This sounds like common sense but there’s a reason why TSA reminds travelers to do so!
Upon arrival at the French airport you may need to show the health certificate in Customs. But truthfully, no one has asked to see it. It’s sort of like our Covid vaccine cards. You need this to get on the plane, but may notnecessarilyy have it checked upon arrival.
Bon voyage!
