New Rules to take live animals to the USA

Cancun Airport Traffic

Temporary suspension for dogs imported from some countries

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Precention) announced new rules and regulations beginning July 14, 2021. There is a temporary suspension for dogs imported from countries that CDC considers high risk for dog rabies.

The list does not include Mexico as a high risk country. The list includes countries of Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. For the Americas & the Caribbean, the countries of Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela are included.

CDC regulations govern the importation of animals and animal products capable of causing human disease. Pets taken out of the United States are subject upon return to the same regulations as those entering for the first time.

CDC does not require general certificates of health for pets for entry into the United States. However, health certificates may be required for entry into some states or may be required by airlines. Check with officials in the state of final destination and with the airline before your travel date.

If you plan to travel to Mexico with your pet, first of all, you have to present a health certificate issued no longer than 15 days before the travel date. Upon arrival to any international airport in Mexico, you should contact the SENASICA staff to accomplish the procedure to enter your pet into the country.
They will request a health certificate copy, it has to mention the rabies vaccination date. Also, they will make a physical inspection of the pet to find any disease, injury or the presence of ectoparasite.
If you travel from the United States or Canada, the health certificate is not necessary to present it to the SENASICA health agents. However, bringing the certificate could make the process easy.
It is very important that you check in advance with your airline what their policies for pet travel are, such policies may vary from one airline to another.