6 months...

We went through this process in June. We sent off the stuff to the USDA state vet about 2 months beforehand (4 months would have been fine as well). He stamped everything and what was left blank was the flea/tick treatment because you only get that between 24-48 hours before leaving.

The 10 day thing is for the animal health certificate that most airlines require you to get, so it's good to get just in case.

i'm sure you'll feel better when you speak to the USDA state vet. But sounds like you have it right. We had no problems with our cats coming into the country.

Thanks to everybody!!!!

I will as suggested speak to the USDA vet tomorrow and double check that all is covered.

Bit of an emotional rollercoaster this whole business, visa et dog!!

Have a peaceful night one n all :-)

The vet said that the health certificate would only be valid for 10 days, and I had read that in multiple places online as well.  Now that it is sitting in front of me, I notice it says "This certificate is valid for 30 days after issuance".  Not sure what's up with that. 

The APHIS Form 2001 (multiple carbon copied form that the USDA signs and seals, but you get from your local vet who signs it first) is good for 10 days for international travel and 30 for domestic. 

The 3 page form you can have signed off prior to the 10 days, but I just had mine signed the same day as the APHIS form.  Plus, I sent ALL my forms (including the rabbies vaccine certificate) to the USDA for their seal.  So, all my paperwork was endorsed by the USDA.  It worked well for me and didn't cost me any additional money.

Just FED EX your forms to the USDA within the 10 day time frame prior to travel and enclose a return FED EX envelope with your billing number on it so that it gets back to you ASAP.

My 3 page form is signed by USDA (with seal) already.

Talking to them for the other any minute :-)

Let us know what they say.  Unless the rule has changed, which I doubt, then it's valid only for 10 days.

Definitive USDA ruling, well todays anyway :-)

As with someone above, I had my 3 page paperwork sent off to the USDA vet, a seal stamped on it, and then the final step for that, will be the flea/tick addition which my local vet will do and the form (since it has already been stamped) does not need to go back to the USDA.

The second form, the one that has to be done 10 days prior, and is to some degree anyway, airline dependant, can be done by the local vet, and the USDA has no interest in this one. I'm sure they would be happy to stamp it, if it gave peace of mind, but it is not required.

I hope, this is one less thing of my worry list.

Thanks to everyone for their input.

Wow, I'm surprised by the answer you were given.  But maybe it doesn't need to be endorsed by the USDA because you say your vet is a USDA vet.  Or maybe the state you're coming from has different regulations then the one I came from (Virginia).  I'm sure it will all work out.  Good luck.

Hi Kristina,

My vet is a local vet, albeit seemingly informed one, and the USDA vet in MA, the only one in MA I believe is a seperate vet altogether.

From the USDA perspective, the only thing they need to sign and seal, is that the animal has been micro-chipped, protected against rabies and the levels from Kansas state lab are good.

Again from the USDA perpective, the 'fit to fly' or general health certificate, is totally at the discretion of the airline, but, obviously, the 3 page European Union must have been signed off by them, whether or not the airline wants the 10 day.

So, I think 'Smootie' and I are going through the same procedure, wonder if it as you say differs at state level, either way, thats the story from USDA vet (here) and my own vet.

Once again, thanks to you and everybody else for the input.

Mick

Hi Mick,
It's all coming back to me now! See how quickly you can block that process out of your mind (I just did it in December)!?? My USDA vet went ahead and signed/sealed the fit to fly form because I gave it to him in the packet of stuff. I recall him telling me he didn't need to, but it certainly didn't hurt. Sounds like you're all sorted! 

Have a good trip!

Just wanted to say that I think there could be some confusion about the term 'USDA vet.  About 60-80% of practicing vets in the states are apparently affiliated and seen as being USDA. So, for your vet to fill out your paperwork, you'd want to make sure that were USDA affiliated.  After they fill it out, it is the state's USDA vet that deals with DEFRA, of which there is usually 1,  who does the seal.

You never posted again.  Did everything go smoothly?

Now, the dumb bit, when is 6 months, 6 months?

Have you flown over yet?

Our British vet says pets can be admitted to the UK six months after the blood test result shows adequate T-cell count and the blood test takes a week to process.  We are planning to fly our dog back into the UK no earlier than six months after we have his result in hand.

Two questions;
1-Is the PETS form the one with L 358/15-17 in the upper right-hand corner?  If so, where do you get this form from?
2-The Aphis form 7001;is this the one that is valid for 10 days but says 30 days at the bottom?  This should be available from your vet, yes?

Thanks!