Bringing Your Pet to Costa Rica
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on bringing your pet to Costa Rica
We did not forget those of you who have pets. There are procedures for bringing your pets into the country that require very little except patience, some paperwork and a small fee.

First, a registered veterinarian from your hometown must certify that your pets are free of internal and external parasites. It is necessary that your pet has up-to-date vaccinations against rabies (The rabies vaccination must NOT be older than one year), distemper, leptospirosis, hepatitis and parvovirus vaccination within the last three years. Remember, all of these required documents are indispensable and must be certified by the Costa Rican consulate nearest your home- town. These papers are only good for ten days. If you don't renew them within this period of time, you will have to make another trip to the vet's office and the airline will not accept your animal. If you are bringing an exotic animal to Costa Rica -parakeet, macaw or other-you will need special permits from the Convention of International Species in Danger of Extinction and the Costa Rican Natural Resources Ministry. If all of this paperwork is too much for you the Association of Residents of Costa Rica (ARCR) can take care of everything, including the airport pick up for around $100. If you have no place to keep your pet, they offer boarding at $20 a day.

If you fail to comply with these regulations and do not provide the required documents, your pet(s) can be refused entry, placed in quarantine or even put to sleep. But don't worry, if worse comes to worst, there is a 30-day grace period to straighten things out.

If the animal is traveling with you as part of yourluggage, the average rate is $50 U.S. from one destination to the next (i.e. Los Angeles-Miami-San José). If your pet travels alone, depending on size and weight, the average rate is between $100 to $200 U.S. Please consult your airline for the actual price. Call the 800 toll-free cargo section of American Airlines and they will tell you the cost.

Whether your pet is traveling with you or separately, be aware that the weather can delay your animals arrival in Costa Rica. If the temperature is above 85 degrees or below 40 degrees at either your point of departure or a layover, your animal will not be able to travel. We know of several people who have arrived at the airport only to find out their animals could not travel due to a change in the weather. Call your airline the day you intend to ship your animal and again an hour or two before departure to see if your animal will be allowed to travel. This way you can avoid unpleasant surprises.

Also make sure your dog or cat has an airline approved portable kennel. These rules are very strict and the kennel must be the appropriate size for your animal or it won't be allowed to travel. Some airlines rent kennels. Make sure your kennel has a small tray so your pet can have food and water during the journey. Two to eight hours is a long time to go without food or water.

If there is a layover involved as in Miami, the baggage handlers will give water to your pet. The operator at American Airlines told us about a special service which will walk your dog for an extra charge at some airports. Some people suggest tranquilizing dogs and cats when shipping them by plane. We talked to our vet when we were going to ship our large Siberian husky, and he didn't seem to think it was a good idea. We also asked a friend who ships show dogs all over the U.S. and he said to use our own judgement since tranquilizers can make an animal ill. If you want to take your pet out of Costa Rica you will need a special permit, a certificate from a local veterinarian and proof that all vaccinations are up-to-date. When you obtain these documents, take them to the Ministry of Health and your pet is free to leave the country. The day you leave plan on being at the airport at least two and a half hours early, since all your pet's papers must be stamped before departure.

These requirements and additional information are available from the Departamento de Zoonosis, Ministerio de Salud, Apartado Postal 10123, San José. Telephone 223-0333, extension 331.

Veterinarians
Dr. Federico Patiño (Rohrmoser) 231-5276
Clinica Echandi 223-3111
Dr. Adrián Molina 228-1909
Dr. Federico Piza 248-7166
Dr. Douglas Lutz. 225-6784
Dr. L. Starkey 253-7142
Tecnología Veterinaria (clinic, pharmacy, and boarding) 228-9347
Dr. Lorena Guerra (makes house-calls, also boarding) 228-9887

If you have to travel, the Clínica Echandi will care for your dog, cat or other pet. They charge about $7 per day U.S. for this boarding service. For additional veterinarians, look under the heading "VETERINARIA" in the yellow pages.

Click here For updated information on bringing your pet to Costa Rica