bringing a dog into the country

janlindy

Active member
Mar 8, 2011
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Can anyone who has brought a dog into the country answer a few questions.

1. I will have a health certificate in both english and spanish.

2. I will have a certificate of treatment against ticks & tapeworms

the dog is traveling with me in the cabin.

I read on the DR embasy site I needed a USDA certified and apsotile of the health certification by a accredited USDA vet.

Does anyone know if this is something I need to have ??????????????
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
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Rabies ? Needed

Good health certificate, vet written ( I have never had a Spanish one)
Rabies and the other vaccines.

$400 or 300 pesos - easy.

Very little attention paid to the paperwork, in my cases.
The dinero - big attention paid

I have done this more than once,.

There are good threads on it.
 

Jaime809

Bronze
Aug 23, 2012
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Talk to your regular vet; they can usually work this out and get you the proper paperwork. Mine did the heavy-lifting for me when I brought my cat.It's a bit of a dance with required shots; some have to be *more* than 60 days old, some have to be *within* 30 days. It all goes on a fairly basic form, and the results are either numbers or POS/NEG, so the English/Spanish translation thing seems a bigger deal than it actually is.

It actually seems more of a hassle to take a pet out of DR than to bring one in. If you're not moving here, I'd reconsider bringing the dog.

One thing I will recommend; use United PetSafe. It's a little more expensive, but they have a pressurized climate-controlled compartment just for pets. And the pet will need a container that allows them to stand up + 6". Not all airlines will allows pets in the main cabin for *international* flights, while other will allows pets in-cabin up to a certain amount of flight time. Those that do will probably count your pet as a carry-on, and not a personal item.

Either way, you'll want at least 3 copies of the paperwork from the vet. Once to leave attached to your pet carrier at all times, one to keep with you at all times, and one for the DR Customs once you arrive. They keep a copy of your paperwork, and it'll save the hassle of finding the functional copy machine with good toner if you can just leave it with them.
 

2020

Active member
Apr 10, 2012
529
166
43
Las Terrenas
about $10.00 to bring your doggie in and then you need to pay another $10.00 to leave the DR with your doggie.
We do this all the time with our little beast. When you leave from the airport in Santo Domingo the animal office is hidden, so ask before you walk around the terminal.

If you have never been thru the process, get a luggage porter to help you with your precious luggage. He is likely on a first name basis with the gal behind the desk....
 

irishpaddy

Bronze
Sep 3, 2013
1,166
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83
is it possible to bring a large dog ...I have a german shepherd about 115lbs and if I am travelling to santo domingo for a month I would like to bring him, rather than have him minded by a neighbor ...as long as it was safe for him ...any advice appreciated
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
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TEchincally, the cage and the dog must be under 100lbs.
I have squeaked it at a bit over.... both weight & cage size but that was WestJet who are very tolerant with animals.

many airlines refuse animals these days,, especially in cargo.
Cargo is heated, and secure but ....
those that will carry are $$$
 

LTSteve

Gold
Jul 9, 2010
5,449
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about $10.00 to bring your doggie in and then you need to pay another $10.00 to leave the DR with your doggie.
We do this all the time with our little beast. When you leave from the airport in Santo Domingo the animal office is hidden, so ask before you walk around the terminal.

If you have never been thru the process, get a luggage porter to help you with your precious luggage. He is likely on a first name basis with the gal behind the desk....

When you arrive at SDQ and get your dog cleared they will give you a receipt hold onto this because you will need it when you leave. The animal control office is to the left of the main entrance in a strip of offices. When leaving go there first before you check in for your flight.
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
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For leaving,

If its still in the same place, it's on the lower level.
you can drive to it, get the paperwork then go to departures.

Saves a lot of time in the elevator with the porter, cage ....
 
Jan 7, 2016
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Our dog has more frequent flyer miles to and from the D.R. than I do! You need a completed form (signed in BLUE INK) by an USDA approved/certified Vet (usually found in most U.S. major cities and Military Installations). Your dog's immunization for Rabies needs to be up-to-date. When arriving in the D.R., seek-out the Vet Inspector at the airport you're at...pay your $10 US or 500 DP and he'll complete the entry papers for you to keep during your stay here in the D.R. On leaving, again seek-out the Vet Inspector and again pay $10 US or 500 DP for the Exit Paperwork. On your return to the U.S., the Customs and Immigration inspectors will want to see your USDA paperwork only.
 

santa110xyz

Active member
Oct 25, 2005
571
0
36
Our dog has more frequent flyer miles to and from the D.R. than I do! You need a completed form (signed in BLUE INK) by an USDA approved/certified Vet (usually found in most U.S. major cities and Military Installations). Your dog's immunization for Rabies needs to be up-to-date. When arriving in the D.R., seek-out the Vet Inspector at the airport you're at...pay your $10 US or 500 DP and he'll complete the entry papers for you to keep during your stay here in the D.R. On leaving, again seek-out the Vet Inspector and again pay $10 US or 500 DP for the Exit Paperwork. On your return to the U.S., the Customs and Immigration inspectors will want to see your USDA paperwork only.


I used to fly a lot with my dogs, but since my baby died nomore...since 3 years more or less....Now i have a new family member and like to travel with her. Being from Europe dogs have the blue passport, mircochip, rabies always updated, ....now i heard that in the DR they have a new law that the exit (from DR) certification from the Vet (not the piece of paper you get at the airport) must be stamped from the Chancilleria in SD? Is that True?
 

LTSteve

Gold
Jul 9, 2010
5,449
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38
Our dog has more frequent flyer miles to and from the D.R. than I do! You need a completed form (signed in BLUE INK) by an USDA approved/certified Vet (usually found in most U.S. major cities and Military Installations). Your dog's immunization for Rabies needs to be up-to-date. When arriving in the D.R., seek-out the Vet Inspector at the airport you're at...pay your $10 US or 500 DP and he'll complete the entry papers for you to keep during your stay here in the D.R. On leaving, again seek-out the Vet Inspector and again pay $10 US or 500 DP for the Exit Paperwork. On your return to the U.S., the Customs and Immigration inspectors will want to see your USDA paperwork only.

Your info is not completely accurate. Any Vet has the international pet travel form. Also when you leave the DR, as an example, from SDQ the Pet control office is outside the main entrance. You need to go there first before checking in. You get your paperwork approved, pay the fee and go. If you are in the DR for longer than the Vet travel form is valid than you need to go to a Dominican Vet and get a new form for your return travel. This info is for a dog travelling in the cabin.
 

LTSteve

Gold
Jul 9, 2010
5,449
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38
I used to fly a lot with my dogs, but since my baby died nomore...since 3 years more or less....Now i have a new family member and like to travel with her. Being from Europe dogs have the blue passport, mircochip, rabies always updated, ....now i heard that in the DR they have a new law that the exit (from DR) certification from the Vet (not the piece of paper you get at the airport) must be stamped from the Chancilleria in SD? Is that True?

Have not heard that. If you are in the DR for a few months you will need to go to a Dominican Vet and get a new travel form to leave the country. The one you used coming in from Europe was probably only good for 14 days.
 

santa110xyz

Active member
Oct 25, 2005
571
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36
Have not heard that. If you are in the DR for a few months you will need to go to a Dominican Vet and get a new travel form to leave the country. The one you used coming in from Europe was probably only good for 14 days.

Yes like this it was for many years. It is easy...just they increased the price from the Vet from 1,200 pesos to 2500 pesos... The Vet at the airport, still comes and greet me when entering the DR, asking why i don't travel with my dog anymore. You know before to take a dog as carry-on (in the cabine) the price was 45 Dollars, now the airlines charge 150 Euros.
It is counted as your hand luggage...so no extra weight allowed. Two friends of mine who left DR about 3 months ago told me that the DR requires now that you get the Vet certification stamped by the Cancilleria in SD.... Plus the simple paper at the airport. Both of my friends did not do that and were scared if they could leave DR with their dog. Luckily nothing happened at the airport they said. I never ever will understand why dogs are "used" to get more money. They think pet owner pay anything .... but that is not true! So many leave now their dogs behind because it is so time consuming and expensive to get just the paper work done. You know to take a dog to Europe, the dogs need Microchip the rabies vaccine up-to-date and the titer determination. Well i did this work for friends, bringing the blood serum of their dog in a sealed container (from the Vet and Lab) to the Laboratory in Giessen as personal courier myself... Well the determination is just 45 Euros, if i recall correctly, plus Vet to take the blood, the Laboratory did not charge any cent to centrifuge the blood... Then i am asking myself why Vets charge almost 700 Euros for that?!?!?!?! To fill out the paper work i helped too... This certification is valid for whole Europe, and lasts for lifetime as long one keeps the Rabies vaccine up-to-date.
 

Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
8,671
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In the DR it seems process trumps productivity and efficiency every time. *It might be a function of control - exercise maximum control over what you determine people will pay for and ignore everything else. It is only the foreigners who move dogs and cats across the pond. It's only foreigners who can afford to do so. The airlines don't really want to provide the service anymore, so it is insanely expensive for an animal that can't fit under a cabin seat. The DR has a genuine interest in keeping disease out of the country but also realizes that foreigners will pay. This makes the Govt happy. They get you both coming and going.

What the Govt hasn't yet figured out is that they can tap into the bottomless pockets of foreigners to a greater extent if they make it easier for foreigners to empty their pockets. Currently, SD is the pillage and plunder centre of the country. The Govt believes that everyone will happily travel to SD to jump through hoops. If there is now a requirement for paperwork from SD to export a family pet, I suspect fewer family pets will leave with their families. The process is already very expensive and time consuming - adding another fee and a long round trip makes sense only to those who mistakenly believe that people with pockets will do whatever is mandated.

I dream of the day when I can get "raped" locally at a satellite Govt service office. A Govt office in major centres like SD, Santiago, Puerto Plata and somewhere central on the east coast where one can submit paperwork, pay fees and get permits without having to actually go to SD would increase Govt revenue rather than prompting the mental conversation with oneself on whether a 10 hour drive or bus ride is worth the effort.*

Those of us with large dogs that can't fit under an airplane seat have a real conundrum.

To the OP, if you are not coming to the DR for a really long time, I suggest you make arrangements to leave your pet at home. It used to be much easier to bring your pet on vacation, but those days are over. Currently the process to import/exports pets is still doable, but the trend seems to be steadily marching in the direction of over complication and expense. If you are coming to live here, then it's probably worth it doing. Just remember that getting your pet here is the easy part. Taking your pet with you should you have to leave is a much more complicated exercise based on the time of year and anything the Govt decides to change between now the time you wish to leave.
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
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South Coast
When our rotties had an unplanned litter in DR, we took one home with us with the intention of bringing her back

Turned out she took after her daddy and is huge, and at 110 pounds without the crate, that ship has sailed.*

IMG_0410.jpg

Taking her out was painless. 1500 to vet for paperwork, 400 pesos ar airport, $125 to United Airlines, $25 for soft side carrier, she rode under seat
 

retiree

Bronze
Jan 18, 2008
978
10
0
We have read that vaccinations must be done not more recent than 1 month before travel and the certificate of health within 2 weeks of travel. We bring our dog with us every year when we come down. I am confident of the time frame for the certificate of health but curious if that vaccination time frame is what others do.