Rabies Guidelines

 

Vaccination guidelines for rabies-puppies and kittens: It is important to receive a rabies vaccination AFTER your pet’s microchip. Some islands and countries require this or will not recognize any vaccinations given prior to microchip implantation. You also must not let your pet’s rabies vaccinations lapse or this can impact validity or FAVN status where applicable.

Make sure your vet follows all guidelines for age of administration. Some islands only recognize an annual rabies vaccination and it must be administered within the past year but at least 30 days prior to entry.

Anguilla:

  • Animal must be vaccinated against rabies more than one(1) month but less than one (1) year before the date of importation.

Antigua and Barbuda:

Valid Certification of Rabies Vaccination

  • Rabies vaccine must have been administered within 1 year of importation
  • Results within accepted levels of the Rabies FAVN (Antibody Titer) tested at an OIE approved Laboratory.

Aruba:

  • Pets that will be under 3 months of age at the time they travel to Aruba do not need to be vaccinated for rabies.
    • A statement reading, “too young for rabies vaccination” should be included on the health certificate.
  • Pets over 3 month of age must be vaccinated against rabies and travel with a rabies vaccination certificate that contains the following information:
    • Name, lot number, and expiration date of the vaccine
    • Date of current vaccination (must be given at least 1 month prior to traveling to Aruba)
    • Name, address, phone number and signature of the veterinarian that gave the rabies vaccination
      • The dog/cat must have been in the United States /country of export or Aruba continuously for the 6 months preceding the date of export OR
      • If the dog/cat is younger than 6 months, it must have been born and lived continuously in the United States / country of export at the date of export OR
      • Written exemption from the above by the Head of the Veterinary Service of Aruba
        • The Veterinary Service of Aruba may be reached by telephone at: +297 5850400; by FAX at: +297 5851828 or email vetservice@despa.gov.aw.

Bahamas: Animal must not be vaccinated for rabies not less than 1 month or more than 10 months for the 1 year rabies vaccine. For the 3 year vaccine a pet must not be vaccinated less than 1 month or more than 34 months prior to importation.

Barbados:

Barbados divides countries into one of two categories based on their rabies risk.

  • Category 1: Countries and territories that are rabies free or those that present a low risk with respect to rabies. BARBADOS CATEGORY 1 Countries include: Andorra, Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Ascension Island, Australia, Bahamas, Bermuda, BES Islands (Bonaire, St. Eustatius & Saba), British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Channel Islands, Curacao, Dominica, European Union Member Countries, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Greenland, Guam, Guadeloupe, Hawaii, Hong Kong, Iceland, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Liechtenstein, Martinique, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Montserrat, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, Russian Federation, St. Helena, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Maarten/St. Martin, St. Pierre & Miquelon, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, San Marino, Singapore, Switzerland, Taiwan, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, US Virgin Islands, Vanuatu, Vatican City State, Wallis & Futuna
  • Category 2: All other countries and territories. Animals traveling by sea (e.g. on yachts, cruise ships and cargo vessels) also fall into this category.
  • The animal must be implanted with a microchip before or at the time of vaccination against rabies. Only inactivated virus vaccines manufactured in compliance with the recommendations of the OIE Terrestrial Animal Manual should be used. The validity of the vaccine is according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.The vaccination should have been carried out when the animal was at least three (3) months old. In the case of a booster vaccination, the booster must have been administered on or before the date of expiry of the previous vaccine.There is a wait of thirty-five (35) days from the date of administration of a primary rabies vaccination or revaccination of an expired or missed rabies booster vaccination before your dog or cat is eligible to enter Barbados. If the vaccine manufacturer’s data sheet requires more than one vaccination to complete the primary course of vaccinations, the 35 day wait applies from the date of the final vaccination of that course. The day of vaccination counts as day 0.
  • Rabies Antibody Titer Test: Animals that have been in a Category 2 country in the 3 months prior to travel from the U.S. to Barbados as well as pets arriving by sea must be tested for rabies antibodies using a FAVN test done at an approved laboratory. The test must be done at least 30 days after rabies vaccination with results ≥ 0.5 IU/ml. In the case of a failed test result (less than 0.5 IU/ml), the animal must be revaccinated and retested before travel is be allowed.

British Virgin Islands:

  • Tortola
  • Virgin Gorda
  • Anegada
  • Jost Van Dyke

Conditions for importation of dogs and cats from non-scheduled (rabies-endemic) countries:

That the dog (s) / cat (s) has/have had at least two rabies inactivated vaccines; the first not earlier than 3 months of age and another at least six months later.

That four months after the first rabies vaccine and at least one month after the second or subsequent booster rabies vaccines, serological test (FAVN) has been carried out to determine the presence of adequate virus neutralizing antibody titres prior to departure. Animals will be permitted to enter the British virgin Islands up to twelve months after the last booster shot, subject to positive blood tests (>0.5Iu/ml).

That the dog (s) / cat (s) has / have been in the country of origin/ export for at least six months immediately preceding importation to the territory.

Conditions for importation of dogs and cats from scheduled (rabies non-endemic) countries: Presently, this includes the following countries: Antigua, Australia, Barbados, Dominica, Jamaica, Montserrat, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, St. Kitts, Anguilla, St.Lucia, St. Vincent, U.S. Virgin Islands, United Kingdom.

That the dog(s)/cat(s) has/have been in the country of origin/export for at least six months immediately preceding importation into the territory.

That there has been no Rabies among un-quarantined animals in the country of origin/ export for the past 24 months.

Caribbean Netherlands

  • Bonaire – Pet must have current rabies vaccination and serological test must be performed in a EU approved laboratory with a rabies neutralizing titre of equal to or greater than 0.5
  • Sint Eustatius – current on rabies vaccination
  • Saba – maximum rabies innoculation of 1 year or at least 30 days prior to arrival and be current with up to date annual vaccinations

Cayman Islands:

Rabies vaccination

These conditions apply to specified countries or territories in which rabies is absent or well controlled. These are as follows:

a) Countries and Territories recognized as being rabies free by the Cayman Islands Government:

Antigua, Australia, Barbados, Bermuda, Great Britain, Hawaii, Ireland (Rep), Jamaica, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, St Vincent.

 b) Countries and Territories recognized where rabies is well controlled:

Anguilla, Aruba, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Curacao, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guadeloupe, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Martinique, Monaco, Montserrat, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Martin, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, US Virgin Islands, USA, Vatican.

After identification, a licensed veterinarian using an approved inactivated or recombinant vaccine must then vaccinate your dog or cat against rabies and issue a rabies vaccination certificate. Note that 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year vaccinations are recognized. If your veterinary clinic does not have a (rabies) vaccination certificate template, then the template provided in Appendix V should be used. Your dog or cat must be at least twelve (12) weeks old before the primary (first) rabies vaccine is given. Subsequent booster vaccinations must be administered one year later in accordance with the guidelines outlined in Appendix VI. Only after that second vaccination can the interval for revaccination be extended legally to 2 or 3 years with a product that has 2-year or 3-year duration of immunity label. Any lapse with revaccination may result in your dog or cat being delayed to enter the Cayman Islands.

The microchip number must be recorded on the rabies vaccination certificate. Vaccination certificates without a microchip number will not be accepted. The rabies vaccination certificate must also contain the make, serial number, validity of the vaccination, and expiry date of the vaccine product used. If your dog or cat was vaccinated before being fitted with a microchip, it must be vaccinated again.

Rabies titre testing and eligibility to enter

A blood test must be taken after vaccination to confirm the presence of protective antibodies against rabies. The blood test, a Fluorescent Antibody Virus Neutralising Test (FAVN), must be carried out by a laboratory approved by the Cayman Islands Department of Agriculture for carrying out such a test at a minimum of 30 days after the most recent rabies vaccination. The test result must show a serum antibody level of at least 0.5 IU/ml and must bear the animal’s microchip number. Test results bearing the wrong microchip number will not be accepted and a new test will have to be carried out.

Please contact us at ci.agriculturevs@gov.ky for information on other potential laboratories.

Your dog or cat will be eligible for entry into the Cayman Islands not less than two (2) months and not more than twelve (12) months after the date the blood sample that gave a successful test result was drawn. To continue to be eligible to enter the Cayman Islands without delay, the titre test must be repeated on/before the 12 month expiration date.

Cuba: current on rabies vaccination 

Curaçao:

The animal must be vaccinated against Rabies at the age of at least 12 weeks with an inactivated vaccine at least 21 days but not longer than 12 months to 36 months (as registered by the manufacturer) prior to departure.

  • The importation of animals younger than 15 weeks is not permitted

Dominica: A rabies vaccine + certificate must be issued less than a year with serial #, type of vaccine, date of expiration and date of administration. Titer results (RNATT / FAVN) must be sent directly to Dominica.

Dominican Republic: Proof of current rabies vaccination

Grenada: Your pet must receive a rabies vaccination within 12 months prior to arrival in Grenada.

Guadeloupe:

If the pet is less than 15 weeks old and has not been vaccinated for rabies more than 21 days before entry into the EU, this Member State DOES NOT ALLOW entry of the pet.

For pets at least 15 weeks old and vaccinated for rabies more than 21 days before entry into the EU:

  • Rabies vaccination must occur the same day as or AFTER microchip implantation. The rabies vaccination may be administered the same day as microchip implantation, but any rabies vaccination before a microchip is implanted is invalid.
    • If the pet had a non-ISO compatible microchip implanted at the same time as or before the pet’s most recent vaccination and it is still readable, the pet will not have to be revaccinated even if it had to be re-microchipped with an ISO compliant microchip to travel to the EU.
    • Remember, the number and implantation dates of both microchips must be documented on the EU Health Certificate and at least one of these microchips must have been implanted before the pet’s most recent rabies vaccine.
  • Rabies vaccinations valid for 1, 2 or 3 years are acceptable as long as the rabies vaccination is current and has been administered according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
    • The rabies vaccination must not expire before entering the EU.
  • A copy of the rabies vaccination certificate should accompany the pet to the EU.
    • After a primary rabies vaccination, the pet must wait 21 days before it is eligible to enter the EU.
    • A rabies vaccination is considered a primary vaccination by the EU when:
      • It is the first vaccination given after microchip implantation (this vaccination can be administered on the same day or any time after microchip implantation).
        OR
      • The previous rabies vaccination was expired when the latest vaccination was given.
        • If a rabies vaccination given after microchip implantation expires before another rabies vaccination can be given, the pet must wait 21 days after the new rabies vaccination before being eligible to enter the EU, as the new vaccination is now considered a primary vaccination.  If there has not been a lapse in the rabies vaccination of the pet, the pet does not have to wait 21 days to travel to the EU after the booster vaccination.

    If the pet is more than 15 weeks old and the most recent rabies vaccine is a primary rabies vaccine, the pet must wait 21 days after the date of that primary rabies vaccine before it can enter the EU.

    NOTE: If the pet is less than 15 weeks old and has not been vaccinated for rabies more than 21 days before entry into the EU, see Step 2 to determine if the pet is eligible to enter the EU by checking which Member States allow these pets.

Haiti: Proof or rabies vaccination / certificate issued not less than 21 days and nto more than 11 months before arrival.

Jamaica: 

The dog or cat must be vaccinated against the rabies virus with an approved inactivated vaccine. Only vaccines produced in compliance with the recommendations of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Manual should be used.

• The dog must be vaccinated with an inactivated rabies virus vaccine that: LAST UPDATED: 30/11/2017 o was given when the dog was at least 90 days old; o is valid, in accordance with the manufacturer’s directions, at the time of export.

• The dog or cat has achieved a post-vaccination rabies virus neutralizing antibody titre of at least 0.5 IU/mL between three months and twelve months before importation;

• A result of less than 0.5 IU/ml is not acceptable and in this circumstance the dog or cat must re-vaccinate and the testing process repeated.

• The Rabies Neutralizing Antibody Test must be a fluorescent antibody virus neutralization (FAVN) test and MUST be done by an OIE/WHO approved rabies reference laboratory (for example Rabies Diagnostic Laboratory, Kansas State University, USA; Animal Health & Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge, United Kingdom.

• The laboratory reports must: be in English; or be completed on the testing laboratory’s letterhead; and include:

 the dog’s microchip number;

 the date the blood was drawn and the date of arrival of the blood sample the laboratory;

 the signature of the authorized person issuing the laboratory report;

 the country where the blood sample was collected;

 the test type and test result.

• The dog or cat may only be eligible for entry into the Jamaica not less than three (3) months and not more than twelve (12) months after the date the blood sample that gave a successful fluorescent antibody virus neutralization (FAVN) test result was drawn.

Rabies: The dog/cat was vaccinated for rabies with a killed virus vaccine or recombinant vaccine expressing the rabies virus glycoprotein; Primary vaccination: the rabies vaccine was administered not less than six months and not more than one year prior to the date of shipment, when the animal was at least three months old. A copy of the vaccine certificate is required; OR Booster vaccination (older animal): the vaccine was given not more than one year prior to the date of shipment. A copy of the most recent vaccination certificate is required; AND A neutralizing antibody titration test for rabies was conducted at an official laboratory (World Animal Health Organization Authorized Laboratories for Rabies Antibody Test) in accordance with one of the methods described in the OIE Manual of Standards for Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines, and found to have at least 0.5 IU/ml of antibody in its serum.

Martinique:

If the pet is less than 15 weeks old and has not been vaccinated for rabies more than 21 days before entry into the EU, this Member State DOES NOT ALLOW entry of the pet.

For pets at least 15 weeks old and vaccinated for rabies more than 21 days before entry into the EU:

  • Rabies vaccination must occur the same day as or AFTER microchip implantation. The rabies vaccination may be administered the same day as microchip implantation, but any rabies vaccination before a microchip is implanted is invalid.
    • If the pet had a non-ISO compatible microchip implanted at the same time as or before the pet’s most recent vaccination and it is still readable, the pet will not have to be revaccinated even if it had to be re-microchipped with an ISO compliant microchip to travel to the EU.
    • Remember, the number and implantation dates of both microchips must be documented on the EU Health Certificate and at least one of these microchips must have been implanted before the pet’s most recent rabies vaccine.
  • Rabies vaccinations valid for 1, 2 or 3 years are acceptable as long as the rabies vaccination is current and has been administered according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
    • The rabies vaccination must not expire before entering the EU.
  • A copy of the rabies vaccination certificate should accompany the pet to the EU.
    • After a primary rabies vaccination, the pet must wait 21 days before it is eligible to enter the EU.
    • A rabies vaccination is considered a primary vaccination by the EU when:
      • It is the first vaccination given after microchip implantation (this vaccination can be administered on the same day or any time after microchip implantation).
        OR
      • The previous rabies vaccination was expired when the latest vaccination was given.
        • If a rabies vaccination given after microchip implantation expires before another rabies vaccination can be given, the pet must wait 21 days after the new rabies vaccination before being eligible to enter the EU, as the new vaccination is now considered a primary vaccination.  If there has not been a lapse in the rabies vaccination of the pet, the pet does not have to wait 21 days to travel to the EU after the booster vaccination.

    If the pet is more than 15 weeks old and the most recent rabies vaccine is a primary rabies vaccine, the pet must wait 21 days after the date of that primary rabies vaccine before it can enter the EU.

    NOTE: If the pet is less than 15 weeks old and has not been vaccinated for rabies more than 21 days before entry into the EU, see Step 2 to determine if the pet is eligible to enter the EU by checking which Member States allow these pets.

Montserrat: Your pet must be vaccinated for rabies and other diseases between 30 days and 12 months prior to entry.

  • Your pet must have lived in the country of origin for a period of at least three months immediately prior to entering Montserrat.
  • A copy of the Rabies Certificate should also be included.

Puerto Rico: 

All dogs and cats entering Puerto Rico shall be accompanied by an official interstate health certificate, stating that the animal did not originate from an area quarantined for rabies.

• All dogs and cats over four (4) months of age must be current on rabies vaccines. A valid rabies vaccination certification must accompany the shipment.

Saint Barthélemy:

Pets entering St. Barts are required to have been vaccinated against rabies between 21 days and 1 year before arrival.

Saint Kitts and Nevis:

Animals must be current on rabies vaccinations. Both 1 year and 3-year vaccines are acceptable.

Rabies vaccines given to pets less than 3 months of age are not considered valid by St. Kitts and Nevis. 

Two (2) laboratory reports with Titer results > or = 0.5 I.U./ml from the Rabies Laboratory at Kansas State University OR The Department of Pathology at Auburn College of Veterinary Medicine.  Acceptable test types: FAVN or RFFIT Note: If the animal has previously been in St. Kitts and Nevis and has been out of the country less than one year, only 1 titer is required for re-entry.

Test 1. The first titre must be taken no less than 30 days after the most recent rabies vaccine. If the result of the first titre is negative, a booster vaccine must be given and the titre repeated again in 30 days.

Test 2. The second test must be conducted not less than 30 days and not more than 12 months after the first titre.
The testing laboratory must submit the test results directly to

The Chief Veterinary Officer
P. O. Box 39
Veterinary Services
Department of Agriculture
Basseterre, St. Kitts, West Indies
Telephone 1-869-465-2110
Fax 1-869-465-2928.

To be considered valid, the test results must include the number of the implanted microchip and complete description of the animal (age, sex, breed, color or color pattern etc).

NOTE: Rabies titer results must be noted on the export country’s endorsed health certificate.

Saint Lucia: Saint Lucia requires that your pet must be vaccinated for rabies at least 30 days prior to travel.

Sint Maarten / Saint Martin: Make sure the rabies vaccine is current.  It must be older than 30 days before travel but not older than one year.  It/they has/have been vaccinated against Rabies with an inactivated vaccine, and the vaccination is current. For animals receiving their first rabies vaccination, or a rabies booster after previous vaccination that has expired by greater than 3 months, it/they has/have been vaccinated at least 21 days prior to shipment.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:

The animal(s) were born in and have never left the United States / Country of Export, OR where not born in or have left the United States and returned, and have been in the United States for the previous six (6) months.

2. The animal(s) have been implanted with an I.S.O. microchip, prior to receiving a rabies vaccination with an inactivated adjuvant vaccine. The animal(s) were not less than twelve (12) weeks of age at the time of vaccination.

3. At least three (3) weeks following the rabies vaccination, a blood sample was taken from the animal(s) following microchip verification, and tested for antibody level via FAVN test at an approved laboratory*. (Once the animal has a protective antibody level (>0.5 IU/ml) as established by the approved laboratory, the animal can be exported to St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

A copy of the Laboratory result must be delivered to the office BEFORE an import permit will be issued. No import permit will be issued until the results have been received at this office and the protective antibody level is confirmed.)

Trinidad and Tobago:

  • Pet must be vaccinated for rabies after implant of microchip.
  • Pet must have a rabies titer blood test no less than one month after the rabies vaccination from an approved laboratory.

Turks and Caicos Islands:

  • Pet must be vaccinated for rabies after implant of microchip.
  • Pet must have a rabies titer blood test no less than one month after the rabies vaccination from an approved laboratory.
  • Rabies Titres 1. Animals originating from the USA or Canada are only required to have their titres done once in the animal’s lifetime providing that: a. all booster vaccines are given before the expiration date of the previous vaccination (based on the manufacturer’s declaration on the duration of immunity) or the rabies titre test must be repeated as at II.5. b above. 2. Rabies laboratories approved by the Animal Health Service can be found at: http://www.who-rabies-bulletin.org/travel/laboratories.aspx or http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/liveanimals/pets/ approval_en.htm

United States Virgin Islands:

  • Saint Croix
  • Saint John
  • Saint Thomas

All dogs must have been vaccinated for rabies within 12 months prior to the date of shipment except those dogs less than 12 weeks old. The certificate of vaccination for rabies must be attached to the official health certificate.

________________________________________

More information on the FAVN test:

What You Need to Know about Traveling with Pets

The FAVN test is required by many rabies-free countries or regions in order for dogs and cats to qualify for a reduced quarantine period prior to entry. Some of these regions are Hawaii, Japan, Korea, Australia, Guam, New Zealand, and some islands in the Caribbean. Always check with the destination authority to verify pet importation requirements.FAVN test results are normally available in 3 to 4 weeks from the date that the sample is received at the Kansas State University Rabies Laboratory. If you will be traveling in less than 3 weeks, an expedited STAT service is available.

About the FAVN Test and FAVN Report

The Fluorescent Antibody Virus Neutralization (FAVN) test measures the response of an animal’s immune system to the rabies vaccine. More specifically, it is a virus neutralization assay developed to screen animal sera by a standard method for an adequate level of rabies antibodies following vaccination. A completed “FAVN REPORT FORM” is required for each sample submitted for the rabies blood serum test. The rabies antibody titer results are placed on an adhesive sticker on a copy of the “FAVN REPORT FORM” submitted with the sample – this is the official FAVN report. The original “FAVN REPORT FORM” submitted with the sample is retained on file at The Kansas State University Rabies Laboratory.