Taking Your Dog to & from South America: READ THIS Before You Go!

Thinking of taking your dog to South America from the U.S. OR to the U.S. from South America? AWOO, perk up your ears to hear the alpha barks of the world traveling Yorkie. Keep on sniffing!

WOOF, ARF-ter spending 5-6 years traveling back and forth between Europe and North America, I decided that it was time to lead my pack to a different continent. Since Brazil has long been on my bucket list, I was determined to leave my alpha mark in South America. Even though my humans visited Peru many moons ago (pre-ME), they had not taken me there (or anywhere in South America with a dog) – well, at the time.

Because there were no direct flights from my hometown California to Brazil (at the time, thanks to post-pandemic flight shortages), getting to my dream continent was a bit of a mission. As a senior dog traveler, I opted to avoid a strenuous travel day by first leading my pack from Los Angeles to Quintana Roo (Mexico), where we spent about three months bumming it out on the white sandy Caribbean beaches before passing through Panama City, and eventually setting our paws on the bustling streets of Rio de Janeiro’s south zone.

ARF-my-dog, was it a real PAWTY in Brazil! We experienced the world’s most famous Carnival, licked my chops to farofa, and chased furry buttocks around Rio’s stunning beaches like Copacabana and Ipanema.

ARF-ter spending 8 months getting my tiny paws sandy, I demanded that my pack head south to Buenos Aires, where I sniffed out some “good air,” chomped on some empanadas and succulent asado, and tilted my little Yorkie head to some ARF-mazing architecture. I wagged my stylish undocked tail feeling like I went back to Europe (well, without going back to Europe).

As expected from a a world dog traveler, I started sniffing for other countries on this massive continent to leave my alpha marks. During my nearly 3-month stay in Buenos Aires, I was enticed to cross the border to Uruguay, which was just a quick ferry ride away. My humans also looked into taking me and Penny Gurl to Peru and flying to Chile, where we could then catch a direct flight back to Los Angeles. Hence, I started doing more and more digging with my furry paws about what is needed for traveling to and from different countries in South America with a dog.

Watch me and Penny Gurl take Buenos Aires:

BUT here’s the deal – unlike taking a dog to Europe, traveling to South America with a dog can be laborious, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the process. Based on our first-paw experience, immense research, AND talks with other dog travelers (who have traveled to other parts of South America, including Ecuador and Colombia), I decided to slow down my conquest of the continent.

If you’re thinking of taking your dog to and from South America, don’t jump the gun! Be prepared to do extra work. The first thing you must know is that most South American countries have EXIT requirements that typically require an International Health Certificate or CVI (Certificate of Veterinary Inspection) – even if the destination country doesn’t require one, which was the case for us to return home to the U.S. (for dogs originated or vaccinated in the U.S.). Now, this is in addition to requirements for your dog to enter any South American country. That’s right – there are requirements for your dog to enter AND exit the country. Stop those paws – I’ll get to that in a bit, so keep on sniffing.

Taking Your Dog to & from South America - What You MUST Know

WOOF, let’s first bark about what countries are in South America! The 4th largest continent in the world, South America comprises 12 countries, two dependent territories, and one internal territory. Now, let’s do a quick bark-down of the import requirements!

Taking Your Dog to South America from the U.S.

MICROCHIP REQUIREMENT: Although a microchip is not always required by countries in South America, I strongly recommend getting your dog microchipped. It comes in handy if you plan to travel internationally with your dog frequently. The 15-digit ISO-compliant microchip is a unique ID that ties your dog to your contact information and is considered the gold standard for international dog travel. Besides meeting requirements for dog import, a microchip plays a crucial role in reuniting with your dog in an unfortunate event that he gets lost.

Argentina – Sniff out my comprehensive guide on what you need to travel to Argentina with a dog HERE.

Bolivia – APHIS Form 7001 issued by an accredited veterinarian within 3 months prior to arrival, which must be endorsed by Veterinary Services and legalized at a Bolivian Consulate for a fee. The health certificate must be translated into Spanish. Rabies vaccination is also required. Dogs may enter via El Alto International Airport.

Brazil – Sniff out my comprehensive guide on what you need to travel to Brazil with a dog HERE.

Chile – International Health Certificate and veterinarian examination within 10 days of travel. Your dog must be found free of infectious diseases and parasites with no clinical signs of Leishmania. Rabies vaccination is required as well as internal and external antiparasitic treatment within 14 days of arrival. Upon arrival, your dog may be required to be under official observation for at least 30 days (which was the main reason why I didn’t make the trek. GRR). Consulate endorsement of the health certificate is NOT required for personal dogs. Dogs may enter via Santiago International Airport.

Colombia – International Health Certificate issued by veterinarian and endorsed within 10 days of travel. Veterinarian examination (also within 10 days of travel) must find that your dog is healthy (fit for travel) and free of any clinical signs of infectious or contagious diseases, including parasites. Your dog must be vaccinated against rabies, distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, and parvovirus and be treated for internal and external antiparasites 60 days before travel. Your dog must be accompanied by at least one photocopy of the original health certificate. Dogs may enter via El Dorado International Airport or Jose Maria Cordova International Airport.

Ecuador – International Health Certificate issued by veterinarian and endorsed within 10 days of travel. Veterinarian examination (also within 10 days of travel) must find your dog free of clinical signs of infectious diseases, parasites, and wounds for healing. Internal and external parasite treatments must be carried out within 21 days of travel. Required vaccinations include distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus, and most imPAWtantly, rabies. Your dog must be placed in a cage or box that was washed and disinfected before being used to comply with regulations for air transport of animals of the International Air Transport Association. Dogs may enter via Mariscal Sucre International Airport, Jose Joaquin de Olmedo Airport, or Carlos Concha Torres Airport.

Guyana – Import Permit Application. Your dog must have a rabies vaccination accompanied by a valid rabies vaccination certificate. Sniff here for more information on the Guyana Ministry of Agriculture website. Other requirements may be needed; unfortunately, there is a lack of information from credible online sources regarding dog import to Guyana.

Paraguay – International Health Certificate, translated in Spanish. Rabies vaccination is required. Dogs may only enter via Silvio Pettirossi International Airport. Other requirements may be needed; unfortunately, there is a lack of information from credible online sources regarding dog import to Paraguay.

Peru – International Health Certificate issued within 14 days of travel, which must be endorsed. Veterinarian examination must find your dog healthy and free from clinical signs of infectious, transmissible, and parasitic diseases. Rabies, distemper, canine hepatitis, leptospirosis (Leptospira canicola and L. icterohaemorrhagiae), parvovirus, and parainfluenza within 12 months prior to export. Internal and external parasite treatment. Peru does NOT recognize 2 or 3 year vaccines. Dogs may enter via Jorge Chavez International Airport.

Suriname – International Health Certificate within 7 days of travel. Rabies vaccination is required. Dogs must enter via Podgorica Airport.

Uruguay – Sniff out my comprehensive guide on what you need to travel to Uruguay with a dog HERE.

Venezuela – International Health Certificate issued within 10 days of travel. Veterinarian examination must find that your dog is free of any infectious or parasitic disease. Required vaccinations include rabies, distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus and parainfluenza virus vaccination. The certificate is valid for 14 days after issuance. Dogs must enter via Simon Bolivar International Airport.

In addition, there are two dependent territories:

Falkland Islands – Import license, International Health Certificate, and rabies vaccination are required along with an Advance Notice of import. Other requirements may be needed; unfortunately, there is a lack of information from credible online sources regarding dog import to Falkland Islands.

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands – uninhabited with no permanent population!!!

AND one internal territory:

French Guiana – International Health Certificate is required. Your dog’s rabies vaccination must be accompanied by a valid rabies vaccination certificate signed by a licensed veterinarian.

A BARK OF CAUTION: AWOO, the list is just a quick overview of the requirements to give you an idea of what’s needed to bring your dog to South America. If you’re serious about traveling to South America with your dog, contact the Ministry of Agriculture of your destination country for more information.

ARF-ter conducting immense research on dog import requirements and contacting the Ministry of Agriculture of various South American countries, I can bark with an upright tail that the most annoying part is finding conflicting information online. For instance, many websites have stated that dogs must be vaccinated within the last 12 months before arrival in Argentina and Uruguay, which would mean that my 3-year rabies booster is not accepted.

GRR, like any dog, I did NOT want to get another needle/injection, and my humans are wholeheartedly against it unless I ARF-solutely have to. Thankfully, ARF-ter digging deeper and barking at the Ministry of Agriculture, I’ve found that the 3-year vaccine is actually recognized! However, the Ministry is not always right, which was in the case of Brazil when they gave me conflicting information on the time frame for internal and external parasite treatment! Grrr. Any-HOWL, the lesson here is to always do a little more digging.

For the most part, your dog will need a rabies vaccination, microchip (again, not required by all but I always recommend it), and internal and external parasite treatment plus the standard International Health Certificate.

The Dog Culture in South America

THE STRAY SITUATION

Sadly, homeless dogs are prevalent throughout South America, especially in rural areas. In cities, you’ll find some strays but they’re not as noticeable as outside the urban areas. Therefore, I would only recommend taking your dog to decent-sized or big cities to avoid potential interactions with homeless dogs.

Due to the risk of diseases and unanticipated encounters, it’s best for your dog to avoid homeless or street dogs. However, if you’re like my human with a soft heart for homeless dogs (and cats), please do what you can to help them during your stay (but leave your dog safe at the hotel). Sniff out what we’re doing to help homeless dogs wherever we go AND how to help animals while traveling.

VETERINARY CARE

Another reason to keep your dog’s travel in South America to big cities is access to veterinary care, which is limited in rural areas or outside of major urban areas. Not to bark, cities generally have higher quality veterinary care along with more 24-hour animal ER hospitals. My humans were pleasantly surprised at how affordable veterinary services are in South America; for instance, an ER visit (exam fee only, not including other services) was nicely priced at $38 (USD) at a modern, state-of-the-art hospital in an upper middle class neighborhood in Rio.

A Yorkie's Long Battle with Collapsed Trachea

In Buenos Aires, Penny and I went to two different veterinarian clinics (one time for our health travel certificates and another time for my collapsed trachea meds), and both visits were priced at $12-16 each (USD)! ARF-mazing, right? BUT, it’s not all open-mouth smiley face.

As a senior Yorkie battling collapsed trachea, I gotta make sure I get access to the best veterinarians without having to Uber across town. In terms of the quality of veterinary care, it shouldn’t be an issue if you have a relatively healthy dog. On the other paw, access to medicine and treatment can be lacking compared to the U.S., particularly for older, geriatric dogs or those with pending health issues, even in big cities. Perk up your ears to my honest barks about veterinary care in Brazil.

DOG FOOD

Besides not having access to certain medications and treatments, finding my prescription dog food in South America has also been challenging. While Penny Gurl is not on a strict diet, I’ve been on a Hills ID Low Fat diet in my senior years due to my breed’s predisposition to pancreatitis. While Brazil carries a variety of Hills dog food, I couldn’t find my specific low fat, gastrointestinal prescription diet.

As a result, my human returned to California a few times and brought back my food. Luckily, I was also able to sniff out the Royal Canin equivalent – without needing a veterinarian approval for purchase like back in the U.S. In Argentina, I sniffed countless pet supply stores only to learn that they don’t carry either Hills ID Low Fat or Royal Canin GI/Low Fat. GRR, so I opted for a Royal Canin low fat alternative during my 3-month residency.

SOUTH AMERICANS & DOGS

The tail-waggin’ news is that most of the South Americans (at least in the cities) I’ve sniffed out are generally dog-loving or dog-tolerant. During my daily walks and outings, I’ve gotten my fair share of gentle pets on the head. I also perked up my ears to sweet comments like “Aww,” “Muy guapo,” and “Muy bonito.”

Unlike Spain where I frequently saw residents mistreat or physically abuse their dogs in public, I’m excited to bark that I didn’t witness any growl-worthy mistreatment of dogs in public (which doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist, but it’s always more concerning when abuse is blatant in public – I mean, you can only imagine what goes behind closed doors). With that barked, I have seen plenty of homeless people who can’t even take care of themselves with neglected, hungry dogs (but that is sadly found anywhere in the world, especially in my hometown California) along with dogs neglected outdoors, especially on rooftops.

DOG-FRIENDLY ACCOMMODATIONS

Dog-friendly accommodations are not only easy to find in big cities, but they also don’t cost an arm and a leg (like in the case of the U.S.). Unlike the U.S., dog fees at dog-friendly hotels are low (often at only $10 USD a day) and virtually nonexistent at dog-friendly apartments. In Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires, many dog-friendly accommodations either accept two dogs OR don’t mention a limit, which makes things convenient for me and Penny Gurl. We’ve also managed to escape any “pet deposits” – WOOF-HOO!

Watch my 2-minute guide to visiting Rio de Janeiro with a dog:

Returning to the U.S. from South America with a DOG

My humans returned to the U.S. from South America with a dog not once, but twice – once from Brazil (with Penny) and the second time from Argentina (with me and Penny).

REAL BARKS: Returning to the U.S. from South America with a dog can be a little challenging. Again, many countries in South America require a CVI to exit the country, even if your destination country doesn’t require one. GRR, arf-my-DOG!

It’s imPAWtant to note that the U.S. the U.S. CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has strict requirements for dogs coming from high-rabies countries, and yes – this applies even if your dog is simply returning home to the States.

However, the tail-waggin’ news is that for some countries in South America, you may be able to use the same CVI to exit if you’re only staying for less than 60 days. This works pawfectly if only your destination country doesn’t have additional requirements. For instance, the U.S. requires that dogs coming from countries that are not free from screwworms to be inspected by a veterinarian within 5 days of arrival.

Also, be prepared for a bureaucratic system that may be suPAW frustrating, making you want to growl. For instance, exiting Brazil was one of the most annoying things my human ever did for international dog travel; the Brazilian Ministry required a government-issued ID to even start the online-only process and all digital signatures to be ICP-compliant.

Just a BARK OF CAUTION that many countries in South America are considered high-risk for rabies by the U.S. Unfortunately, there is currently a CDC ban of dog import from high-risk rabies countries (suspension has been consistently extended), which means your dog must have a valid, unexpired rabies vaccination certificate issued by a U.S. veterinarian to avoid applying for a CDC permit for return to the U.S.

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More tail-waggin’ news is that even though the CDC implemented a temporary suspension of dogs from high-rabies countries, dogs can still enter, but the requirements depend on their origin.

For U.S.-vaccinated dogs:

To return to the U.S., you must present a valid U.S.-issued rabies vaccination certificate at one of 18 airports with a CDC quarantine station (Anchorage (ANC), Atlanta (ATL), Boston (BOS), Chicago O’Hare (ORD), Dallas (DFW), Detroit (DTW), Honolulu (HNL), Houston (IAH), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), Minneapolis (MSP), New York (JFK), Newark (EWR), Philadelphia (PHL), San Francisco (SFO), San Juan (SJU), Seattle (SEA), Washington DC Dulles (IAD)).

The use of the CDC Rabies Vaccination and Microchip Record is encouraged, but not required. If your veterinarian does not use the CDC Rabies Vaccination and Microchip Record, ALL of the following information must be included on the rabies vaccination certificate (which must be in English):

Name and address of owner

Your dog’s breed, sex, date of birth (approximate age if date of birth unknown), color, and markings

Your dog’s ISO-compatible microchip number

Vaccine product name, manufacturer, lot number, and product expiration date

Date of rabies vaccination

Date the vaccination expires (date the next vaccination is due)

Name, license number or official seal, address, telephone or email address, date, and signature of veterinarian who administered the vaccine

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For dogs vaccinated outside of the U.S.:

If your dog is not vaccinated in the U.S., you must apply for CDC’s advance written approval (CDC Dog Import Permit) or make a reservation at a CDC-approved animal care facility. The requirements include, but not limited to ISO-compatible microchip, a valid CDC Rabies Vaccination and Microchip Record, and a valid rabies serologic titer from an approved laboratory. CDC Dog Import Permit may be approved for a maximum of two foreign-vaccinated dogs per applicant. You can request for advance written approval by carefully following the instructions HERE.

In addition to a valid rabies vaccination certificate, the U.S. requires dogs coming from countries or regions not free of screwworm to be declared screwworm free by a licensed veterinarian within 5 days or less of the flight. Thanks to this requirement, returning to the U.S. from most South American countries with a dog puts you in a real time crunch.

This means you cannot get a veterinarian to sign off on the Vet Health Certificate until 5 days (at the earliest) before your flight, which puts on a very strict time frame. Fortunately, we were able to find a veterinarian in Argentina to date our certificates a day or two later to avoid the crunch time, but not every veterinarian would be willing to do that. In Brazil, we knew our veterinarian very well so she didn’t mind changing the date whenever a change had to be made (e.g. a rejection from the Ministry).

Again, you may use the same CVI to exit if your dog is only staying less than 60 days – as long as the rabies vaccination is still valid AND your dog gets screwworm clearance (which is something you must get in writing from a veterinarian).

HERE ARE THE OFFICIAL BARKS: Per the USDA APHIS website, dogs coming from countries or regions where screwworm is known to exist may enter the U.S. if they present a certificate upon arrival signed by a “full-time salaried veterinary official” of the originating region stating that your dog:

* has been inspected for screwworm within 5 days prior to shipment to the United States; and

*is either free from screwworm OR

*was infested with screwworm, held in quarantine, and treated until free from screwworm prior to leaving the region.

Furthermore, your dog needs Foot and Mouth Disease clearance upon arrival to the U.S. (although this is not a strict requirement as long as your dog looks clean. Enforcement can be a hit or miss depending on Customs). The rules state that your dog’s fur and bedding must be free of excessive dirt, hay, or straw. You should also bathe your dog as soon as he reaches the intended destination and kept separate from livestock for five days after entering the U.S. If your dog is used in livestock handling, he should have no evidence of tapeworm infection.

To put things into perspective, you typically don’t need to get a CVI to return to the U.S. from most countries in Europe – a valid rabies certificate is often all you need (although there may be additional requirements depending on your state of arrival), unless you’re arriving from a European country considered high-risk for rabies. Most countries in Europe are found free of screwworms, which means you don’t need additional paperwork for reentry. The CVI used to get your dog into Europe is valid for up to 4 months of travel within the E.U. whereas the CVI used to get your dog into Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay (and other countries in South America) is good for 2 months or 60 days, so you’ll have to get a new one issued after 60 days.

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JUST A HOWL: The bad or lowered-tail news is that more than half the countries in South America are considered high risk for rabies, and are NOT free of screwworm and foot and mouth disease (FMD).

In terms of documentation, all the U.S. really requires from a U.S.-originated dog is a valid rabies certificate for entry and a declaration that your dog is found free of screwworms within 5 days of the flight. Nonetheless, (again) many South American countries have made a CVI as a requirement for dog EXPORT, meaning they have requirements for your dog to LEAVE the country even if it’s not required by the U.S.

REAL BARKS: However, the U.S. Customs doesn’t necessarily ask for any paperwork upon arrival, which has always been the case based on my experience. So, all that work was just to get past the airline counter in South America! GRRR.