Traveling into Peru with a pet isn’t a difficult task, as long as you’ve done your paperwork up front.
From US
Animals must be accompanied by a “US Interstate and International Certificate of Health examination for Small Animals”. This is a form you’ll get from your veterinarian. The vet will perform a regular health check and update any necessary vaccinations, then fill out and sign the form. After you have the form from the vet, you’ll need to have it certified by the USDA – check your phone book for your local office. More information is available on the Peruvian consulate website.
From Canada
The procedure is similar to bringing pets from the US, the main difference being that the paperwork is certified by the Canada Food Inspection Agency (or CFIA). It’s recommended to check with your nearest Peruvian consulate for any additional information.
From other countries
Check with the Peruvian Consulate closest to you.
When making your flight reservations, reserve room for your pet also. If your pet is small, it may be possible to bring them into the cabin as carry-on baggage. If not, they’ll travel with your suitcase in the cargo section. You may be required by your airline to pay an excess baggage fee. Confirm, confirm and then confirm again with your airline that they have space reserved for your pet. Once you’re on the plane, have the stewardess confirm that your pet is on board.
Landing in Peru
After passing through immigrations, you’ll proceed to luggage pick-up. For its safety, your pet might not be brought into the luggage area right away; you can ask someone to bring it in for you. After retrieving your dog from the luggage area, you’ll proceed through to pay a customs fee of S/106.60 (approximately $35 US as of this writing) but fees usually go up each year. This fee must be paid in Nuevo soles (Peruvian currency); there is a place to exchange money near the customs section.
If you’d prefer to have your pet travel separately, you can contact a professional pet mover. More information on this, and other questions regarding moving your pet, can be found at PetTravelCenter.Com.
We’d like to hear from you. What did you learn when you moved to Peru with your pets? Is there any advice you’d like to give others? Let us know in our forum topic: Moving to Peru with Pets
