Who Handles Your International Pet Travel Paperwork?

By Transcontinental Pet Movers LLC · Updated October 11, 2026

International pet travel involves several people with different responsibilities. Knowing who handles each step helps you ask the right questions, book suitable appointments and avoid assuming that a consultation replaces veterinary or government work.

The pet owner: journey and records

You provide the intended route, destination, travel date and accurate information about the pet. Gather previous records and tell the veterinary practice about the full itinerary, including connections and entry points. Confirm the pet booking and acceptance conditions with the airline.

For our accompanied-travel consultation, you purchase and manage the passenger booking. You also complete and submit outside applications unless a different written scope has been agreed. Give the veterinary practice permission to discuss relevant paperwork with the consultant.

The consultant: planning and coordination

Transcontinental Pet Movers reviews the available records, identifies gaps, prepares a written checklist and timeline, and reviews the proposed itinerary from a documentation perspective. We draft the applicable export certificate using information supplied by you and the practice, for the veterinarian to review.

We coordinate agreed timing and paperwork questions and monitor endorsement progress when required. We do not examine animals, make clinical decisions, issue veterinary certificates or act as a government endorsement office. Our involvement also depends on cooperation from your practice.

The veterinarian: examination and certificate

The veterinarian examines your pet and performs or verifies the required vaccinations, tests and treatments. The veterinarian is responsible for completing, signing and dating the certificate. When USDA endorsement is required, APHIS says the issuing veterinarian must be USDA-accredited.

Confirm that the practice can handle the destination’s certificate before booking. Not every veterinarian is USDA-accredited. Clinical questions, medical suitability for travel and the accuracy of the issued certificate remain with your veterinarian.

USDA APHIS: endorsement when required

When the destination requires USDA endorsement, APHIS reviews and endorses the certificate after the accredited veterinarian issues it. Endorsement does not replace the veterinary appointment. Ask the practice how submission and return of the endorsed documents will be handled for your destination.

The destination and airline: separate acceptance requirements

The destination sets its entry requirements. Airlines may have additional conditions for carriage. A completed health certificate does not itself confirm that the pet has an accepted reservation or that the proposed route is suitable.

Use our timing guide to organize the questions for each party, then request a consultation if you need help coordinating the work. Verify current requirements using the official sources below.

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