Adventures are not complete without your best friend by your side. Our dog, Jetty, has sailed with us up and down the east coast as well as through the Bahamas multiple times. We would not dream of doing any of these trips without her. As awesome as it is to have her along, there is some in-depth planning that comes into play when determining where we can travel to. Many countries have their own rules and requirements when it comes to importing animals. We have not made the trip to the Caribbean yet but I have spent hours researching what is needed to enter each country. Below is a list of things to consider while preparing to sail to the Caribbean with a dog.

Preparing to Sail to the Caribbean with a DOG!

Jetty enjoying the blue water.

Microchip:

Almost every country requires that all incoming dogs be microchipped with an ISO compliant pet microchip. This microchip must be implanted prior to receiving the latest rabies vaccination. It is also very important that the correct microchip number is on all documents.

Rabies Vaccination:

Some countries do not recognize the three-year rabies vaccine so they must be revaccinated within 12 months of arrival. Another requirement is that the vaccine cannot be given within 30 days of arrival.

Rabies Titer Test: (Most Time Consuming)

This was a new one for us because the Bahamas does not require a rabies titer test. So what is it anyways?? A rabies titer test is a blood screening that tells how much of the rabies vaccine is in your dog’s system. Some of the islands in the Caribbean are rabies free and others are striving to get there. They want to make sure every animal that is coming to their land is not going to create a lasting problem for them.

In the U.S. the Rabies Titer Test can be performed at Kansas University.

Your local vet can take the blood sample and then ship it off for testing. Most countries require that the Titer test is done at least 30 days after your dog’s rabies vaccine.

This process can take up to a month to get the results back so I would make this your highest priority.

Make sure your dog does not eat for at least 12 hours prior to the blood test. We learned this the hard way and had to make a revisit.

Rabies Titer for screening to KSU: $123.90

Shipping and Handling: $60.00

Lymes Disease Vaccination

A few countries in the Caribbean such as Turks and Caicos require a Lymes Disease vaccination certification or you can pay a vet to test your dog for Lymes Disease. We opted for the vaccination because clearing customs is hard enough as it is. We did not want to have to organize an extra vet visit on top of clearing customs.

If you opt for the vaccination just beware that it is a series of two shots two-three weeks apart from each other.

Lyme Vaccination #1: $47.25

Lyme Vaccination #2: $47.25

Other Required  Vaccinations

A few countries also require that your dog is vaccinated against Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus, Leptospirosis, and Coronavirus. The DHPP Vaccine is one shot that takes care of Distemper, Hepatitis (Adenovirus), Parainfluenza, and Parvovirus. This is also known as a puppy shot. If you make yearly vet visits you are probably covered.

DAPP 3 year vaccine $60.25

Leptospirosis, on the other hand, is not as common. Leptospirosis is an infectious disease transmitted through an infected animal’s urine. The main transmitters of the disease are dogs, rodents, and farm animals. It is usually only given in certain situations where a dog would be prone to contracting the bacterial disease. For example, dogs that live outdoors around rodents, dogs that go hiking/hunting, or any dog that might come in contact with rodent urine.

If your dog has never been vaccinated for leptospirosis before then they will need a series of two shots two-three weeks apart.

Leptospirosis vaccine #1: $28

Leptospirosis vaccine #2: $28

Coronavirus is not a common vaccine given but a few countries now require this vaccine as well.

Health Certificate:

Every country requires an up to date international health certificate. You will need to make a visit to the vet before sailing to any new country. Vets can be found on almost every street corner in the United States but this is not the case on many Islands. Finding an “open” vet office can be very difficult. I will write another article on this process which will include the vets we choose and how to get a health certificate endorsed.

Import Permit:

Import permits need to be filled out, mailed in, and be approved by whichever country you plan on visiting before you arrive.

A select few countries do not require an import permit and this makes the process a lot easier.

Bring Fido is a great place to find out what is needed for each country and download any documents required.

The exact list of requirements for each country can also be found here.

Preparing to sail to the Caribbean with a dog can be a bit overwhelming. It is important to start planning in a timely manner so you have time to get the rabies vaccine prior to the titer test and are not rushed for the results.

If you plan on sailing to the Bahamas before heading to the Caribbean you can find all import info here 🙂 

I will post info about every country we enter and how the process goes.

Until then, feel free to ask any questions or tell us what your experience was like sailing with a dog in the Caribbean.

Thanks for reading!

Sierra:)

* The prices listed above are what I paid at our vet. Prices may vary.*