Are you looking for information on transporting your pet to India from US or the other way around? The rules may differ slightly each way, and according to what pet of what size you are actually shipping.

First you need to contact The Ministry Of Agriculture in India, and the USDA in America. These are the departments responsible for importing / exporting animals and pets in these countries. You might need to do some googling to put together the various rules, get numbers to contact etc. They have very clear guidelines and checklists of required paperwork. Start getting these together.

Things to do

(1) Your pet has to be microchipped, so if he / she / they aren’t already then do that first.

(2) All their vaccinations also need to be complete and up to date (to the day, so check with your vet, as well as the airline / concerned authorities) and do this, and get the vaccination certficates from the vet. In addition you need a certificate of health from your certified vet (not just any vet) issued within a few days before travel.

(3) Next comes planning and booking the actual travel. The best way for your pet to travel is with you. Not all airlines allow this, Lufthansa is one that does, if the pet is under a maximum size. (Any bigger pet needs to be put in the luggage hold.) They are also reputed to be the best in carrying pets, either with passenger or as cargo. (If you have a large dog for example, and you travel with him, then even though he is in the hold, he is considered as travelling with you. If you are not a passenger on the same flight, then he becomes cargo.) The details are available on their website, or through their call center. They will clearly tell you the list of paperwork that is required for smooth processing, be sure to note this down and follow it to the T, to avoid any complications later.

Your small pet can be carried with you in the flight in a pet carrier that meets their requirements. I think they limit one pet per passenger, so if you have more than one, you’ll have to figure out those details with the airline. If for some reason it is absolutely not possible to carry your pet with you, then send her (or him) by Lufthansa Cargo. The process, cost, and paperwork for this will alter slightly. I recommend Lufthansa because they really do take good care of their pets, even though most other airlines do allow them as cargo. Contact them directly, and they will tell you everything you need to know / arrange etc. On arrival at the destination, both countries require a quarantine to ensure the animal stays healthy.

If you have all the required paperwork (ready in advance) and processed correctly, you can take your pet directly home on landing. In India I just had to bring my kitten back to The Ministry after one week of arrival, and again after one month, for them to see that she is healthy, so it’s more like a “home quarantine”. But this is only allowed if your paperwork is absolutely thorough. Do make sure it is, because quarantine in any country is horrible, and a huge risk to your pet. All the best, and please don’t be daunted by this procedure. My kitty and I are both very happy we were never separated

Information courtesy: Shweta Madiman,volunteer, Blue Cross of India