If you want to visit Guatemala with your pet, you first need to check the requirements of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food (MAGA) for pet import. The requirements vary depending on the country you are coming from. Fewer regulations apply to the USA than to the rest of the world.

When your origin country is the USA, you only need to provide a health certificate for your dog or cat according to the protocol agreed between the two countries. It must be completed and issued by an authorized veterinarian in your country. The certificate can be replaced with a vaccination card that includes records about vaccines applied in a period between 1 month and 1 year before the journey. You have to provide a photocopy of a document you choose for a MAGA inspector at the border post as well.

As for the tourists coming from other countries, a different pet import policy applies. Due to the risk of spreading rabies among animals in Guatemala, there are more requirements than for pets from the USA. If you come from another country, consider the following information:

· A pet owner must provide an export sanitary certificate from the origin country, or a health certificate, issued by an authorized veterinarian. The certificate must include the name of the pet, its age, sex, breed, color, and other physical characteristics of the pet, as well as information about applied vaccines and deworming (or certifications proving these procedures);

· Pets entering Guatemala must be vaccinated against rabies. The exception is young animals;

· You also must have a vaccination card that includes records about vaccines applied in a period between 1 month and 1 year before the journey;

· Dogs and cats must be treated against endoparasites and ectoparasites with products approved by the country of origin;

· Before the journey, the pet must be examined and found to be in a good state of health and free of clinical signs of infectious or parasitic diseases;

· You have to provide a photocopy of each document for a MAGA inspector at the border post as well.

Regardless of the country you are coming from, your pet must have all necessary vaccinations.

· Vaccinations required for dogs: rabies, distemper, leptospirosis, parvovirus, and hepatitis;

· Vaccinations required for cats: rabies, distemper, feline viral rhinotracheitis, feline calicivirus, and feline leukemia.

After all required documents are collected, do not forget to inform the quarantine station at the border post on your arrival and give them all details of your flight in a period of up to 30 calendar days.

Upon entry to Guatemala, you and your pet have to go through one of the border posts for examination by the official MAGA inspectors. At the border post:

· You pay 14 US dollars for the inspection of your pet;

· One of the MAGA inspectors examines the pet’s health;

· Inspectors check the required documents.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food of Guatemala recommends tourists travelling with pets to:

· Have 2 or 3 sets of photocopies of the requested paperwork, of which 1 set must be delivered to the MAGA inspector at the border post for the entry of your pet to Guatemala;

· Familiarize yourself with the requirements of the commercial transport company (travelling by sea, air, or land) you choose for pet transportation. You can find further information in the “Airlines Pet Policy” section on our website;

· Always consult the health authorities of the country of destination about the requirements that must be met for the entry of your pet into that country.