Bringing your pet to Hawaii with you involves careful planning. Schedule veterinary visits well in advance and make sure you have all necessary documentation so that your pet does not spend the entire time in quarantine.
Significance
Infectious diseases such as rabies spread rapidly and could have disastrous effects on Hawaii's small islands. The state government requires vaccinations for all dogs and cats entering Hawaii in order to prevent this. Hawaii offers a direct release program at the airport or short quarantines of five days or less for pets that meet all requirements.
Types
Visiting Hawaii requires a rabies vaccination for your dog or cat. If your dog is older than three months, he also needs vaccinations for distemper, infectious hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza virus and leptospirosis. Consider vaccinating your dog for bordetella bronchiseptica, or kennel cough, and coronoavirus as well, although these are not required. If your cat is at least three months old, she also needs vaccinations for panleukopenia virus, viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus and chlamydia psittaci. A feline leukemia vaccine provides her with additional protection, but is not required. Follow a regular vaccination schedule recommended by your vet if your puppy or kitten is under three months old.
Additional requirements
Your dog or cat must pass the OIE-FAVN Rabies Blood Test before arriving in Hawaii, in addition to having current vaccinations. Send a blood sample to the DOD Food Analysis and Diagnostic Laboratory in Texas or Kansas State University for testing. Your pet also needs a microchip, if she does not have one already.
Timeframe
Avoiding long quarantines requires your pet to have current vaccinations and recent blood samples. Have your pet vaccinated for rabies at least 90 days or more before your arrival in Hawaii. Have all other vaccinations given at least 10 days before your arrival. Send your pet's OIE-FAVN Rabies Blood Test sample in early enough so that the lab receives it at least 120 days before your arrival, but do not send one in if it is more than three years old. For puppies and kittens, wait until they are at least 10 months old so that they meet all the requirements.
Exemptions
If you're arriving on a direct flight from the United Kingdom, Guam, New Zealand or Australia, your pet will not be quarantined as long as he is free of parasites and disease. Bring the proper documentation, including a health certificate from your veterinarian and a signed affidavit swearing that your pet did not leave the country of origin during the six months before your departure. You must also present a signed affidavit from the aircraft captain or senior station official confirming that your pet was only on one plane.
Warning
Failing to provide the necessary paperwork or meet the requirements for either direct release or the five-day-or-less program when you arrive at Honolulu International Airport will cost you up to $1080. Your pet will be held in quarantine for up to 120 days at your expense.
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