Taking Pets to Mexico

"We’re entry #47 in this fall’s Baja Ha-Ha and we intend to take our two dogs," writes David Bloom of the Long Beach-based Vector 39 Thee Amazing Grace. "We only know that paperwork/documentation must be done within 30 days of our arrival in Mexico. We were hoping to find more specifics in the Ha-Ha literature, but there was nothing. Can you provide the essential information needed for bringing doggies into Mexico?"

Since David clearly found a gap in our printed information, here’s the poop (excuse the terrible pun): Mexico is known to be very dog and cat friendly. The most you’ll be asked for are a pet health certificate issued by a vet not more than 72 hours before the animal enters Mexico and a current vaccination certificate. But you might not even be asked for those.

Not once during the previous 15 Ha-Ha’s have we heard of anyone having trouble bringing their dog or cat across the border — and there have been plenty. "I don’t think Mexico really cares too much," said Chris Frost, owner of Downwind Marine in San Diego. "The hardest part is getting the animal back across the border." Indeed, the U.S. is much more strict about checking documentation, so hold on to those papers for your return trip. Although not required, it’s a good idea to make sure your pet has some form of ID, whether on its collar or in the form of an implanted microchip. And if you’re planning to sail with Polly the Parrot or Jake the Snake, you’ll have a lot more legwork in front of you.

For more info on sailing with your pets, check out Diana Jessie’s Cruising with Your Four-Footed Friends, which gives practical advice for cruising with dogs and cats, and the recently released pet health manual Where There is No Pet Doctor by David W. LaVigne, DVM (both available on Amazon).