Pets

Dog and Vet, importing your pet to Panama

STEPS TO BRING YOUR PETS INTO PANAMA

Dogs & Cats

Before shipping a dog or cat to or from the Republic of Panama, contact the airlines, to find out shipping requirements. Then visit your Vet: The Vet will update the shots for the pet and sign off on a general certificate of health. This should be within 10 days of leaving your departure country. From some countries like the USA you will need to also get forms from the Department of Agriculture. Your Vet will help you fill these out. You will need these US Department of Agriculture forms to get the animal on the plane. The USDA is basically certifying the Vet forms. Contact them: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/area_offices/

Note on Cerificates: Authentication of Pet Health Certificate by Panama Embassy – You need to then have the Pet Health Certificate and USDA forms certified by the Panama Consulate of Embassy nearest you. They charge about $30 for this. Courier the form with a money order for their fee and include a courier prepaid envelope or express mail envelope prepaid and they will return it to you.

1. Vaccination Certificate authenticated by the Panamanian Consul.

2. Health certificate authenticated by Panamanian Consul or with Apostille from the Department of State.

3. Certificate of Origin.

4. Import form (Health Department (Airport) or Quarantine Department).

5. Health Department (Airport) checks your pet and your documents.

6. If entering through Aeropuerto Internacional de Tocumen an attorney or acquaintance in Panama has to request a written quarantine exemption request from the Dept. of Health 2 weeks before the trip – include arrival date, flight, time, and pet information. The request must be hand-delivered at PETA-MINSA (Proteccion de Alimentos of Ministerio de Salud, at former Gorgas US Army Hospital, tel. 562-1671). With these documents the pet will be allowed into the country.

If the animal is to be kept in “quarantine” at your home in Panama, you simply pay the fee of about $130.00, and then keep the animal inside for the required time. Pay the US$130.00 for quarantine fees at any Banco Nacional de Panama. You are usually allowed to have your pet in home quarantine, rather than at the Health Department.

7. Without the above info (6), the pet will be subject to 30-days quarantine and then released to you. Without any documents, the pet will be returned back to the country of origin. If the animal is kept in “quarantine“ at the Health Department, the fee to pay is about $7.00 per day (that can change)

8. Some Panama government officials are off-duty on weekends/holidays/late at night. PETS ARRIVING DURING OFF-DUTY HOURS MAY BE LEFT IN THE AIRPORT CARGO SECTION WITHOUT FOOD. Make prior arrangements with a certified vet to be on hand when you arrive. The Vet will examine the pet and allow the pet to be placed in home quarantine with you for 30 days. The pet can go out but must be accompanied at all times. After about two or three weeks you will get a phone call asking if the animal is in good heath. At the end of the 30 days quarantine is over.

Panama Weather Warning: Panama can get hot-your pet may suffer-be cautious. Consider arriving at night when it is cool and make sure the Vet will meet your flight. Find out right away where to find your pet´s kennel in the airport. Small pets should travel in the cabin with you. Be careful about flight connections-baggage handling areas of terminals are generally not air conditioned.

For other types of animals different regulations apply. Panama requires CITES species control certificates from the country of origin and approvals from ANAM (Areas Protegidas at Autoridad Nacional del Ambiente, Curundu, tel. 532-7223) and MIDA (Cuarentena Agropecuaria of Ministerio de Desarrollo Agropecuario, Curundu, tel. 232-5340).

For Panamanian consulates providing the most up-to-date information: go to Embassyworld or call http://www.mire.gob.pa/. Don´t expect a quick answer by email from any government office based in Panama, best to call (Spanish) or contact the Panamanian Consulate or Embassy in your home country.

NOTE: Regulations change, please check with the nearest Panama Consulate for regulations and prices. This is just a guide.

Vets Recommended by Readers:
Super Pet
Calle 70, San Fransisco #63
Clinic: 270-3856, 270-3857
Email: superpet@superpetpanama.com
Web: http://www.superpetpanama.com/

Panama Pets
Dr Hugo D. Turillaxxi.M
Clinic: 279-1225
Mobile: 6617-1805
Email: panamapets@cwpanama.net

SPAY PANAMA
Excellent non profit organization run by Dr. Chan.
http://www.spaypanama.org/
You can donate or assist to this worthy cause:
E-mail: doctor@spaypanama.org
Telephone: (507) 261-5542 or (507) 6671-0246; Efax: USA 413-280-2491
Mail – Panama:
Spay/Panama
Box 0818-00423 Bethania
Panama, Rep. de Panama
Mail – USA:
Spay/Panama
PTY 4689
P. O. Box 025724
Miami, Fl 33102-5724

Spay Panama-Chiriqui: (in Volcan), the western chapter of Spay Panama of Panama City. http://www.spaypanama-chiriqui.org

Adoptamascota: http://www.adoptamascotapanama.com
adoptamascota123@yahoo.com

Arraijan Animal Rescue & Shelter:
Mari Pily: maripily29@hotmail.com

Fundacion San Francisco de Asis: Located behind the Machetazo of San Miguelito.They offer animals for adoption there. http://www.fundasis.org

Melo Animals:
melo@cwpanama.com

General Pet Site for Panama:
Mascotas Panama: http://mascotaspanama.com/
Please help compile information:
If you have a pet and a favorite vet, or groomer, or kennel, please let me know. Or info regarding pets in Panama (Pet Immigration) or contact with non profit animal societies, let us know, we will list them.