Yes...You may bring cats, dogs, and other household pets into Mexico.
Those wishing to travel to Mexico with their dogs or cats must obtain the following documents beforehand:
1. A Health Certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian.
2. Proof of vaccines against rabies and distemper, administered 15 days before the arrival of the pet in Mexico.
3. Proof of ownership. A letter from your veterinarian will suffice or you may have an adoption certificate from your local shelter.
No consular certification is required and it is not necessary that these documents be translated into Spanish.
However, in the numerous times we have driven from Mexico, through the U.S. into Canada and back again, we have never experienced anything more than slight interest in our pets. We even have “Pet Passports” which we thought were real cute, but nobody has ever wanted to see them. But it doesn’t hurt to be prepared! And the best thing is there is no quarantine in Mexico!
Flying pets in does have its trials and tribulations and we usually recommend driving them in, if at all possible, instead. If you fly in with more than two pets, you my be asked to pay import duty on the third pet, and it is not cheap.
Beware! Whether you bring pets with you from north of border or not, once you are living in Mexico, be prepared for some big brown eyed dog or cat to decide to adopt you and worm their way into your heart. In Lake Chapala we have several animal rescue groups that are great places to adopt your new friend.
For those of you that have allergies and can't have a dog or cat in your home but still love them and are okay for short periods, you can volunteer to walk the dogs from the Animal Shelter or hang out and keep the kittens and cats company.
Our readers are our best support. One friend wrote us and said:
"People need to know that Mexico requires a rabies vaccine every year, not every 3 years as in the US."
And, yes, she's right...the USA now has a 3-year rabies shot, but a rabies shot is required every year in Mexico. It's just a difference in the vaccine. Has nothing to do with standards. One nice story about this is that some of the villages give free rabies shots. They gather in a different barrio (neighborhood) every day and people bring their dogs to get a shot. They even round up the street dogs and give them rabies shots! Even Bill and I (as foreigners in the village) get a free shot. We were reluctant the first year, because we felt foolish. But the lady at the local abarrotes (grocery story), said, "of course you're entitled...you pay your taxes!" Of course, this was all said in Spanish!