Pet Transport Ecuador to USA: CDC High-Risk Pathway and Quito to US in 2026
Ecuador is a high-risk country for dog rabies under the CDC’s dog import rules. A dog vaccinated in Ecuador needs the full high-risk documentation set: an …
The import process, in full
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Which United States rules depend on a pet coming from Ecuador?
The United States sorts countries into 2 groups, and Ecuador falls in “High-risk countries for dog rabies”.
Dog has been in one of these within 6 months: rabies vaccination mandatory. US-vaccinated dogs need USDA-endorsed CDC certification form; foreign-vaccinated dogs need foreign certification form, CDC-approved titre or 28-day quarantine, facility reservation and arrival at that facility's airport. Official source
These rules apply to that group, on top of the rules every pet follows:
- Quarantine: Without a valid titre, the dog is admitted only after 28 days' quarantine at a CDC-registered animal care facility; this can be shortened if criteria are met. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries without a valid titre.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Quarantine: All foreign-vaccinated high-risk dogs need a reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility before entry, where they are examined and revaccinated with a US-licensed rabies vaccine. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Quarantine: The 28-day CDC facility quarantine may be shortened only if all of these are met: personal pet or service dog; documentation of at least 2 rabies vaccines; healthy on exam; the facility gets CDC approval for a prospective serologic monitoring (PSM) assessment; the dog gets a US-issued rabies vaccine under PSM; and a titre is obtained from a CDC-approved US lab (CDC FAQ updated 27 August 2026). Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries without a valid titre.
Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations, checked 2 October 2026 - Rabies titre test: Foreign-vaccinated high-risk dogs need a passing rabies serology titre from a CDC-approved laboratory; blood drawn at least 30 days after the first valid vaccine and at least 28 days before entry. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Rabies titre test: Passing titre results are valid for life while vaccination does not lapse and the lab remains approved. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Rabies titre test: Not required: US-vaccinated dogs returning from a high-risk country need valid (unexpired) documentation of a US-issued rabies vaccination, not a titre. If that documentation is invalid, the foreign-vaccinated rules (including titre or 28-day quarantine) apply. Applies to US-vaccinated dogs returning from high-risk countries.
Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations, checked 2 October 2026 - Health certificate: Foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries need the Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form, completed by a vet and endorsed by an official government vet of the departure country. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Health certificate: That form must be completed no more than 30 days before travel, is single use and is valid 30 days from the vet's signature. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Health certificate: US-vaccinated dogs returning from high-risk countries need the Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination form, completed by a USDA-accredited vet and USDA-endorsed before the dog leaves the US (at least 28 days after a first vaccine). Page updated 28 April 2026. Applies to US-vaccinated dogs returning from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for U.S.-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Health certificate: USDA-endorsed export health certificates issued after 31 July 2025 are no longer accepted for re-entry; the CDC certification form is needed instead. Applies to US-vaccinated dogs returning from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for U.S.-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Rabies vaccination: For high-risk dogs the first rabies vaccine must be given at or after 12 weeks (84 days) of age; earlier vaccines are not accepted. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - How your pet may travel: Foreign-vaccinated high-risk dogs must arrive by air; only service dogs (14 CFR 382.3) may arrive by sea. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Arrival points and notice: Foreign-vaccinated high-risk dogs must arrive at the airport where their CDC-registered facility is. CDC list (updated 1 Sept 2026): Atlanta (ATL), Dallas (DFW), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), New York (JFK), Philadelphia (PHL), Seattle (SEA, cargo only), Washington DC (IAD). Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
CDC-registered Animal Care Facilities, checked 2 October 2026 - Arrival points and notice: There are no CDC-registered facilities in Alaska, Hawaii or US territories, so foreign-vaccinated high-risk dogs cannot enter the US through those places. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations, checked 2 October 2026 - Arrival points and notice: US-vaccinated dogs returning from high-risk countries may arrive at any airport, land border or seaport matching the receipt. Applies to US-vaccinated dogs returning from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for U.S.-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Arrival points and notice: Foreign-vaccinated dogs that have been in a high-risk country in the past 6 months cannot enter at a land border crossing (Canada or Mexico). Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations, checked 2 October 2026 - Microchip: For dogs from high-risk countries the chip must be implanted before the rabies vaccine, otherwise the vaccine is invalid. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026
One rule for every pet entering the United States decides whether yours can travel at all:
- Minimum age: Every dog must be at least 6 months old on entry or return to the US.
Entry Requirements for Dogs from Dog-Rabies Free or Low-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Minimum age: Not listed: cats. CDC's cat section requires only that cats appear healthy on arrival (they may be inspected, examined at the owner's cost if ill, or refused if they show a zoonotic disease); rabies vaccination proof is not required. APHIS states it has no animal health requirements for pet cats (https://www.aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel/another-country-to-us-import/cats). Neither sets a minimum age; destination states may.
Bringing an Animal into the U.S., checked 2 October 2026
The rules that apply to every pet entering the United States, whatever the origin, are listed with their official sources in our United States guide.
What does Ecuador require before your pet leaves?
- Export permit: Not required: Agrocalidad Res. 0150 (5 August 2021) sets the exit procedure for companion animals as a request, 48 to 72 hours before departure, for the Certificado Zoosanitario de Exportación (Article 5); a separate permit or protocol applies only to non-conventional companion animals (Article 8). For dogs and cats the CZE is the only Ecuadorian exit document, which matches Agrocalidad's current exit page (registered vet applies 72 hours before travel). The 'permission' of Agrocalidad required by the 2009 Acuerdo Ministerial 116 is read as this certificate. Any import permit is a destination requirement. Applies to pet dogs and cats leaving Ecuador.
Resolución 0150 (5 August 2021): procedimiento y requisitos sanitarios para el ingreso y salida del Ecuador de animales de compañía, checked 5 October 2026 - Export health certificate: Agrocalidad issues the Certificado Zoosanitario de Exportación for dogs and cats leaving Ecuador; a veterinarian registered with Agrocalidad applies through the GUIA system and, once the application is approved, the certificate is collected in person at the Agrocalidad office or border exit point chosen in the application. Applies to dogs and cats leaving Ecuador.
Salida de animales de compañía (perros y gatos), checked 1 October 2026 - Export health certificate: A veterinarian registered with Agrocalidad submits the application 72 hours before travel and selects the nearest Agrocalidad office to collect the printed certificate. Applies to dogs and cats leaving Ecuador.
Salida de animales de compañía (perros y gatos), checked 1 October 2026 - Export health certificate: The animal health certification is valid for 10 days; the clinical inspection details are entered online in the GUIA system. Applies to dogs and cats leaving Ecuador.
Salida de animales de compañía (perros y gatos), checked 1 October 2026 - Export health certificate: Agrocalidad's export zoosanitary certificate costs USD 28.90 per animal. Applies to dogs and cats leaving Ecuador.
Salida de animales de compañía (perros y gatos), checked 1 October 2026
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Carriers on this route
Not all airlines accept live animals on this route. Confirm the operating carrier's current policy for every flight segment.
What this route typically costs
Critical points
Ecuador is CDC high-risk. A dog vaccinated in Ecuador must land at a US airport that has a CDC-registered facility, whether or not it has a titre result, and cannot connect through another US city first. Check the CDC's current facility list before you book.
Quito and Guayaquil apply municipal restrictions to American Pit Bull Terriers, Rottweilers and Dogo Argentinos, covering liability insurance, muzzling and lead rules while the dog is in Ecuador. Those are ownership rules inside Ecuador, and nothing in Ecuador's export rules stops you taking such a dog out. The US has no federal breed ban, but check the breed-specific legislation in your destination city and state, and check the airline's own breed restrictions before booking.
Two departure airports: Quito Mariscal Sucre (UIO) and Guayaquil Jose Olmedo (GYE). American Airlines serves both. Confirm carrier and routing for your city.
The serology blood draw timing has two constraints: at least 30 days after vaccination AND at least 28 days before US entry.
What high-risk actually means and the two pathways available
The CDC’s high-risk classification for Ecuador means dogs cannot enter the USA on the same simplified paperwork available to dogs from low-risk countries like Chile. The classification reflects Ecuador’s status on the CDC’s rabies risk assessment.
The practical consequence is a choice. Submit a valid serology titre result with your arrival documentation, or accept 28 days at a CDC-registered animal care facility after landing. Both routes need the facility reservation booked in advance, and both land at the airport where that facility sits. The titre changes the length of the stay, not the airport. Facility fees on the quarantine route typically run USD 1,500 to 3,500 for the 28 days, which is why most families take the titre route even though it needs more preparation.
Quito and Guayaquil both connect to Miami and other US East Coast cities via American Airlines and other carriers. Miami (MIA) is the most practical arrival airport for Ecuador pets, given its established CDC facility network and strong cargo connections from South America.
The serology titre timing and why it trips people up
There are two time gaps that must both be satisfied for a valid CDC titre: first, the blood draw must happen at least 30 days after the first valid rabies vaccination; second, the blood draw date must be at least 28 days before your US entry date. These are independent constraints.
Most people get the first one right (wait 30 days after vaccination, then blood draw). The second one catches those who book travel before realising the 28-day pre-entry gap. If you draw blood on Day 0 and want to fly on Day 20, the titre is not valid for US entry. You need to wait until Day 28 after the blood draw at the earliest.
For families relocating from Quito or Guayaquil, work backwards rather than forwards. A dog that is not already vaccinated waits 30 days from the vaccination to the blood draw, then at least 28 days from the draw to the US entry date, and the laboratory needs time on top of that. Those two fixed gaps alone come to almost two months before any lab turnaround, which is why the realistic window for this route is the 12 to 20 weeks given above, not eight.
Common questions
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Requirements on this page were checked against the authorities below. Rules change, so confirm current conditions with the relevant authority before you travel.
- USDA APHIS · United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
- CDC · United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, dog import rules
- IATA · International Air Transport Association, Live Animals Regulations