APHIS, the CDC, and the destination authority: who governs what
Three different authorities govern a pet’s international trip, and confusing them causes missed steps. In short: USDA APHIS handles the US export side, the CDC governs dogs coming back into the US, and the destination country’s own authority makes the final call at its border. Each has its own rules and timing.
USDA APHIS — leaving the US
APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) accredits the veterinarians who issue export health certificates and endorses those certificates for export. When you are flying a pet out of the US, APHIS is the federal step between your vet and the flight.
The destination authority — entering the country
Each destination sets its own import rules and makes the final admission decision: MAFF/the Animal Quarantine Service in Japan, the UK government for Great Britain, the Department of Agriculture (BICON) for Australia, HDOA for Hawaii. APHIS endorsement gets you a valid US document, but the destination authority decides whether the pet enters — which is why their specific windows, permits, and quarantine rules drive the whole timeline.
The CDC — bringing a dog back to the US
Coming home is a separate regime. The CDC governs dog imports into the US (rabies control) and, since 2024, requires its own import form and conditions — stricter for dogs that were in high-risk-for-rabies countries. Cats are not CDC-regulated for rabies on entry. Plan the return leg as its own project, not an afterthought.
No — Hawaii is a US state, so there is no USDA export endorsement. Hawaii is governed by HDOA (the state Department of Agriculture) under its own rabies-quarantine program, which is why its rules look so different from international destinations.
No. The CDC governs dogs entering the US. For an outbound trip you deal with APHIS (US side) and the destination authority. The CDC matters when you bring a dog back.