Dogs and cats coming from areas not free of rabies must be accompanied by a valid rabies vaccination certificate. If a vaccination has not been performed, or if the certificate is not valid, the pet may be admitted if they are confined immediately upon arrival at a place of the owner’s choosing.
Airlines that ship pets to Puerto Rico
You will find that many airlines do not allow animals on board their flights and every company has their own policies and requirements. Where pets are allowed, there are 3 ways pets can travel in a commercial airplane: in-cabin, checked baggage and manifest cargo (shipping alone). Small pets can fly in-cabin while larger (about 20 pounds with carrier) must travel in the baggage or cargo area.
The following domestic airlines fly to Puerto Rico. Links go to their pet policies for more information and restrictions:
Check these International airlines for their individual pet policies for international flights from your country:
If your pet is too large to fly in-cabin, you will have a bigger challenge shipping your pet to Puerto Rico. Only one airline (United) has a temperature controlled area in the cargo hold specifically for pets. For the rest of the airlines, they will only allow transport of animals in current or forecasted temperatures at the arrival and departure airport below 84F (29C) at either location on the itinerary (75 degrees for snub-nosed dogs and snub-nosed cats).
Puerto Rico only has low enough temperatures to meet these requirements for 2-3 months of the year (December-February).
If you’re bringing in birds or reptiles, rodents and rabbits, they should have a health certificate to enter Puerto Rico. Especially if your pet is a parrot or a turtle, you’ll have to make sure you carry documents saying they’re not protected under the Convention on International Trade in endangered species of wild Fauna and Flora.
Each airline requires kennels and carriers of different sizes. Check the airline pet policy for the measurements before buying a kennel for your pet. Most require enough room for them to stand up and turn around inside the carrier.
Disclosure: Affiliate links below support Living in Puerto Rico Costs.