Rabies Quarantine

Maui, Hawaii Pet Rabies Quarantine

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For our informational videos on dog and cat travel to Hawaii and the regulations around rabies, click here.

Bringing your pet to Hawai'i is an involved and sometimes confusing process.  One of the main reasons for this is the Hawaii Rabies Quarantine process. The Hawaii Rabies Quarantine laws were designed to keep Hawaii rabies-free.  However, satisfying the requirements for allowing a pet into Hawaii is not strait forward.

The good news is that things are getting better.  In the past, dogs and cats traveling in to Hawaii had to endure a quarantine stay of up to 120 days in the Animal Quarantine Station on Oahu.

No longer!  Now, our Immediate Release at the Kahului Airport on Maui can be arranged by contacting our Quarantine Direct Release Liaison directly at (808) 359-1767, who can guide you through the entire process and make it easy for you.   If you prefer, feel free to email us at [email protected]. This special process bypasses Oahu completely en route to Maui! Why should your pet have to endure more travel time and stress with a stop in Oahu?  We have done this thousands of times over the last 16 years, and will break it down into easy, stress-free steps for you.

In addition, our Quarantine Liaison service can help you along the way to keep the preparation seamless, simple, and error-free, and help your dog or cat avoid quarantine time completely.

"We used South Shore Vet Clinic when sending our dogs through the quarantine/direct release program last summer. It was a great help having them meet our dogs at the plane. They were so kind and reassuring and professional. Thanks for making a strenuous trip a whole lot easier! I would recommend them to anyone making the trek to Hawaii with their dogs."

Mari C., WA Island

We know the "ins and outs" of the quarantine preparation process, as well as the steps needed for Immediate Release travel to Maui without quarantine. If you want to streamline the quarantine process and reunite with your pet on Maui upon arrival, you owe it to yourself - and your pet to contact us. Or if you are a Maui resident and want to travel abroad with your dog or cat, now your pet can bypass quarantine with Immediate Release, more easily than ever before.

Should your pet require a quarantine stay, you'll be glad to know South Shore Veterinary Care is a State-certified satellite quarantine station. That means you can visit your pet right here on Maui any time you want if your pet requires actual quarantine time.  Our Quarantine Liaison will assist you in making this determination and avoiding it if at all possible.

For a beginning overview, review the Frequently Asked Questions below to get an idea of what to expect. Then, contact us by phone, in person, or e-mail and we can advise you where to start, or help you through the entire process.

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"South Shore Veterinary Care made my move from California to Maui as organized and "stressless" as possible. I have a 12 year old mixed breed lovely Lady who has abandonment issues. I was sure that any quarantine might kill her. I contacted South Shore Vet and they helped me walk through the paperwork to get direct release.
thank you... You responded quickly to any questions, I felt you had all the time in the world for me, and you kept me calm.."

                                                                                                                  Paula Baldwin Kihei, Hi

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 1. Why are there quarantine laws for dogs, cats and other pets being transported to Maui, Oahu, or other islands in  Hawai'i?


 Hawai'i is the only U.S. state that is rabies-free. It is important that we maintain this status. The introduction of rabies would have dire ramifications, not only for public health, but would have an adverse affect on Hawai'i's unique ecosystem, tourism and our local lifestyle. Because Hawai'i is rabies free, resident pets are not required to be vaccinated for rabies. Should rabies become established in the state, animal and human health programs and rabies disease control programs would be very costly for the citizens of the entire state. To prevent rabies from entering the state, the current law requires that dogs, cats and other carnivores comply with the Animal Quarantine laws. The law also requires that entire cost of the rabies quarantine program be paid by the users of the quarantine facility. General funds (taxpayer funds) may not be used to run this program.

2. How long does quarantine of my dog or cat take before or after airplane transport to Maui, Oahu or other Hawaiian Islands?


There is a mandatory 30 day waiting period before you can transport a pet to Hawai'i, after vaccinations and a blood test.  This is the "quarantine time". However, our aim is for your pet to spend this period outside the state to satisfy the state requirements.  This allows you to bypass actual time in a quarantine facility for your pet and bring your pet home sooner.  Contact us to learn more about this.

3. Is there any way to make quarantine time for my dog or cat shorter?


No. The waiting period is mandatory but it doesn't have to be done in actual quarantine if the proper steps are taken.  If you plan ahead at least 3-4 months (or less, depending on what your pet has had done already), you can bring your pet straight home to Maui... if you follow the proper steps before travel.  Our Quarantine Liaison can help you with this.

4. How much does quarantine cost?


It depends on what type of quarantine you choose to do and whether a pet stay in quarantine is needed.  You will have to pay the Hawai'i State Department of Agriculture a fee as well as your vet for the preparatory steps. There are costs for airline tickets, a crate and the airport inspection for Immediate Release in Maui.  These preparatory step costs will vary, depending on your veterinarian, location, etc. Contact us for Immediate Release details.

5. Is there any difference between quarantine for cats and quarantine for dogs for flights into Maui, Oahu or other islands in Hawaii?


No. Both of these animal species have to comply with quarantine requirements, as do all carnivores entering Hawai'i.

6. Is there quarantine for pet birds or other pets?


Many bird species are either prohibited from entry into Hawai'i or may enter under specific conditions. Poultry, birds, day-old chicks and hatching eggs require a Poultry and Bird Import Permit (West Nile Virus Import Permit), through the Livestock Disease Control Branch, Department of Agriculture.
Most birds entering Hawai'i must complete a pre-arrival isolation requirement of seven days (168 hours), within 36 hours of entry, to reduce the chances that a West Nile virus infected bird will be transported to Hawai'i. The exceptions to the seven days pre-arrival isolation requirement are: hatching eggs and day-old birds, chickens, pheasants, quail, chuckers, rock doves (domestic pigeons), and budgerigars that are older than four weeks.  Contact the Department of Agriculture for more information.

7. Are there any pets that cannot be transported to Maui, Oahu or other Hawaiian Islands?


Yes. There are many animals that can not come to Hawai'i. For a complete list check the State Department of Agriculture web site or if you are unsure email the Hawaii State Department of Agriculture at: [email protected]

8. Can I get my dog or cat on Maui for Direct Quarantine Release after airline transport?


No. Your pet can released to you at the airport on Maui after inspection by our Quarantine Liaison.


9. Where else in Hawai'i are there quarantine stations?


There are quarantine stations on other islands and the main station in Oahu. South Shore Veterinary Care is a state-sanctioned, satellite quarantine facility on Maui.

10. What is the best way to arrange airline travel for my pet dog or cat to Hawai'i?


Most airline carriers allow pets to travel for most of the year. Be sure, however, to call the airlines before making your reservations to ensure that they can take your pet and give you any specifics you need to know.  Our Quarantine Liaison can give you tips to help make the trip less stressful and give you more details about airlines.  This can be more important during hot or cold travel seasons, or for certain dog or cat breeds, due to airline travel restrictions.

11. What is the South Shore Veterinary Care Quarantine Liaison Service?


South Shore Veterinary Care created this position to help support and guide pet parents coming in to the state through the rabies quarantine preparation process.  We give you the information you need to bypass travel time and stress due to an additional stop in Oahu for pet inspection. And finally, we can help you to avoid any pet quarantine time at all, so your cat or dog can be released to you immediately upon arrival on Maui via the Immediate Release program.  Click here to contact us or if you prefer you may e-mail us.  We will answer all calls that business day or if after hours, by the end of the next business day.

12. Will using the Quarantine Liaison Service speed up the process?

No. It will, however, ensure that there are no surprises when you arrive in Oahu with your pet. For example there are very specific time requirements on the rabies vaccinations. In a recent case involving a yellow lab named Zoe, she had to spend an additional three months in quarantine because her family didn't have someone to help her navigate the sea of paperwork associated with quarantine. The peace of mind knowing that someone who is familiar with the quarantine process and who has helped many pets arrive in Maui safely as well as her own is helping you, is worth it.

13.  Where can I find the cat or dog to quarantine requirements?

You may access the Department of Agriculture Information by clicking here. Our Quarantine Liaison can help you each step of the way (and if needed, your vet).

14. Where can my veterinarian get the Kansas State FAVN rabies titer submission form and information?

 Click here for information to help your vet get your pet's rabies titer FAVN test done properly for entrance to Hawaii.  Contact us at (808) 874-3422 or e-mail us here you would like more assistance.


 

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