The Key to Happiness is Elevation! Merry Anne Stone, REALTOR®, ABR

Got Pets? What You Need to Know About Hawaii's Quarantine Rules


The state of Hawaii is rabies-free. Hawaii's quarantine law is designed to protect residents and pets from potentially serious health problems associated with the introduction and spread of rabies.

All animals, regardless of age (puppies and kittens included) or purpose, must comply with Hawaii’s animal import requirements.  

 Chapter 4-29 Hawaii Administrative Rules, governs the importation of dogs, cats and other carnivores into Hawaii. This law states that dogs and cats meeting specific pre- and post-arrival requirements may qualify for 5-day–or-less quarantine program, which has a provision for direct release at HonoluluInternationalAirport after inspection. (See Checklist For 5-Day-Or-Less Program for details.)

Furthermore, the law requires dogs and cats not meeting all of the specific 5-Day-Or-Less program requirements to be quarantined for up to 120 days upon arrival In Hawaii.  (See Hawaii Rabies Quarantine Information Brochure for details on 120-day quarantine.)

Prohibited Animals: The regulation of animal breeds and species that are permitted to enter Hawaii is under Plant Quarantine Branch jurisdiction and administrative rules.  Non-domestic dogs and cats and hybrids such as wolf, wolf cross, Dingo, Bengal, Savannah, etc are prohibited under Plant Quarantine (PQ) law.  Refer to Plant Quarantine's animal guidelines for importation

Puppies and Kittens: Due to the minimum amount of time needed to prepare a puppy or kitten to meet the requirements of the 5-Day-Or-Less program, a puppy or kitten will be about 10 months of age by the time the preparations are completed. Puppies and kittens not able to meet all of the requirements for the 5-Day-Or-Less program will be quarantined for 120 days.  

Hawaii Resident Pets:  Owners wishing to leave Hawaii with their pets and return without extended quarantine must meet all requirements listed on the “Checklist Only For Resident Dogs And Cats Originating From Hawaii And Returning For The 5-Day-Or-Less Program."  The length of the waiting period after a successful rabies blood test is modified and must be completed before leaving Hawaii. See Checklist Only For Resident Dogs And Cats Originating From Hawaii And Returning For The 5-Day-Or-Less Program for details.

Re-Entry Fee Requirements: For pets re-entering Hawaii after completing a Hawaii rabies quarantine program, click here for requirements when a reduced "Re-entry" fee for Direct Airport Release or 5-Day Or-Less quarantine applies.

►  INFORMATION AND FAQs

  • Hawaii Rabies Quarantine Information Brochure  [aqsbrochure.pdf, Rev. 02/06] This brochure contains important information about pre-arrival requirements, quarantine station location and contacts, procedures, policies, rules, operations and fees.
  • Frequently Asked Questions[Rev. 10/05]
  • Direct Airport Release Security Advisory 
     
  • IMPORTANT! Pet owners are responsible for transporting all pets released from the Airport Animal Quarantine Holding Facility (AAQHF) to their vehicles or the Interisland terminal. Airport security regulations do not permit animals to be let out of the transport crate on airport property. Pets must be picked up and loaded into a vehicle or onto a baggage cart in their transport crate.  Therefore, vehicles must be large enough to accommodate the intact crate with the pet inside.  There are no baggage carts or porters in the immediate vicinity of the AAQHF.

    Due to limitations in inter-island service on the weekend, pets arriving on Thursday or Friday may not be transferred to satellite quarantine stations and approved hospitals on the neighbor islands until the following Monday.

► FORMS

  • Dog and Cat Import Form [AQS-278.pdf, Rev. 10//05]- One completed form per pet is required to be submitted along with all pre-arrival documents (Two Rabies Vaccination Certificates, Health Certificate, Pre-payments) NO LESS THAN 10 DAYS BEFORE PET ARRIVES IN HAWAII TO QUALIFY FOR 5-DAY-OR-LESS or AIRPORT RELEASE.  If the health certificate cannot be sent 10 days before arriving with the rest of the documents, the original must be given to the inspector upon arrival in Hawaii.
  • Summary For Veterinarians [AQS-39.pdf, Rev. 10/05] Summary for veterinarians of health certification, microchip, rabies vaccination intervals, OIE-FAVN test and waiting periods requirements of the 5-Day-Or-Less program.

Pets owners do not need to present a hardcopy of test results to the Rabies Quarantine Branch, as KSU and DOD will send results directly if “Hawaii” is listed as the destination on the lab submission form.  Owners can obtain pre-arrival OIE- FAVN test results from the veterinarian that submitted the sample or on the Hawaii Department of Agriculture website (see below).  Please do not call laboratories directly for test results!

For those qualifying for the direct release or 5-day-or-less you can now check online for your pre-test results and the 120-day date after KSU or DOD received your pet’s sample. Click here for more information.   


Contact Information for State Quarantine Office:

  • E-mail: rabiesfree@hawaii.gov  
  • Animal Quarantine Station phone:  (808) 483-7151
  • or you may contact our quarantine office at this address:

Hawaii Department of Agriculture
Animal Quarantine Station
99-951 Halawa Valley Street
Aiea, Hawaii
96701-5602



Info on Guide Dogs and Service Animals


For information on requirements for allowing guide dogs and service animals to enter Hawaii without Quarantine click here . 

Smoothly introducing your pet to your new home

Moving into a new home can be very exciting for your entire family, but introducing your pet into a new home can be incredibly stressful for them.  Fortunately, there are a lot of things that we can do to help make this transition easier on them, which in the end, makes it easier on us

When moving, if possible, leave the pet with a friend they know. This will keep them out of your way when you are moving furniture, and decrease the chance that any accidents may happen. You can also leave your dog in the backyard while you move, as long as it is fully fenced and they cannot escape. Can’t do either?  If necessary, crate your dog while moving the furniture into the home. Make sure the crate is large enough that they can stand up, turn around and lay down comfortably, and be sure to give them access to water and let them outside to "do their business" every few hours. The best way to keep your pet safe during this time is to keep them out of the way. 

What about cats? Depending on their personality, cats will either want to be in the middle of your move, inspecting everything and getting underfoot, (increasing their chances of getting hurt), or they'll want to hide from all the noise and commotion. Try to confine your cat in a quiet bedroom with food, water and a litterbox in a place they feel comfortable. When you're in your new home, some cats may want to hide for a few days (maybe under the bed or in a closet) until they decide to come out and explore their new surroundings. Let them explore their new "territory" at their own pace.

For more great tips on a successful move with your pet, please visit The Humane Society of the United States. 


Some other great links for advice on moving with your pet include:

Pets Welcome – a great website for finding pet friendly hotels, for those long distance moves

Air Animal (pet movers) – for the really, really long distance moves

Atlas World Group -- great advice for moving tips 


Proud to be a REALTOR®!

Hale Kona Inc. / GMAC Real Estate. 76-6225 Kuakini Highway, Suite # 104, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740 / Office # (808) 329-2702
 
©2009 Hale Kona, Inc. / GMAC Real Estate® is a registered trademark, All Rights Reserved. Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated. Hale Kona Inc. / GMAC Real Estate is an Equal Opportunity Company. Hale Kona Inc. / GMAC Real Estate fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act (Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968). This website shows properties represented by Merry Anne Stone, REALTOR®, but also properties represented by other members of Hawaii Information Service. Some information appearing on this site has been obtained by third parties, and while deemed to be reliable, is not guaranteed.


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