According to the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for MC&FP, Guam was declared rabies-free during 1972. In order to maintain this status, the government has strict quarantine requirements for the importation of dogs and cats. All dogs and cats brought into Guam from other than rabies-free areas of Hawaii, Australia, and the British Isles must undergo one of three quarantine periods of 120 days, 30 days, or 5 days at a Department of Agriculture-approved animal quarantine facility.
Regulations for taking a pet dog or cat to Guam require that you must start the process no less than 120 days prior to arrival in order to enter Guam without quarantine. All requirements also apply to service and emotional support animals.
Pet dogs or cats entering Guam from the United States should conform to the five-day or less program is designed to allow pets that meet certain qualifications to be released immediately upon their arrival at the Honolulu airport to travel on to Guam. There are five steps to meeting these qualifications.
Animals originating from the British Isles, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Hawaii on direct flights to Guam may be exempt from quarantine requirements after meeting shipping and veterinary examination requirements.
All dogs and cats not meeting requirements listed below will be subject to 120 days of quarantine:
1) Pet Microchip
- Guam only requires microchipping when the pet will be serving a 120-day quarantine. Your veterinarian must provide a health certificated that includes the microchip number and confirmation that the veterinarian was able to scan the chip. The microchip can be of the standard US issue (Avid) or (Home Again) type or a 15 digit ISO pet microchip. The microchip must be implanted prior to your pet’s rabies titer test.
2) Entering Guam by Air
- Pets must enter Guam via Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport.
3)Health Certificate
- Within 10 days of travel, the Veterinary Certificate for Guam must be completed by a licensed veterinarian.
3)Application for Entry Permit
- This certificate must be issued by your veterinarian not more than 14 days prior to your arrival in Guam.
30-DAY PRE-ARRIVAL REQUIREMENTS
1. A minimum of two (2) rabies vaccinations not less than 3 months apart with an approved monovalent inactivated rabies vaccine, or recombinant vaccine.
- a. The first vaccination shall not be given less than 3 months of age; except according to manufactures recommendations.
b. The second or subsequent vaccination shall be given no less than 30 days and no more than 12 months before arrival in Guam
c. The name, serial or lot number, the expiration date of the lot and date the vaccination was given must appear on the health certificate
d. Information for the two most recent rabies vaccinations shall be recorded on the health certificate.
2. OIE-Fluorescent Antibody Serum Neutralization Test (OIE-FAVN test)
A rabies blood test (requiring 1 to 3 ml. of serum) to determine if dogs and cats have responded adequately to rabies vaccination is required prior to arrival to qualify for the 5 days or less quarantine.
- a. The OIE-FAVN test must be conducted no less than 90 days and no more than 12 months prior to arrival in Guam. A result of 0.5 I.U. per milliliter of rabies antibodies or greater is required.
b. A sample of whole blood cells must be submitted to the testing laboratory. Have your veterinarian submit a 1 to 3 milliliter heparinized or EDTA blood collection tube. The testing laboratory shall hold the blood sample until 120-days after arrival of your pet into Guam. The blood cells may be used at a later date for genetic analysis to confirm the identity of a dog or cat.
Meeting all general and pre-arrival requirements is an essential first step for qualifying for 5 days or less quarantine.
30-DAY POST-ARRIVAL REQUIREMENTS
OIE-Fluorescent Antibody Serum Neutralization Test (OIE-FAVN test)
- a. To qualify for 5 days or less quarantine, a post-arrival rabies blood test (OIEFAVN) is required. A result of 0.5 I.U. per milliliter of rabies antibodies or greater is required. IMPORTANT: Only ONE post-arrival OIE-FAVN test is performed. Failure to meet required OIE-FAVN test will result in 120-day quarantine.
- b. Blood is not collected until payment for the 30-day qualification and testing fee is made. Owners are required to submit a signed consent form allowing the veterinarian clinic to sedate your pet, if necessary, to collect a blood sample. Blood collection from some dogs and cats can be very difficult without sedation. If no such signed consent is received, blood may not be obtained from your pet. Private veterinarians will be allowed to collect blood for OIE-FAVN testing only at the quarantine facility by appointment. Payment for services provided by private veterinarians is the responsibility of the owners.