Moving Pets to Hawaii: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), Part 3

If you’re moving your pet to Hawai’i, then you’re bound to have questions! Wondering what the requirements are for moving the family bunny to Lanai? Looking for help relocating your two cats to Kauai when you move?

You’re in the right place! We’ll answer those frequently asked questions and more in the last part of our 3-part series, Moving Pets to Hawaii, including:

• Can My Pets Be Housed Together for the 5 Day-or-Less Program?

• Where is the Airport Animal Quarantine Holding Facility on Oahu?

• What Are the COVID Requirements?

• What are the Requirements for Moving Rabbits, Birds, Horses, and Other Animals to Hawai’i?

• What Companies Offer Help with the Hawai’i Pet Relocation Process?

Read on to find helpful answers to these questions, as well as all the information you need on moving pets to Hawai’i. As pet owners ourselves, we’ve been in your shoes, so in Part 3, we also included some more of our travel tips!

10. Can My Pets Be Housed Together for the 5 Day-or-Less Program?

Although your pets can be in kennels next to each other for the 5 Day-or-Less Program, each animal must be separated for the health and safety of the pet if they are staying at Oahu’s Animal Quarantine Station. If your pets were to be housed together, it would simply be too difficult to monitor how much each animal was eating and drinking, and if they were going to the bathroom.

If your animals are staying at a privately owned and operated quarantine facility in Hawai’i, inquire as to their rules about pets being housed together. You know your pets better than anyone, so if you feel that they need to remain together, Direct Airport Release might be a better solution.

Unable to pick your pets up as soon as you arrive in Hawai’i? Arrange ahead of time for them to be housed with their brother or sister via an intermediate handler, veterinary hospital, or another place that will allow them to stay together.

11. Where is the Airport Animal Quarantine Holding Facility on Oahu?

So you’ve arrived in Hawai’i – E Komo Mai! Now it’s time to reunite with your pet!

Airline personnel are responsible for transporting them to the Airport Animal Quarantine Holding Facility (AAQHF) upon landing. The AAQHF is located on the Ewa Service Road, between the airport’s international terminal (main terminal) and inter-island terminals, on the ground level down the road. See the map to the Animal Quarantine Station.

If your pet is going to be kept at the airport facility, don’t worry, the facility is staffed 24-hours a day! Feel free to call and check in on your pet (808-837-8092).

Wondering if you can visit your pet when they arrive in Hawai’i? You can briefly check on your pet at the Airport Animal Quarantine Holding Facility on Ewa Service Road. Or designate someone to look in on your pet by listing them as a co-owner on the Dog and Cat Import Form (AQS-279). Just be sure to call before you come in and be aware of COVID-19 requirements first.

When you do pick up your beloved animal, please keep them in their carriers at all times while on airport property for everyone’s safety!

12. What Are the COVID Requirements?

In light of the ongoing pandemic, HDOA has issued the following Emergency Advisories:

• Effective September 13, 2021, proof of vaccination or proof of a negative test result for COVID-19 is required for humans within 72 hours before entering Oahu’s Animal Quarantine Station and/or the Airport Animal Quarantine Holding Facility at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, Hawai’i. Anyone attempting to enter these facilities that fails to comply with this requirement will be denied access. That includes pet owners or anyone you’ve arranged to pick up your pet from AQS.

• Expect delays in the release of your pet from quarantine due to COVID-19 mitigation procedures. You can avoid further delays (and reunite with your four-legged friend sooner) by making sure that you submit your paperwork at least 10 days before arriving in Hawai’i and have their documents reviewed at the AAQHF.

For more helpful COVID-19 and 2021 updates, see the IATA Manuals.

13. What are the Requirements for Moving Rabbits, Birds, Horses, and Other Animals to Hawai’i?

Cats and dogs aren’t the only pets that can live Aloha here on the Hawaiian Islands! Birds, horses, and turtles are just some of the animals that can be transported to Hawai’i, provided that specific guidelines are followed and any required permits are obtained. There are also time requirements for when you need to acquire and submit the permits.

Here are some helpful resources for you:

• Hawai’i Department of Agriculture’s list of Conditionally Approved Animals

• HDOA’s List of Prohibited Animals and Breeds (Importing an illegal animal can carry a penalty of up to three years in prison and fines up to $500,000!)

• Application for Import Permits

• Transporting Animals by Air (Terrestrial Animal Health Standards Commission Report)

• Importing Livestock into Hawai’i (General and special requirements)

• IATA’s Live Animals Acceptance Checklist (Checklist based on various airlines’ policies, crate requirements on animals and breeds not sent every day, etc.)

Yes, animals besides cats and dogs are allowed to be transported to Hawai’i!

Bringing a Bird to Hawai’i 

All birds arriving in Hawai’i must comply with the U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations. Be aware that there are slightly different requirements for importing a bird to Hawai’i from a foreign country.

Many bird species are not allowed into the State of Hawai’i. As for the bird species that are allowed, they can only enter under certain conditions. Here is a list of the bird species NOT allowed in Hawai’i.

Bird species that ARE allowed typically require 2 permits:

1. Plant Quarantine Import Permit (Form PQ-7). An Import Permit is required before birds arrive in Hawaii.

2. A Poultry and Bird Permit from the Livestock Disease Control Branch (Email and contact info for specific entry requirements and to request a Poultry and Bird Import Permit).

General Bird Requirements

• Pre-arrival 7-day isolation requirement: To decrease the chances that a bird infected with West Nile Virus will be transported to Hawai’i and transmit the virus to native Hawaiian birds, most birds entering Hawai’i must complete a Pre-arrival 7-day (168 hour) Isolation, within 36 hours of entry.

  • The exceptions to the 7-day Pre-arrival Isolation requirement are: Hatching eggs and day-old birds, as well as chickens, chuckers, pheasants, quail, rock doves (domestic pigeons), and budgerigars, that are older than four weeks.

• Post-arrival isolation: All birds entering Hawai’i must be kept in isolation from other resident birds for a period of 30 days at the importer’s premises.

• Live Agent-free vaccines: Within 60 days of shipment, your bird cannot be vaccinated for any disease with a vaccine containing a live agent.

• ID and Inspection certificates: Each bird is required to have an individual identification device (leg or wing band) with the exception of day-old birds. Additionally, the numbers must be listed on the Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI). The CVI must also state that the poultry are “free of external parasites.”

  • Cockatiels, canaries, finches, budgerigars, lovebirds, and doves are exempt from the individual identification requirement.

Poultry Requirements

When referring to entry to Hawai’i, poultry is defined as: Ducks, pigeons, geese, and birds of the order Galliformes (such as chickens and turkeys) and their eggs for hatching.

• Pre-arrival 7-day isolation requirement: All poultry require a Pre-arrival 7-day (168-hour) Isolation from mosquitoes under the supervision of an accredited veterinarian. All poultry must enter the State of Hawai’i within 36 hours of completing isolation. See exemptions above.

• Post-arrival poultry isolation: All poultry entering Hawai’i State must be isolated from other resident birds for a period of 7 days at the importer’s premises.

• Newcastle’s disease virus test: Within 14 days of entry, non-commercial chickens must test-negative for Newcastle’s disease virus by the hemagglutination inhibition assay.

• Live Agent-Free vaccines: Within 60 days of shipment, your poultry cannot be vaccinated for any disease with a vaccine containing a live agent.

• A Pullorum-Typhoid clean rating: Within 30 days of entry, poultry must have been tested for Pullorum-Typhoid disease with negative results or originate from a flock that has a Pullorum-Typhoid clean rating in a state or national plan.

• ID and Inspection certificates: Each bird is required to have an individual identification device (leg or wing band) with the exception of day-old birds. Additionally, the numbers must be listed on the Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI). The CVI must also state that the bird is “free of external parasites.”

Does your accredited veterinarian issuing the Certificates of Veterinary Inspection, or hatchery agent, need more information on entry requirements? They can contact the Livestock Disease Control Branch, Import and Compliance Section for info and to request the Poultry and Bird Import Permit 10 days or more prior to the scheduled shipping date. Phone: 808-837-8092 or Email: hdoaic@hawaii.gov.

Shipping Birds to Hawaii 

All birds that are shipped must be in mosquito-proof containers that are either new or thoroughly cleaned to the satisfaction of the accredited veterinarian issuing the CVI. All shipments are subject to inspection at the Airport Animal Quarantine Holding Facility prior to release. Importing birds or poultry through the U.S. Postal Service is not permitted (chicken hatching eggs and day-old chickens are the only exceptions).

The only entry port for birds and poultry is at the Honolulu International Airport at the Airport Animal Quarantine Holding Facility (AAQHF). Airline personnel will bring your birds to the AAQHF for proper inspection. Birds that fail to meet Hawaii’s entry requirements will be returned to a port of entry in the continental U.S. or a foreign port in the case of international movement.

AAQHF hours of inspection are 7:45 am to 4:30 pm. The AAQHF is located on the Ewa Service Road, between the international terminal (main terminal) and inter-island terminals, on the ground level down the road. See the map to the Animal Quarantine Station. And feel free to call and check in on your feathered friends: 808-837-8092.

General Requirements for Livestock

So you’re moving to Hawai’i and you want to bring your adorable pot-bellied pig or family horse with you! Let’s look at the requirements for transporting livestock to Hawai’i (and keeping our state free of brucellosis, pseudorabies, and tuberculosis).

• Quarantine Import Permit (Form PQ-7). An Import Permit is required before your animal ships to Hawai’i.

• The animal must be tested for and be free of infectious, contagious and/or communicable diseases.

• The animal must have been treated for and be free of external parasites (an accompanying statement may be required).

• Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Requirements for swine and Vesicular Stomatitis (VS) Requirements for other livestock must be met.

• A necessary identification tag (ear tag, an official individual animal breed registration tattoo, or slap brand). All identification numbers need to be recorded on the Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI).

• All animals arriving in Hawai’i must have a CVI. The CVI must affirm that all relevant requirements have been fulfilled.

  • The CVI must be signed by a State, Federal, or accredited veterinarian and be 7 or fewer days old.

  • The CVI must include the address for the location of origin, as well as the address for the destination.

  • The following statement needs to be on the CVI for all livestock entering Hawai’i from any state where VS has been diagnosed: “I have examined all the animals identified on this certificate within 72 hours of shipment date and found them to be free from signs of Vesicular Stomatitis (VS). During the last 30 days, these animals have not been exposed to VS nor located on a VS confirmed or a VS suspected premises.”

• Most animals are required to enter Hawai’i only through the Honolulu International Airport.

Contact the Division of Animal Industry (Hawaii Department of Agriculture) for more info. Phone: 808-483-7106 or Email: hdoaic@hawaii.gov. The USDA also has helpful information on transporting livestock by air.

For a report on what is currently required for transporting livestock from another state to Hawai’i, visit Interstate Animal Movement Requirements.

Hawaii’s Requirements for Importing Specific Animals

For requirements on importing specific animals, please visit the State of Hawai’i Animal Industry Division website or click on an animal below:

• Embryos and semen

• Cattle

• Horses

• Sheep and goats

• Swine

• Turtles and tortoises

• Llamas, rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, and other species

14.  What Companies Offer Help with the Hawai’i Pet Relocation Process?

There are some companies that offer pet relocation services to Hawai’i. They can do as little as fill out the required paperwork, or as much as help coordinate the entire move.

It is recommended that you personally handle as much of your pet’s move as possible. If you do choose to hire a relocation professional, research the company you are considering hiring to be sure they are the best fit. The following companies are reported to consistently provide excellent service:

• Animal Land Pet Movers generally has good reviews on Yelp and a 4 star rating. They have been successfully transporting pets since 1998. Safety is their number one priority and they are fully bonded and insured for pet owners’ peace of mind. Animal Land Pet Movers is licensed by the USDA as intermediate animal handlers, is a member of the Independent Pet and Animal Transportation Association (IPATA), and strictly complies with all Animal Welfare Act’s rules and regulations.

• Happy Tails Travel is Better Business Bureau accredited, with a 5 star rating and a 4.5 star rating on Yelp. Happy Tails Travel is an experienced pet relocation company that has been safely shipping pets since 1995. At Happy Tails Travel, they safely ship pets by air and by ground to Hawai’i. Happy Tails Travel will customize and assist pet owners with all of the details and logistics of your pet’s move for a hassle-free, safe journey for your animal and peace of mind for you.

• Island Pet Movers is a Hawai’i-based company with a 4 star rating on Yelp. They prepare all documentation for the State of Hawai’i, gather all documents directly from your vet clinic (or clinics), file the Import forms for you, review the health certificate prior to the flight, and send you checklists for your pet’s crate preparation and travel on the day of departure. Island Pet Movers also researches all travel options to help you find what will work best for you and makes all flight reservations for your pets.

• PetRelocation.com is another recommended company to use when moving your furry friend to the islands. They are not currently accredited with the Better Business Bureau, but have several positive Yelp reviews and a 3.5 star rating. From navigating regulations and paperwork to facilitating travel logistics, PetRelocation is a full-service pet travel agency. PetRelocation only works with clients who hire them to oversee the entire pet relocation process to ensure a safe move and happy pet.

• Tails of Hawaii has a 4 star rating on Yelp. As global partner members of IPATA, they have access to a vast network for help in moving pets to one of our beautiful neighbor islands. Tails of Hawaii can also provide a crate for dog travel and items to make your pet’s journey more comfortable.

A Word of Caution: Some of our blog readers have mentioned a company called AkonaPet that has bad reviews on Yelp and all over the internet. There have been several complaints about them on Hawaii Life’s site, as well as complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau and as such, are not recommended by Hawai’i Life.

Did you know? All pet related moving expenses are tax deductible if your move is work related, Military PCS moves included!

More Helpful Info on Your Pets Move to Hawai’i

At Hawai’i Life, we’re here to help make the move to Hawai’i go as smoothly as possible for you and your pet, so reach out to us with any questions about transporting your animal.

For additional information, check out some of our most popular blogs on your pet’s move to Hawaii, including:

• Helpful Tips for Moving Your Pet to Hawaii

•  Moving Your Pet to Hawaii Guide

• How to Move Your Pet to Hawaii (5 Day-or-Less Program Checklist)

• Hawaii Pet Quarantine Contact Information

Whether your pet is flying to Lana’i in the passenger cabin and is qualified for Direct Release or is flying to Kauai as cargo, our Hawaii Life agents offer useful information in previous blog posts, so we invite you to read these too: The 5 Day-or-Less program and Shipping ALL your belongings to Hawai’i

If you have any questions about moving your pets to Hawaii that are not addressed in this blog, be sure to check out Part 1 and Part 2 of the Moving Pets to Hawai’i series. And feel free to ask us in the comments!