Robin U. Says:
We want to move to Portugal. We have a parrot and definitely want to take her if we move there. Do you know if she would be able to move with us?
IL Executive Editor Jennifer Stevens Says:
Hi Robin,
Taking pets overseas is a common concern—after all, why would you leave a family member behind?
The rules for bringing feathery friends with you are often more complicated than those for furry friends—mostly due to concerns over avian influenza (bird flu).
In general, you can bring a pet bird to Portugal so long as you accompany the bird (or travel within five days of her arrival), the bird has sufficient identification (a clip, leg band, microchip, or tag), and you’re coming from a country that is a member of the World Organization of Animal Health (which the U.S. is).
You also can’t bring in more than five birds, but this shouldn’t affect you and your parrot. Certain endangered species are also prohibited but, again, this shouldn’t be an issue as ownership of most endangered species is also prohibited in the U.S.
Your bird will need to have a clean bill of health in the form of an EU health certificate issued by a USDA accredited veterinarian within 48 hours of travel or the last working day prior to the date of departure to the EU.
Another important factor to consider is quarantine. You have four options:
1. Before leaving the U.S., place your bird under a USDA accredited veterinarian’s supervision for at least 30 days—proving no contact with other birds.
2. Before leaving the U.S., place your bird under isolation as above for 14 days and also have her tested for avian influenza at least 7 days after the 14-day isolation starts.
3. Arrange for a 30-day post-arrival quarantine at an approved quarantine facility in the EU. You will have to show evidence that this has been arranged prior to traveling.
4. Obtain special permission from the Portuguese government to bring your bird without any of the above precautions. This is the least likely scenario, and I’m just including it here for completeness’ sake.
If you plan to bring your bird home to the U.S. eventually, then there are more requirements—some of which must be arranged before taking her overseas in the first place.
They include:
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) certifications and permits.
• A Veterinary Services (VS) import permit.
• A health certificate issued or endorsed by the Portuguese government.
• Disease testing.
• Examination at the airport you arrive in the U.S. through.
• Quarantine for 30 days.
You can find more detailed information about bringing your pet bird to Portugal (including links for the forms you’ll need) on the Department of Agriculture website here. For the specifics of what you’ll need to bring her home with you, see here.
I hope this has helped. Best of luck with your move to Portugal!
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