Bringing Household Pets to Wisconsin
Importing refers to animals brought to Wisconsin for events, shows, and vacation travel, as well as animals relocating permanently to the state.
Make sure you have reviewed examples of household and exotic pets above. Import requirements for household pets are below. Import requirements for exotic pets are on the exotic animal movement webpage for movement requirements.
Import Requirements for Household Pets
Information specifically for rabbits:
Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus Serotype 2 (RHDV2) has been confirmed in other states including Minnesota. RHDV2 has not been detected in Wisconsin. There are currently no restrictions on rabbit imports or movements within Wisconsin.
Those who choose to import rabbits are required to meet Wisconsin's import requirements which include obtaining a certificate of veterinary inspection. Animals, including rabbits, showing signs of infectious or contagious disease are not eligible for import. It is further recommended to follow biosecurity practices including the consideration of vaccination in states in which vaccine is approved. More information can be found on DATCP's RHDV2 page.
For all household pets including rabbits:
You must provide a certificate of veterinary inspection (CVI) when importing a household pet. A CVI is required for animals entering Wisconsin by any mode of transportation, such as automobile, airplane or rail.
DATCP no longer accepts the computer-generated APHIS 7001 form, which has no preprinted CVI number. Older, multicopy forms with printed numbers are still accepted.
Alternative CVI forms are listed below; payment may be required. Some options may not be available in your state. Call your State Veterinarian's office to verify. If your State Veterinarian's office has another option not listed here, or if you are unsure if the CVI is accepted, contact the Import Coordinator.
- Electronic forms from any of the following: Global Vet Link, AgMove CVI, your State Veterinarian's office.
- Paper copies available from your State Veterinarian's office. DATCP accepts large animal forms for pets and wild animals if allowed by the state of origin (where the animal is coming from).
- For imports from Texas, in addition to the above, the Texas Veterinary Medical Association (TVMA) CVI.
CVIs must include the following:
- Complete physical origin and destination addresses.
- Age of animal, species, breed and sex.
- Number of animals.
- Purpose of movement.
- Current veterinarian-administered rabies vaccination for dogs and domestic cats five months and older with the date of vaccination and revaccination due date or indication of 1 or 3 year vaccine clearly written on the CVI. Wisconsin accepts both valid one-year and three-year rabies vaccines, which must be administered by a licensed veterinarian.
- For dogs, see additional requirements below.
Not required for household pets:
- Testing.
- Statements on the CVI.
- Import permit number.
How to submit a CVI:
CVIs written for animal imports into Wisconsin must be sent to DATCP's Division of Animal Health. This can be done in the following ways:
Electronic CVIs like Global Vet Link, AgMove CVI, or an eCVI provided by the state of origin are automatically and electronically submitted and no additional action is required after CVI submission.
If paper CVIs are submitted to a State Veterinarian's office in the state of origin and that office is forwarding them to Wisconsin, no further action is required.
If submitting paper CVIs directly to Wisconsin, email
datcpwicvi@wisconsin.gov or mail to DATCP-DAH, P.O. Box 8911, Madison, WI 53708-8911.
Additional Import Requirements for Dogs
Heartworm-Positive Dogs
Any dog found to be positive on a heartworm test in the state of origin may not be imported into Wisconsin until it has completed the appropriate heartworm treatment protocol as recommended by the American Heartworm Society. After the treatment is completed, a veterinarian in the state of origin must record on the CVI that the dog was treated for heartworm and record all treatment dates.
Additional Import Requirements for Household Pets from Another Country
For household pets being brought into Wisconsin from outside the U.S., contact the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) at (404) 639-3311 or visit the CDC website. You should also visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) website to find any information not covered on the CDC website.
In addition to any requirements from CDC and USDA, household pets being brought into Wisconsin from outside the U.S. need to meet the regular import requirements for Wisconsin. This includes meeting the requirements for rabies vaccination for dogs and cats. Any health documentation used by the country of origin will be accepted for international movement.
Additional Import Requirements for Dogs Imported from African Swine Fever Affected Countries
All dogs imported into Wisconsin that originate from or have traveled through a country in which African Swine Fever (ASF) has been diagnosed within the past five (5) years, including the People's Republic of China will also require:
- An import permit (use the General Import Permit Application)
- A post import quarantine (see below for quarantine terms)
See List of ASF affected countries.
See USDA Factsheet for information about ASF.
The quarantine will remain in effect until cancelled by official written notice from the State Veterinarian or an authorized representative.
The terms of the quarantine will include:
- Not removing the animal(s) from the place of quarantine unless permitted in advance by the State Veterinarian or an authorized representative in writing;
- Keeping the animal(s) in an area within the place of quarantine that is easily cleaned and can be disinfected;
- Isolating the animal(s) away from the public and any other animals;
- Not allowing visitors to access or contact the animal(s);
- Providing veterinary prescribed appropriate tick treatment for all quarantined dog(s);
- Disassembling, cleaning by thoroughly removing all organic material, washing using a detergent, and disinfecting with bleach solution (specified below), any animal carriers and food or water bowls upon arrival into Wisconsin.
- Using a disinfectant solution of ¾ cup of chlorine bleach mixed with one gallon of water and, when applying, allowing the disinfectant solution to be in contact with surfaces for 10-15 minutes before thoroughly rinsing it off with water;
- Double-bagging any transport-associated material(s) and animal feces and other waste incurred during travel and for the first five (5) days after arrival of the animal(s) into Wisconsin. Bringing the material to the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (445 Easterday Lane, Madison, WI 53706) for disposal by incineration at the importer's expense at the end of the quarantine period. Waste packaging must be approved by a District Veterinarian assigned to the case prior to transport for disposal;
- Notifying the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, (608) 262-5432, to make arrangements before transporting material for incineration; and
- Complying with any additional requirements that may be needed due to non-compliance with the provisions of the quarantine or indications of disease risk.
The quarantine will remain in effect for a minimum of 10 days. However, the actual length of any quarantine may be longer if the dog shows signs of illness or there are any issues of non-compliance with the conditions of the quarantine, including any attached written protocols.
The department may inspect to ensure the animals or products quarantined under this quarantine order are being held in compliance with the terms of the order.