Heading to Paraguay with your dog? Start with one line item: the health certificate is required, and getting it endorsed correctly is where most people stumble. I'm Aïsha, a vet who flies with Pixel, my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, so I read these rules the way a customs officer does. The science here is simpler than it sounds. Let's get the paperwork right the first time.
Bringing a pet to Paraguay requires three documents in the right order: a microchip, a rabies vaccine within the destination's wait window, and a government-endorsed health certificate. The table below lays out exactly what's required, what's not, and where each rule comes from.
How Paraguay handles your pet
Official: SENACSA. No permit. Breed bans: Pit Bull, Rottweiler, Fila Brasileiro.
Each fact comes straight from the operator’s published policy. Hover the to read the exact wording; the opens the source page.
Service & assistance animals
Government endorsement of the health certificate is required for entry. USDA-accredited veterinarians can electronically issue the certificate and use VEHCS, the Veterinary Export Health Certification System. Electronic signatures from accredited veterinarians are accepted, and digital APHIS VMO endorsement is accepted. Book an appointment with a USDA-accredited veterinarian and confirm they submit through VEHCS rather than handling paper endorsement.
Six dog breeds are banned from import into Paraguay: Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Bully, Mastín Brasileño (Fila Brasiliero), and Mastín Argentino (Dogo Argentino). Verify your dog is none of these breeds before booking travel. For mixed-breed dogs, carry documentation confirming the breed to present at the border on arrival.
Frequently asked
- What if my flight is delayed past my health certificate validity?
- If the certificate window expires before you board, you'll need a re-issue. Build a 1-2 day buffer between the cert date and departure to absorb minor delays.
- What happens if I forget a document?
- At the destination airport: at best, an extended inspection while you produce backup; at worst, the pet is held in quarantine or returned to origin at your cost. Bring printed copies.
Paraguay's health certificate rule is manageable once you book the right USDA-accredited vet and confirm the breed list doesn't apply to your dog. Pixel makes friends with every customs officer, and yours can too when the endorsement is done properly. Build your personalized plan with Pawgo's plan-builder for your exact route and dates, and you'll walk to the counter with every document in the right order.
Glossary
- ISO chip
- ISO 11784/11785 — the universal microchip standard.
- FAVN
- Fluorescent Antibody Virus Neutralization — a rabies serology test required by rabies-free destinations.
- Brachycephalic
- Snub-nosed breeds (French Bulldogs, Pugs, Persians, Himalayans) with restricted airline acceptance due to heat-stress risk.
- AVIH
- Animal Vehicle In Hold — IATA's term for cargo pet shipment, with fees that vary by carrier and route.