Amid an exciting relocation to a practice in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico or perhaps internationally, bringing your pet—especially a nontraditional pet—makes the relocation process exponentially more complex. Here’s what physicians need to know about relocating with pets to Alaska, Hawaii and US territories.

Why moving with pets outside the continental US is different

A domestic relocation means loading household goods on a truck and driving your pet across state lines. Relocating outside the continental US introduces a number of significant challenges. Once you cross water—even to US territories—you’re dealing with air shipment or sea shipment for belongings and pets.

International pet relocation and moves to Hawaii or US territories can be genuinely traumatic for animals, involving extensive documentation, strict quarantine requirements and significantly higher costs. Physicians making these moves should consider partnering with a professional pet transportation company for essential support.

The Canada myth: It’s not “Just Canada”

It’s easy to assume relocating to Canada is simple because of its proximity. Crossing any border with pets, however, is never simple. You’ll need immunization paperwork, a veterinarian’s note providing a clean bill of health and compliance with provincial inoculation requirements. Without proper documentation, you’ll be stopped—and consequences can include denied entry or your pet being held.

Hawaii and US territory relocations are stricter than you think

Moving to Hawaii, Guam or Puerto Rico can be more challenging than international relocations. These destinations have some of the world’s strictest pet import regulations to protect island ecosystems.

Hawaii’s quarantine requirements are particularly intense. Depending on preparation and documentation, your pet could face quarantine from five days to 120 days. The Hawaii Department of Agriculture requires microchipping, multiple rabies vaccinations on specific timelines, rabies antibody blood tests, health certificates within 14 days of arrival, parasite treatments and fees ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars.

Miss one deadline or requirement, and your pet faces extended quarantine—at your expense, in a government facility, while you start your job without them.

Guam and Puerto Rico have unique requirements, though generally less stringent than Hawaii. Both require extensive veterinary documentation and advance planning.

While Alaska is technically a domestic move, it’s more complex than a typical mainland relocation.

  • No truck transport for household goods: There aren’t any continuous road connections through Canada for commercial moving trucks, meaning belongings typically ship via sea freight (barge) or are driven by the homeowner through Canada.
  • Shipping timeline: Sea freight can take 2-4 weeks.
  • Vehicle transport: If you don’t want to put all those miles on your car or if you have more than one vehicle, they need to be shipped by barge as well.
  • Cost structure: Moves to Alaska are similar to Hawaii or international moves than standard domestic relocations.
  • Canada border crossing: If driving, you cross international borders (U.S. → Canada → U.S.), which has implications for pets.

International relocations

Relocating internationally with pets is the most complex scenario. Many countries impose mandatory quarantine periods that are extremely high stress for animals. Some pets don’t survive—not from negligence but from stress.

Key challenges:

Timelines: Some countries require six months or more for pet immigration planning. You cannot decide last minute.

Documentation: Navigate international pet health certificates, country-specific vaccination protocols, microchipping, blood titer tests and import permits. Requirements change regularly.

Cultural factors: Some cultures view certain breeds as dangerous. Research your destination’s pet ownership norms and breed restrictions before committing.

Costs: International pet transportation routinely costs $2,000 to $10,000+, often not covered by relocation packages.

When you shouldn’t bring your pet

For temporary international and long-haul assignments of two years or less, it’s important to seriously evaluate whether bringing your pet is right. Depending on your pet’s age and health, the stress of international relocation, potential quarantine and a return move might outweigh being together. If you can leave your pet with trusted family for the assignment, this may be more humane—despite the emotional difficulty.

Nontraditional pets carry greater complexity and costs

Anything other than cats and dogs is considered a nontraditional pet and faces even greater challenges. Most employer relocation packages exclude non-household pets. Whether you’re relocating within the continental US or overseas, most companies typically won’t cover expenses for relocating horses, birds, reptiles or exotic pets.

Specialized needs: Transporting horses, birds or large animals requires specialized pet transportation companies with specific expertise.

Significant costs: Relocating horses can cost $5,000 to $25,000+ depending on distance. International bird shipments require extensive permitting and can cost thousands. Quarantine requirements for livestock and exotic species often demand months of preparation.

Your action plan for complex pet relocations

If you’re considering a physician position outside the continental US or need to relocate nontraditional pets:

Plan early

Start immediately upon receiving your offer. Complex moves ideally require six months for prep and execution.

Use specialists

Partner with a professional pet transportation company experienced in your destination. UrbanBound connects physicians with these experts.

Get documentation

Schedule veterinary appointments early for all required health certificates, vaccinations and blood tests.

Negotiate coverage

During contract negotiations, explicitly ask if your employer will cover international pet transportation costs or nontraditional pet relocation.

Research requirements

Contact the destination’s agriculture or customs department to verify current pet import requirements.

Build buffer time

Schedule with flexibility in case documentation issues or quarantine arise.

Relocating outside the continental US with pets or moving with nontraditional pets requires significantly more planning, expenses and professional support than domestic moves. These relocations can be traumatic for animals and emotionally challenging for physicians.

Before accepting an international physician position or opportunity in Hawaii, honestly assess whether the relocation is in your pet’s best interest. If you proceed, work with experienced pet transportation professionals and give yourself extensive preparation time.

PracticeLink hosts over 50,000 job listings for employers in Hawaii and Alaska and is a great resource for connecting with healthcare recruiters to find jobs in Puerto Rico, Guam and other US territories.  For more information on complex pet relocations, contact UrbanBound or see if your prospective employer partners with UrbanBound for physician relocations.  Their team can connect you with pet transportation specialists and help navigate even the most challenging relocation scenarios.

Your adventure awaits, so make sure it’s the right adventure for every member of your family.