So you want to go to Peru, but you don’t want to leave your animal companion behind? Totally understandable! They deserve a chance to enjoy the culture, history, and natural beauty of this wonderful country too. So, you might be wondering:
Can I Bring My Pet to Peru?
The answer is yes! But, as with all countries, traveling to Peru with pets does require paperwork, certifications, and fees. This applies whether it is an emotional support dog, mobility assistance dog, or just your best pal. Keep reading to learn more about everything it takes to travel with your pet to Peru.
Before we move on to the technicalities, do bear in mind traveling with a pet can be exhausting. Some hotels may not allow them, most restaurants have heavy restrictions about animals on-premises, and tours may not welcome them along. Typically, unless traveling to Peru for an extended period, travelers leave their dog or cat with a loved one or dog watcher. However, if you’re committed to bringing your fur-baby on your Peruvian adventure (again, totally get it), here’s what you need to know.
- Vaccinations
- Certifications
- Fees
- Microchips
- Age Requirements
- Breeds Requiring Special Permission on LATAM
- Machu Picchu Tour
- Other Tours
- Pet-Friendly Hotels
- Pet-Friendly Restaurants in Lima
- What if I skip all these Steps?
Vaccinations
If you will be traveling to Peru, it is required that your pet is vaccinated. They should receive their Rabies vaccine between 21 days and 12 months before your trip. In addition to Rabies, you must be also able to show proof of Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, and Parovirus vaccinations. If you are traveling with a cat, you will need to show proof of their Feline Vioral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, and Panleukopenia (FVRCP) vaccinations.
Certifications
Aside from the vaccination report, you will need to carry with you a Veterinary Certificate for Peru, that has been completed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian (or CFIA, if in Canada). You will also need a ticks and tapeworm examination conducted shortly before your trip. These forms will all need to be endorsed by the USDA, CFIA, or, if you’re not in the USA or Canda, with your national Governing Authority. These documents will need to be endorsed within 14 days of departure.
Fees
There are also fees involved with traveling with your pet to Peru. Of course, the above vet examinations and certifications have costs involved. In addition, airlines will have their own extra fees as well. For example, with JetBlue and United Airlines, there is a fee of $125 each way for pets permitted to travel in-cabin.
In addition, when you arrive at Peru’s Lima Airport, you will be directed to the SENASA Office. Here you will have to pay a small fee for a pet certificate, which you should keep in a safe, accessible place throughout your time in Peru. There is also a small Peruvian customs fee.
Microchips
Though not required, microchips are a really good idea if you are traveling with your pet to Peru. The chips themselves are about the size of a grain of rice and are implanted under the skin as a permanent method of electric identification. Before you leave for your trip, ensure that all your contact information is up-to-date. This is very helpful in case your pet gets lost, as there is a much higher chance that a shelter, vet, or local council will be able to scan their chip and contact you.
Age requirements
Unvaccinated puppies and kittens under 12 weeks need an import permit to enter Peru. In addition, you should check directly with both your international airline and domestic Peruvian airlines to see if there are any further requirements. Some airlines may not permit puppies under a certain age to fly. Typically, for domestic airlines within Peru, the pup or kitten must be at least 8 months old. For international, 16 weeks is typically the requirement, but these specifications can vary from airline to airline.
Breeds requiring special permission on Latam
Peru Travel Advisor and Lima resident Matthew Hay provided some insight about certain dog breeds that need special permission to travel with Latam, a popular Peruvian airline. This is a top option for travelers journeying between Lima and Cusco. “My girlfriend’s sister took her English Bulldog (Nala) to the U.S. and needed to take her as an emotional support dog to be allowed,” Hay shares. “Latam also said the dog needed a muzzle to be allowed to travel. She also needed a note from a psychologist to say Nala is an emotional support dog.”
The following breeds need this special permission for Latam airlines, as they are short-muzzled:
Affenpinscher, Boston Terrier, Bulldog (all breeds), Cane Corso or Italian Mastiff, Chow Chow, English Toy Spaniel, Brussels Griffin, Japanese Chin (Japanese Spaniel), Lhasa Apso, English Mastiff, Pekingese, Pug (all breeds), Chinese Shar-pei, Shih Tzu, Tibetan Spaniel, Bull Terrier, American Bulldog, American Bully, Akita Ken, Argentinian Mastiff, Brazilian Mastiff, Anatolian Shepherd Dog, Rottweiler, Japanese Tosa, American Staffordshire Terrier (Amstaff), English Staffordshire Bull Terrier (Staffie), American Pitbull Terrier, Boxer, Bullmastiff, Bordeaux Mastiff, Neapolitan Mastiff, and Presa Canario (Canary Mastiff).
Nala mid-flight with Latam Airlines. Photo by Daniela Forton.
Machu Picchu tour
“For your Machu Picchu Tour, only service dogs for the blind (seeing-eye dogs) are allowed into the site, no other exceptions,” says Leila Dancuart, Sales Management Team Member for Peru for Less. “In Aguas Calientes, the little village at the base of Machu Picchu, the budget hotel Gringo Bills allows your pup to stay in the room while you go on your Machu Picchu Tour, so this is a good alternative option as well.”
Machu Picchu Tours:
6 Days / from $1249
9 Days / from $2069
Other tours
Some insight about the requirements and restrictions for other popular tours in the Peruvian Andes region, from Dancuart.
- Cusco City and Sacred Valley Tours. These tours may or may not allow your pet. To begin, the tour will most likely need to be done in private, which is pricier. This will allow your tour guide to bypass and substitute certain sites that prohibit pets. It will also help avoid issues with other travelers who may be averse to animals. It is hard to know the policy of different tour outfitters, so your best bet would be to submit your documentation either to your travel agent or tour provider before traveling to receive the answer directly.
- Cusco to Puno Tour. You can choose between a private transfer or a flight. In case of a private transfer, it is a Full Day trip and makes stops in different attractions. Your pet would probably not be able to enter the attractions.
- Lake Titicaca Tour. You can do a tour of this legendary lake in private with your dog.
Pet-friendly Hotels
Here are excellent hotels in some of Peru’s top destinations that accept pets. Note there is typically an additional cost involved, which differs depending on the hotel:
- Casa Andina, 2 pets not exceeding 39 lbs (18kg). Other rules apply.
- Libre Hotel, 1 small dog up to 33 lbs (15kg). Other rules apply.
- Westin, 1 pet less than 29 lbs (18kg)
- Aloft, 1 pet less than 29 lbs (18kg)
- Hilton Lima Miraflores, 1 small dog up to 55 lbs (25kg). Other rules apply.
- Holiday Inn, emotional support and medical assistance dogs with respective documentation only.
- B&B Wasi, no restrictions
- Villa Barranco, emotional support and medical assistance dogs with respective documentation only.
- Country Club Lima Hotel, 1 pet less than 26 lbs (12kg), must be in a room with a connected private garden. Other rules apply.
- JW Marriott, seeing eye dogs with the respective documentation only.
- Courtyard Marriott, seeing eye dogs with the respective documentation only.
- Hotel Estelar, emotional support and medical assistance dogs with respective documentation only.
- Belmond Palacio Nazarenas, pets allowed, not exceeding 30 lbs (13kg)
- Andean Wings, small pets allowed, not exceeding 17 lbs (8kg)
- Casa Andina, 2 pets not exceeding 39 lbs (18kg). Other rules apply.
- Maytaq Wasin Boutique Hotel, medical assistance pets with the respective documentation only.
- JW Marriott, seeing eye dogs with the respective documentation only.
- Abittare, emotional support and medical assistance dogs with respective documentation only.
- Gringo Bills, small dogs allowed
Photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh from Pexels
Dog-Friendly Restaurants in Lima
Want to grab a bite to eat? No problem. Your dog can come along to the following Lima restaurants:
- Armonica Cafe, Av. Mariscal La Mar 955, Miraflores
- Beso Frances, Malecón de la Reserva 131, Miraflores & Avenida Jose Larco 1291, Miraflores
- BLU, 28 De Julio 202, Barranco
- Buenavista Cafe, Malecón de la Marina 316, Miraflores
- La Bodega Verde, Jiron Mariscal Jose Antonio de Sucre 335A, Barranco
- Las Vecinas, Jiron Domeyer 219, Barranco
- Street Burger, Calle San Martin 459, Miraflores
What if I skip all these steps?
First, do not skip any of these steps. If you do, two results can occur. 1. Your pet will be quarantined and then sent back to the country you brought him or her from. Or 2. Your pet will be quarantined and agents will assist you with the missing paperwork. If all goes well, you will be reunited. In either case, you will be responsible for the hefty fees of the quarantine service. There is no clear way to know how long your pet can be held in quarantine.
It is crucial that you do your due diligence if you are traveling with your pet to Peru. Directly contact all of your airlines, governing offices, veterinarians, hotels, and tours before travel to receive personal confirmation and any further instruction.
Are you thinking about traveling with your pet to Peru? Feel free to reach out to our team and we will be happy to help you set up your pet-friendly adventure.
Gina loves the hidden turquoise rivers of the Andes, the magical pink dolphins of the Amazon, and the lush ocean-view parks of Lima. She finds Peru to be the most inspiring country in the world, and has been exploring and writing about this sacred place since 2014.
