Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Wellington is a vet in Wellington, FL, that completes domestic health certificates for dogs and cats traveling to another US state. It is also called a certificate of veterinary inspection (CVI), a signed statement from a vet, after an exam, that your dog or cat looked healthy and is current on required vaccines. The clinic's vets do not all offer them, and not every day, so call (561) 407-7766 to check before you book.
Certificates here are for trips to other US states. If you are going outside the US, the USDA APHIS pet travel site explains what to do. Hawaii, Alaska and the territories have extra entry rules, so say where you are headed when you call.
Why do so many dogs travel through Wellington each winter?
Many people spend the season here with their dogs. Wellington hosts the Winter Equestrian Festival at its showgrounds on Equestrian Club Drive; the venue says the festival runs from January through April, with the 2027 season opening on January 6. Riders, trainers, families and seasonal residents arrive from other states, and many bring a dog or two. When the season ends, those dogs head back north or on to the next event, and that is often when a certificate comes up.
Do I need a certificate to take my dog home after the season?
It depends on the state you are going to and the way you travel. Per the USDA, each destination state sets its own entry requirements, and APHIS does not endorse certificates for moves between states. It recommends contacting the State Veterinarian's office in the state you are going to. If you fly, the airline adds its own rules, and many ask for a certificate dated within about 10 days of the flight. Check your airline, since this is common but not universal.
When should I book the visit before heading north?
Book once your travel date is set, and call early. Season ends bring lots of travel plans, and only some Petfolk Wellington vets complete certificates, on some days. Calling a couple of weeks ahead gives the team time to match you with the right vet, and gives you time for any vaccine your destination wants a set number of days before arrival.
Can my dog's vaccines be updated at the same visit?
Often, yes. Due vaccines can usually be given at the visit, though some destinations want them earlier, so plan ahead. Bring the rabies certificate, not only the tag, along with your destination address, your travel dates, the airline's written rules if you fly and the microchip number if there is one.
Winter residents and visiting dogs
Dogs who spend the season in Wellington come from many places, and each one's paperwork is tied to its home state and its travel plan. Keep a folder with the rabies certificate, other vaccine records and the destination address, so you can move on short notice.
What happens when my dog gets a certificate?
The vet gives your dog an exam, checks the vaccine records and completes the forms for your airline or destination. Petfolk Wellington uses Fear Free, gentle handling, which helps an excited or nervous dog settle in the exam room. The team shares an estimate before any test or treatment, and the final bill can differ if the plan changes.
Close to Southern Boulevard
Petfolk Wellington is on Southern Boulevard in Royal Palm Beach and sees pet parents from Wellington, Greenacres and the rest of Palm Beach County. Leave time for the visit before your travel day.
If your dog seems unwell before the drive north
A certificate visit is booked ahead and is not urgent. If your dog has trouble breathing, collapses, has repeated vomiting or seems overheated on a drive or flight, go to a 24-hour emergency hospital right away. Petfolk Wellington is a primary and urgent care clinic and not an emergency hospital.
Book before the season ends
Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Wellington is at 11081 Southern Blvd, Suite 100, Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411. Call (561) 407-7766 or book online, and say where you are heading and when.
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Season-to-season travel: common questions
Certificate visits on Southern Blvd