Straight answers on crossing the border with your pet — both directions — for Puerto Peñasco travelers and residents.
Last updated: July 2026
If you're driving down to Rocky Point with the dog in the back seat, you've probably seen the Facebook threads: someone got turned around at the border, someone else swears you need a stack of paperwork, and nobody agrees on what's actually required. Here's the real picture, pulled from the official U.S. and Mexican sources, laid out plainly.
There are two separate sets of rules, and people constantly mix them up:
- Going down — bringing your pet into Mexico (Mexico's ag-inspection agency, SENASICA).
- Coming home — bringing your pet back into the U.S. (the CDC for dogs, plus USDA/APHIS for a screwworm rule that's new since late 2024).
The trip into Mexico is the easy part. The trip home is where the recent changes are, so read that section carefully.
Quick heads-up: I'm a Realtor, not a vet or a customs officer. Rules at the border change — sometimes without much notice. Use this as a starting map, then confirm the current requirements with the official sources linked below and with a licensed veterinarian before you travel. I'll keep this page updated as things change.
Going down: bringing your pet INTO Mexico
Good news — this side is simple, and has been since late 2019.
You do not need a health certificate to bring a dog or cat into Mexico. Mexico dropped that requirement on December 16, 2019. You can drive up to the border without a stack of vet paperwork.
What actually happens: when you arrive, Mexico's animal-health service (SENASICA) can inspect your pet at their inspection office (called an OISA). They're checking that your pet:
- Shows no signs of infectious or contagious disease,
- Is free of external parasites (fleas, ticks, fly larvae), and
- Has no fresh or open/healing wounds.
A few practical things that keep the inspection painless:
- Bring your pet in a clean carrier or on a leash. If the carrier is dirty or has bedding, newspaper, toys, or food inside, they can make you empty and disinfect it.
- Pet food — up to one sealed 50-lb bag per family. It must be dry, in the original factory-sealed bag, and chicken- or fish-based (no beef, pork, goat, or sheep). Loose or opened food is limited to about a day's ration. There's no fine for pet food, but anything off-spec gets confiscated at the crossing — so keep it sealed and check the label.
- If they find ticks, SENASICA may take a sample and hold your pet until they confirm the parasite isn't a foreign or regulated type. Rare, but it's why a quick flea/tick treatment before you leave is smart.
Do you need the rabies shot? Mexico doesn't require you to show rabies paperwork at the border under the current rule. But keep your pet's rabies vaccination current and carry the certificate anyway — it's good practice, some situations may call for it, and you'll want proof handy for the trip home.
If you cross frequently, Mexico has a "Pet Program – Frequent Traveler" registration that can streamline repeat trips. Worth asking about if you're a regular.
Coming home: bringing your pet BACK INTO the U.S.
This is where the rules changed, and where most of the confusion online is coming from. There are two U.S. agencies to satisfy for dogs, and the requirements are different for cats.
Dogs — CDC rules (in effect since August 1, 2024)
The CDC overhauled its dog-import rules on August 1, 2024. The good news for Rocky Point travelers: Mexico is a low-risk country for dog rabies, so you're on the simpler track. For a dog that's only been in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, or other low-risk countries, you need:
- A CDC Dog Import Form receipt. You fill this out online, it's free, and you get an emailed receipt. You can print it or show it on your phone at the border. The receipt is valid for 6 months and can be reused for multiple trips as long as your dog hasn't been to a high-risk country.
- Your dog must appear healthy on arrival.
- Your dog must be at least 6 months old.
- Your dog must be microchipped with a chip a universal scanner can read.
You can do the CDC form the day you travel, but I'd fill it out a few days ahead so it's one less thing at the border. One form per dog.
Dogs — the screwworm certificate (new since November 2024)
Here's the part catching people off guard. Because of a New World Screwworm outbreak, the USDA (APHIS) classified Mexico as screwworm-affected as of November 22, 2024. Since then, every dog entering the U.S. from Mexico — including U.S. dogs simply coming home from a Rocky Point trip — needs a screwworm-freedom certificate.
What that certificate has to say:
- Your dog was inspected for screwworm within 5 days before crossing into the U.S., and
- Your dog is free of screwworm (or was treated and cleared before travel).
Who can sign it: for dogs coming from Mexico, it must be signed by a Mexican veterinarian who's authorized to certify on behalf of the government (SENASICA keeps a directory of authorized vets and clinics). There's no official government form — it can be a standalone letter or built into a health certificate. Your documents get checked and your dog inspected at the port of entry.
What this means in practice: a same-day beach trip with the dog isn't as simple as it used to be. If your dog crosses into Mexico, you technically need that within-5-days screwworm certificate from an authorized Mexican vet to bring them back. If you own or rent in Rocky Point regularly, line up a local authorized vet in advance. This rule is tied to an active outbreak response, so it can change — confirm the current status before every trip.
Cats — coming back to the U.S.
Cats have it easier. The CDC does not require rabies-vaccination proof or the Dog Import Form for cats (the form is dogs-only). Your cat just needs to appear healthy on arrival. CDC still recommends keeping cats vaccinated for rabies, and some U.S. states or airlines may ask for a rabies certificate or a recent health certificate — so carry proof to be safe. The dog screwworm certificate requirement is written for dogs; it doesn't list cats.
The Lukeville–Sonoyta crossing
Almost everyone heading to Rocky Point crosses at Lukeville, Arizona / Sonoyta, Sonora, then takes Mexico Highway 8 down to the coast — about an hour's drive to Puerto Peñasco.
A couple of notes:
- Crossing hours vary and have changed more than once in recent years. Check the current Lukeville port hours before you go, especially if you're crossing early or late.
- Dogs coming home can enter at any U.S. land border crossing, so Lukeville works fine — just have your CDC Dog Import Form receipt and (for dogs) the screwworm certificate ready to show.
Quick checklist
Going into Mexico (dog or cat):
- Clean carrier or leash ✔
- Only the day's food ✔
- Rabies vaccination current + certificate in hand (recommended) ✔
- Flea/tick treatment before you go (smart) ✔
Coming back to the U.S. — DOG:
- CDC Dog Import Form receipt (free, online, valid 6 months) ✔
- Dog is 6+ months old, microchipped, appears healthy ✔
- Screwworm-freedom certificate from an authorized Mexican vet, inspection within 5 days of crossing ✔
Coming back to the U.S. — CAT:
- Appears healthy ✔
- Rabies certificate handy (recommended; some states/airlines want it) ✔
Official sources (confirm before you travel)
- CDC — Bringing a Dog into the U.S.: cdc.gov/importation/dogs
- CDC — Dog Import Form: the online form and instructions live on the CDC importation site
- USDA APHIS — Bringing a Pet Dog into the U.S. (screwworm rule): aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel
- USDA APHIS — Pet Travel from the U.S. to Mexico (SENASICA inspection): aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel
- U.S. CBP — current Lukeville port hours and wait times
Rules change. This guide is a plain-language summary, not legal or veterinary advice. Always confirm the current requirements with the official agencies above and your veterinarian before crossing.
Got a Rocky Point question — pets, property, or otherwise? I've spent 10+ years helping Americans and Canadians buy, build, sell, and settle in on the Sea of Cortez. Reach out anytime.
— Joseph Sanchez, Team Sanchez · RE/MAX Legacy · Puerto Peñasco, Sonora
About the Author: Joseph Sanchez is an AMPI-certified real estate agent with RE/MAX Legacy and the developer of Viviente at Sandy Beach. He serves as president of Rocky Point Home Builders and is a proud U.S. Veteran. Originally from Chicago and a Southern Illinois University at Carbondale alumnus, Joseph now resides full-time in Puerto Peñasco with his wife and three children for over 15 years. For more information email rockypointrealestate911@gmail.com.