Pet Transport Ecuador to USA: CDC High-Risk Pathway and Quito to US in 2026

The CDC’s high-risk classification for Ecuador means dogs cannot enter the USA on the same simplified paperwork available to dogs from low-risk countries like Chile. The classification reflects Ecuador’s status on the CDC’s rabies risk assessment.

The practical consequence is a choice: submit a valid serology titre test result with your arrival documentation, or expect your dog to spend 28 days in a CDC-registered quarantine facility after landing in the US. The titre test route requires planning but avoids the quarantine entirely. The quarantine route avoids the titre test preparation but costs significantly more in time and facility fees.

Quito and Guayaquil both connect to Miami and other US East Coast cities via American Airlines and other carriers. Miami (MIA) is the most practical arrival airport for Ecuador pets, given its established CDC facility network and strong cargo connections from South America.

There are two time gaps that must both be satisfied for a valid CDC titre: first, the blood draw must happen at least 30 days after the first valid rabies vaccination; second, the blood draw date must be at least 28 days before your US entry date. These are independent constraints.

Most people get the first one right (wait 30 days after vaccination, then blood draw). The second one catches those who book travel before realising the 28-day pre-entry gap. If you draw blood on Day 0 and want to fly on Day 20, the titre is not valid for US entry. You need to wait until Day 28 after the blood draw at the earliest.

For families relocating from Quito or Guayaquil, the practical planning window is: start the titre process at least two months before your intended travel date to give yourself buffer for lab turnaround and the 28-day pre-entry gap.