Travel rules eased for pets

Hawaii residents who travel out of state with their pets will not have to place the animals in quarantine when they return, under a rule change approved yesterday by the state Board of Agriculture.

The board yesterday eliminated a 120-day waiting period for Hawaii-born animals returning to the state. The wait was deemed unnecessary because it was designed to detect incubating rabies in vaccinated pets and rabies is not present in Hawaii. Without the change yesterday, Hawaii owners would have had to place their pets in a 120-day quarantine when they came back.

Please note: this new ruling applies to Hawaii residents only.