Animal Transport to Reunion island

Pet Transport to and from Reunion Island

Are you preparing to travel with pets to Reunion Island or return to mainland France? Although it is a French overseas department, coming to Reunion Island with pets, over more than 9,000 kilometres away, requires careful planning. Choosing the right pet transport services, booking the journey, preparing the documents, meeting veterinary requirements, selecting an appropriate travel cage or carrier and organising the logistics are all essential to ensuring a safe and smooth journey.

Expert in the transport of live animals for over 20 years, Air Transport Animal helps individuals and professionals, including breeders and veterinarians, organise pet transport to and from Reunion Island. Our teams can manage all or part of your project: reviewing your file, advising you on administrative and veterinary requirements, collecting your pet from your home through our pet taxi service, providing assistance at airport check-in, coordinating with airlines and tracking your companion until arrival.

We also tailor the mode of transport to your pet’s profile. Depending on the species, breed, weight and airline, your pet may travel in the cabin, in an air-conditioned aircraft hold or as manifest cargo, in accordance with international animal welfare standards and transport regulations.

With our PREMIUM package, you choose the level of support that suits you. We can handle all or part of the process so you can prepare your departure with complete peace of mind.

Although the formalities to comply with for transporting live animals are simpler than for many international destinations, we recommend starting preparations at least one month before departure. This allows enough time to gather the required documents, organise the transport and book the most suitable flight.

Choose the pet transport package that best suits your needs.

Pets That Can Be Transported to or from Reunion Island

Air Transport Animal organises domestic and international transport for many types of pets to and from Reunion Island.

We arrange air transport for:

Dogs
Cats
Rabbits
Ferrets
Birds
Rodents
Certain reptiles and other species, subject to applicable regulations

The conditions for bringing a pet to Reunion Island vary according to the species, the airline, the animal’s weight and any stopovers included in the itinerary.

Airlines may also restrict the transport of brachycephalic dogs and cats, including French Bulldogs, English Bulldogs, Pugs, Boxers, Persians and Exotic Shorthairs. Because of their anatomy, these animals face a higher risk of breathing difficulties during air travel.

Before any booking is made, our specialists review your project, identify the most suitable transport solution and select the safest and most comfortable route for bringing your dog or cat to Reunion Island.

We regularly work with the main airlines serving Reunion Island, including Air France, Air Austral and their partners, to organise your pet’s travel in the best possible conditions of safety and comfort.

Import Rules for Bringing Pets to Reunion Island

Required Documents and Identification

The documents required to travel with your pet to or from Reunion Island mainly depend on your country of departure, your itinerary and the species concerned.

For a dog or cat travelling from mainland France, you will generally need the following documents:

A European pet passport completed by your veterinarian, or a vaccination record showing the required vaccinations
A health certificate, when required by the airline or for international transit

If you are departing from a country outside the European Union, or transiting through a third country, additional formalities may be required. Our teams systematically check your itinerary to make sure your file is compliant before departure.

Veterinary Protocol to Follow

Although Reunion Island is part of French territory, pet transport still requires a specific veterinary protocol. Before departure, your dog or cat must be identified by microchip, have the required vaccinations and be examined by a veterinarian to confirm that they are fit to travel. Additional tests or documents may be required depending on the country of origin and itinerary.

Air Transport Animal checks your complete veterinary file before the journey to minimise the risk of your pet being refused boarding.

Vaccination Requirements

Vaccination requirements for dogs

Dogs must have up-to-date vaccinations, particularly against:

Rabies (rabies vaccination where applicable)
Distemper
Canine infectious hepatitis
Canine parvovirus
Leptospirosis

These vaccinations must be given within the timeframe set by your veterinarian and remain valid until your pet’s arrival.

Vaccination requirements for cats

Cats must be vaccinated against:

Rabies, where required by regulations
Feline panleukopenia
Feline viral rhinotracheitis
Feline calicivirus

Veterinary Treatments and Health Checks

Before departure, it is essential to make an appointment with your veterinarian to confirm that your pet is fit to withstand a flight of several hours.

Your veterinarian may also recommend:

An internal parasite treatment
An external parasite treatment
A general health check
Verification of microchip identification

These precautions help ensure your companion’s wellbeing throughout the flight.

A Few Days Before Departure

In the days leading up to the trip, remember to:

Make sure that you have all the original documents
Check that all vaccinations are still valid
Make sure the microchip can be read correctly
Check that the travel crate is IATA-compliant and suitable for your pet’s size
Confirm transport arrangements with your airline

If you have chosen Air Transport Animal, our teams carry out one final check of your file to secure every step of the travel with your pet.

Is Quarantine Mandatory Upon Arrival in Reunion Island?

This is one of the most common questions we are asked. For a dog or cat travelling directly from mainland France, no quarantine is required on arrival in Reunion Island, provided all health and administrative conditions have been met.

However, certain specific situations may require additional formalities, particularly when:

Your pet is coming from a country outside the European Union
Your itinerary includes an extended stopover in a third country
Your health file is incomplete
The veterinary authorities request additional checks

This is why it is essential to review your itinerary before booking. Thanks to our ongoing regulatory monitoring, we check the requirements that apply to your situation to help you avoid any unpleasant surprises on arrival.

Special Case: Stopovers

Many flights to Reunion Island include a technical or commercial stopover. Depending on the transit country, this stopover may affect the health formalities applicable to a pet, especially when it takes place outside the European Union.

Our teams systematically review your itinerary to select the simplest and safest solution for your companion.

Useful Contacts

To prepare your pet’s transport to or from Reunion Island, several organisations may be involved depending on your situation (airlines, veterinary services, health or customs authorities).

If you wish to bring your dog or cat to or from France, your veterinarian remains your first point of contact for preparing your companion’s medical file.

In the case of international transit or travel from a country outside the European Union, additional formalities may be requested by the relevant authorities. Air Transport Animal carries out ongoing regulatory monitoring to keep you informed of the requirements that apply to your situation.

You can also find official information from:

Direction de l’Alimentation, de l’Agriculture et de la Forêt (DAAF) de La Réunion | Address: 29 Bd de la Providence, Saint-Denis 97400, Reunion Island | Phone: +262 262 30 89 89
Direction Départementale de la Protection des Populations (DDETSPP) for your department of departure
Direction Générale de l’Alimentation (DGAL)

Our teams remain, of course, your preferred point of contact to coordinate all these steps and answer all your questions.

Take Your Pet to Reunion Island with Air Transport Animal

Are you planning a move, an expatriation, a professional relocation or a return to mainland France with your pet?

For over 20 years, Air Transport Animal has been helping individuals and businesses with the domestic and international transport of their pets.

Our goal is simple: to help you travel with complete peace of mind while ensuring your companion’s wellbeing.

Our specialists support you at every stage of your project:

Personalised review of your file
Verification of administrative and veterinary formalities
Advice on the transport conditions best suited to your pet
Provision of an IATA-approved travel cage if needed
Transport of your pet from your home with our pet taxi service
Assistance at airport check-in
Tracking of your pet until arrival at destination

Whether you are travelling with a dog, a cat, an exotic pet or several animals, we do everything possible to organise transport that is safe, comfortable and compliant with current regulations.

With our PREMIUM package, you choose the level of support that suits you: we can handle all or part of the administrative, logistical and veterinary steps according to your needs. Entrust your project to a team of international pet transport specialists and travel with peace of mind.

Traveling Your Dog or Cat in the Hold or in the Cabin?

Transporting your pet depends on its size and weight, as well as the country of destination. Some countries only accept pet flights in the hold (cargo freight).

If your animal, cat or dog is not traveling with you, it will automatically be placed in the hold in a pressurized, temperate and lighted space dedicated to the transport of animals, for the duration of the flight.

When your pet is transported by cargo freighter, a cage that meets IATA (International Air Transport Association) standards must be provided. The cage must allow the animal to turn around, lie down and stand up, in order to guarantee the comfort of your animal during the flight. Please note, it is possible that access to the aircraft will be refused in the event of a cage that does not meet IATA requirements for air transport.

The transport of live animals by plane is most often done in cargo/freight. Your cat or dog will then be in its cage, in a pressurized and temperate compartment, it will not be cold or too hot and will have a pleasant journey to its final destination: its new home.

To get all the information you need to transport your pet to Reunion, contact us!