MOVING PETS TO UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: HOW IS THIS DONE?
Travelling with your dog, cat or another animal to Dubai, Abu Dhabi or other cities in the United Arab Emirates requires adherence to certain rules.
Firstly, it’s essential to know that your pet cannot travel like “accompanied luggage”, with Emirate regulations requiring that animals are transported as so-called “cargo” (except for guide dogs for the sight impaired and falcons for example).
Your pet will travel with regular airline companies, whether it’s with Emirates, Air France or Etihad, via the “air freight” network of these carriers.
Of course, if this involves passenger aeroplanes, if you would like, we can book your pets’ aeroplane ticket on the same flight as you!!
In addition, your pet needs to meet certain vaccination criteria, for which you will find some advice below, which will facilitate preparations for your pet’s trip to Dubai, Abu Dhabi or the United Arab Emirates.
By choosing the PREMIUM package, we can take care of all, or some of these steps for you.
The minimum time period between the start of formalities to be carried out and your pet’s trip is at least 12 weeks.
VETERINARY PROTOCOL AND ADMINISTRATIVE STEPS REGARDING ANIMAL TRANSPORT TO UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
The importation of your pets to Dubai, Abu Dhabi or other cities in the United Arab Emirates is subject to:
- The implantation of a microchip (tattoos are not permitted in the United Arab Emirates!)
- A vaccination protocol:
For dogs:
- Rabies
- Distemper
- Canine Parvovirus
- Leptospirosis
- Rubarth’s disease (Hepatitis) ⇒ DHLPP
For cats:
- Rabies
- Feline Panleukopenia
- Feline Rhinotracheitis
- Feline Calicivirus
- An animal import permit for a one-month duration must be obtained (it takes more or less three days to get one).
-
A rabies neutralising antibody titre dated more than 12 weeks and less than 1 year before the departure date. A minimum of 21 days is required between the anti-rabies vaccination and the sample for the titre.
- Anti-parasite treatments, both internal and external (Compulsory ingredients for extrenal treatment : Fipronil or Permethrin and for Internal treatment : Praziquantel) issued 10 days before departure and certificate of good health to be issued within 24h prior to departure.
The certificate of good health must be issued by the vet on a document separate to the European passport. It is called an “International Certificate of Health for the Transit of Pets”.
Don’t forget that the certificate of good health must be certified by the DDPP department.
Be carefull, your vet needs to put on the pet passport of your animal the date and the ingredients used for both Anti-parasite treatments!
Now your pet can’t wait to join you under the hot Middle East sun – but without a DDPP stamp, no departure!
Since October 2016, these information are compiled on the documentation: “Annex N°(3).
Model of Veterinary Health certificate for Exporting cats and Dogs into the United Arab Emirates”
Take note that requirements relating to importation differ depending on the category of animal concerned. The same rules do not apply to a parrot, a rodent, or a tortoise for example. To get more information about animal relocation to United Arab Emirates, contact us !
Useful contacts:
MOEW: Ministry of the Environment and Water
The links below will direct you to the MoEW website which you will need to access in order:
You need to book a veterinary inspection upon the arrival of your pet in Dubai or Abu Dhabi.
DDPP: Direction Départementale de la Protection des Personnes
We are able to take care of all of these steps for you, as well as all arrangements prior to departure.
In addition, we can organise the transportation of your dog, cat, rabbit, etc. to your home, whether that may be in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or even Al Ain, Fujairah, Sharjah, Ras al Khaimah, Ajman, etc.
Take your pet to a great journey with Air Transport Animal and get our recognized expertise in living animal transportation for many other destinations: South Africa, China, Vietnam…