Moving To the UAE With Your Pets: A Guide

Relocating to the UAE with your pets?

Understandably, you want your furry family members to join your new adventure.

But remember, it’s not as simple as packing a suitcase!

This guide will walk you through essential paperwork, banned breeds, associated costs, and more.

Let’s dive in!

Pet Import Regulations 

There are some essential pet regulations and procedures which you need to follow in order to get your pet relocated. 

Your pet will have a designated travel and import permit which has a validity of around four weeks.

So it’s essential to plan your travel and your pet’s travel accordingly.

As we talked about the fact that your pets cannot travel with you as luggage, you must purchase a carrier, which is certified by the International Air and Transport Association, for your pets to travel comfortably. 

Due to the recent pandemic times, you might be asked to be quarantined when landing in the UAE.

However, there are no such rules for your pets. Moreover, according to UAE laws, you can only get two pet permits under your name. 

Documents 

There is a lot of paperwork related to getting your pets relocated, and the law in the UAE states that the cost of paperwork, import permits, and other costs are to be paid by the owner.

For starters, you will need a copy of your passport and a copy of your emirates ID just in case it is needed.

To state the obvious, you will need to apply and get the permit to import your pet so that you can get your pet cleared from customs and plan their travel. This permit is valid for four weeks. 

Furthermore, for you to get your pet to the UAE, you must provide valid paperwork for all the required vaccinations for your pet.

You must provide original vaccination cards, their microchip paperwork, and their birth date.

You will also need to get a certificate from your home country or the country of export stating that your pet is free of any health issues, poses no risk, and is fit to travel. 

There are many diseases that your pets must be vaccinated against. However, the most important one is rabies.

You must produce a certificate of Rabies Serum Neutralization to get your pet imported successfully. Ideally, you should get this test done around three months before the intended date of travel. 

There is another test called the minimum titler test, which measures the levels of antibodies in your body, that must be conducted and its results produced to obtain a travel permit.

Your pet must have a 0.5UL/ML value or more to get your pet imported. 

Banned Breeds 

There is a long list of banned breeds that cannot be imported to the UAE and are illegal to keep as well. 

Some of the famous ones include:

  • American Pit Bull Terriers
  • Staffordshire Bull Terrier
  • Brazilian Mastiff
  • Argentinian Mastiff
  • Dobermann
  • Pit Bulls
  • Rottweilers
  • Presa Canario
  • Boxers
  • Wolf Hybrids
  • Japanese Tosa. 

Cost Of Importing Your Pet 

There are some substantial fees to keep in mind when planning your travel budget.

The cost of a travel permit for your cat or dog is AED 500, and the inspection rate for your cat is the same as well. However, if you are importing a dog, then the inspection rate is AED 1,000. 

Pre-Shipping Requirements For Your Pets 

There are a couple of pre-shipping requirements for you to take care of before getting your pets shipped to the US. Some of these requirements include a crate approved by the International Aviation and Transport Authority. 

Moreover, your pet must also be dewormed using the drug Praziquantel, and for treatment of any external parasites, Permethrin or Fipronil drugs must be used. 

Moreover, make sure all your certifications regarding vaccines are attested and provided with all the required documents to make the process smoother. 

Which Vaccines Are Essential Before You Relocate Your Pet To The UAE 

Apart from rabies, there is a whole cocktail of vaccines your pets must be vaccinated against.

These vaccines include:

  • Canine Distemper Virus
  • Canine Parvo Virus
  • Infectious Canine Hepatitis
  • Leptospirosis

You must provide adequate vaccination records for all of these diseases for your cats and dogs. 

Conclusion

To sum up, obtaining a pet permit in the UAE isn’t daunting, provided you’ve got your paperwork and vaccines in order.

Keep a close eye on the regulations, keep everything up-to-date, and ensure your pet’s breed isn’t on the ‘no-fly’ list.

Here’s to a smooth relocation for your pet!

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