Taking your Cat or Dog to the United Arab Emirates from the UK

Marhaba!

If you’re planning to take your dog or cat to the UAE, careful preparation is essential. The country has strict regulations to ensure the health and welfare of animals entering its borders. Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to make your journey smooth and stress-free. 🐶🐱

Step 1: Secure an Import Permit 📄

Before travelling, you must obtain an import permit from the UAE’s Ministry of Climate Change and Environment. This permit is valid for 30 days and confirms that your pet is approved for entry.

📌 Official Website: MOCCAE Import Permit

Step 2: Microchipping 🐾

Your pet must have an ISO-compliant microchip to ensure proper identification. The chip should be implanted before any vaccinations, as its number must appear on all health documents.

Step 3: Vaccinations & Anti-Parasite Treatment 💉

Your pet’s vaccinations must be up to date:

• Dogs: Distemper, Infectious Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Leptospira, and Rabies.

• Cats: Feline Panleukopenia, Feline Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, and Rabies.

📌 The rabies vaccine must be given at least 21 days before travel. Other vaccinations should be administered within 12 months of departure.

📌 Treatment against internal and external parasites must be done within 14 days before travel.

🚨 Pro Tip: If you are planning to get your pet vaccinated, please note that Rabies and routine vaccinations should not be given on the same day, as they may invalidate each other.

Step 4: Clinical Examination & Export Health Certificate 🩺

Within 24 hours of departure, your pet must undergo a clinical examination by a vet. This ensures they are fit to travel.

Following the exam, an Export Health Certificate (EHC) must be issued. This document is approved by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and signed by an Official Veterinarian (OV). It confirms that your pet meets all UAE health regulations.

All of our vets are OVs and we usually provide pet owner with the EHC at the end of the Clinical Examination.

Additional Considerations ✈️

• Travelling through other countries? 🌍 Additional health certifications may be required.

• Banned Dog Breeds: Due to safety concerns, the following dog breeds cannot be imported into the UAE:

  • American Pit Bull Terriers

  • Staffordshire Bull Terriers

  • American Staffordshire Terriers

  • American Bully

  • Pit Bull type dogs

  • Brazilian Mastiff (Fila Brasiliero)

  • Argentinian Mastiff (Dogo Argentino)

  • Any Mastiff or hybrid

  • Japanese Tosa

  • Rottweiler breeds

  • Dobermans

  • Canario Presa

  • Boxers

  • Any mixed breed of the above dogs

  For this reason, if you declare that you have a Golden Retriever cross, we need to know what it is crossed with.

Why choose us 🐾

Taking your pet to the UAE from the UK requires careful planning. In addition to strict time requirements, the necessary travel documentation must be signed by vets with special qualifications. This can make the process challenging—even for your regular vet.

Let our experts take the stress out of pet travel—so you can focus on the excitement of your journey! 🇦🇪🐾

✅ Experienced & Trusted – We’ve helped countless pet owners travel with their pets.
💷 Affordable & Transparent Pricing – Our EHC for the UAE costs only £280, one of the most competitive rates in London.
🚪 Convenience at Your Doorstep – We can even perform all the necessary checks at your home.

Contact us for a free pre-travel consultation with a certified vet to discuss your needs, review your pet’s health and vaccination records, and determine if any additional treatments or tests are required before your journey.