How to move your pets to the UAE

From vaccinations and animal passports to transporting in the hold or flying on board, here's what owners need to know

Moving to a new country can be daunting, especially with pets. Luckily, importing them into the UAE is straightforward. Some documents, such as up-to-date vaccinations and import permits, are needed and it is advisable to use a pet relocation company if in doubt.

Here’s everything to know.

What are the requirements for importing pets into the UAE?

Paperwork must be filled out beforehand to bring an animal into the UAE. This includes a health certificate from a government-certified vet clinic, a certificate for all the vaccines received with their dates and an import permit from the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment.

What is the typical cost?

The costs of transporting pets as cargo or accompanied baggage can vary from a few hundred dirhams to thousands. It depends on things such as where the animal is coming from and the size, but some airlines and specialist pet transport operators offer a door-to-door service.

"It is generally least expensive to bring small pets that can be carried as carry-on with you," says Amanda Hyden, founder of Abu Dhabi's Pet Sitting Company. "The price for that varies by airline but starts at $250 and can be as much as $1,500. Pets can only be carried in hand luggage to Abu Dhabi. Dubai only accepts imported pets as cargo."

For those in Dubai, pets can travel through Emirates SkyCargo to transport animals on its flights.

Emirates Pets Plus is the premium option, covering everything from initial pick-up to drop-off, including pet paperwork and welfare needs.

Pets can be checked in as accompanied baggage with a passenger and will be taken by porters to be transported in the climate-controlled hold of an aircraft. Ticket prices depend on the weight of the animal and flight duration.

Some airlines have restrictions on flying out snubbed nose cats such as Himalayans, Persians or British shorthairs. Pawan Singh / The National

However, Emirates does not allow pets to travel in the cabin except for guide dogs.

Etihad Airways imports pets with an option to do so in the cabin. It costs $1,500 or 215,000 Etihad miles to transport a cat or dog one-way in economy.

If travelling business or first class, an extra seat must be purchased in addition to the $1,500 fee. For animals to travel in flight, they must be at least 16 weeks old and weigh no more than 8kg including their carriers.

Etihad also offers transportation of pets through cargo, although costs also depend on where the animal is coming from and size.

What is the difference between manifest cargo and excess luggage?

Depending on which airline is used, there is the option for pets to go as manifest cargo or excess luggage.

If travelling as the first, the pet goes in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without being on the same plane as their owners. The cost is based on the size of their travel crate.

If travelling as excess luggage, the pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be on the ticket of a passenger. The cost of the pet's travel is based on the combined weight of the pet and its crate.

What vaccines are needed?

Cats are required to have vaccines for feline calicivirus, panleukopenia and rhinotracheitis. Dogs must be vaccinated for canine distemper, parvo, hepatitis and leptospirosis. All pets must have an up-to-date rabies vaccine that is administered 21 days prior to arrival in the UAE.

Some animals that come from a high-risk rabies country will also need an antibody titration (sometimes called serology) test unless exempt. At the time of writing, the full list of low-risk countries and territories exempt are:

Australia, Austria, Andorra, Barbados, Bahamas, Bahrain, Belgium, Czech, Denmark, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, French Polynesia, Falkland Islands, Germany, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Mauritius, Malta, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Portugal, Singapore, San Marino, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Vanuatu, Qatar, Netherlands, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Palau, Latvia, Albania, Croatia, Maldives, Spain except Melilla, Cyprus, South Korea, Montenegro, Seychelles, Suriname, Micronesia, Greece and the Marshall Islands.

All cats and dogs entering the UAE are required to have up-to-date vaccinations as well as a rabies vaccination 21 days before travel. Pawan Singh / The National

How do I get a pet passport?

Pet passports are free and usually issued after pets have had their first vaccines and are microchipped. If a passport is lost, the vet clinic should have an animal’s history of vaccines on record and should be able to easily create a new one.

Are any dog or cat breeds banned in the UAE?

Yes. The MOCCAE website has a list of what dog breeds are not allowed to be imported into the UAE unless they are classified as emotional support animals or service dogs.

The list of dogs are:

Staffordshire bull terrier, American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, American bully, Brazilian mastiff (fila Brasiliero), Argentinian mastiff (dogo Argentino), Tibetan mastiff, Neapolitan mastiff, French mastiff (dogue de Bordeaux), Boerboel, bull mastiff, Italian mastiff (cane corso), Indian mastiff (bully kutta, Alangu mastiff), canary mastiff (perro de presa canario) and Japanese tosa.

Although there is no ban on cat breeds, some airlines have restrictions on flying out snubbed nose cats such as Himalayans, Persians or British shorthairs, so that should be a consideration while importing cats in.

"Brachycephalic [snub-nosed] pets are limited on the times that they can travel in and out of the UAE by air," Hyden adds. "Due to regulations, airlines put a moratorium on the movement of brachycephalic pets when the temperature is unsafe, which can be from as early as April or May to October in UAE. Some airlines do not transport brachycephalic breeds at all."

Brachycephalic dogs include pugs, shih-tzus, boxers and Pekingese breeds.

What else should I consider?

Kate Lindley is the owner of Paw Pals, a company in Dubai that specialises in pet sitting and relocations. She highlights pets having to adjust to the soaring temperatures as an important factor to consider.

“The UAE has made loads of strides to become more pet friendly but there are still limited places to take them,” she says. She advises that owners consider the “cost of daycare in the summer, cost of boarding and the heat.

“Prepare your pets, get them used to boots and cooling jackets.”

She also suggests paying attention to vaccination dates as any pets without valid inoculations may be barred from travelling.

Hyden echoes concerns about hot summers and vaccination validity.

"First, what will be your living situation when you arrive? Few hotels accept pets and so you'll need to make sure you have housing lined up," she says.

"Also, some buildings are not pet friendly. Brachycephalic dogs and cats may find the UAE too dusty, humid and hot. They would need to be fully indoor pets, particularly during the summer months."

More information is available at moccae.gov.ae