In the last few years, the United Arab Emirates have become a highly sought-after destination, now populated mainly by expats who remain fascinated by it thanks to the exponential economic growth and the multiple job and business opportunities.
Bringing your dog or cat to the UAE is a fairly simple process, and provides different solutions based on the destination and the type of animal being transported.
What is there to know?
UAE regulations require that animals traveling by air, are manifested as Cargo. This is especially the case of Dubai which is served from Italy with direct Emirates flights. Emirates does not allow passengers to bring their dog or cat on board (either in the cabin or in the hold).
Abu Dhabi can instead be reached with direct Etihad flights. Etihad allows only and exclusively small pets (usually weighing less than 8kg) to travel in the cabin with passengers. We invite you to consult the Etihad website for all their rules that apply in this case.
Whether your destination is Abu Dhabi or Dubai, in order to import your dog or cat into the United Arab Emirates you must obtain an Import Permit from the MOCCAE. Issuing this permit is a process that takes a few days.
What are the first steps?
Veterinary training is very simple, and there are no particularly complex requirements.
We start from the basic requirements, namely:
- microchip
- anti-rabies vaccination with at least 21 days waiting period
- annual vaccinations
These are the minimum requirements to start planning your trip. The final steps will be defined when the departure date is confirmed.
We at AM Pet Movers advise those who need to move their dog or cat to the United Arab Emirates to start taking the first steps at least 8 weeks before the desired departure date.
This way we will have plenty of time to check the documentation you have and indicate any gaps that need to be filled.
