If you are planning a trip to the UAE with your pet, you should learn the rules for bringing animals into the country. First, you need to prepare all the documents necessary for passing the customs control:

• Each pet must have a health certificate issued by accredited veterinary authorities;

• Pet passport or vaccination certificate. These documents indicate the personal data of the animal and information about all necessary vaccinations, which must be valid at the time of entry into the country;

• A mandatory requirement for animals from high-risk countries is a certificate of testing for rabies antibody titer from a laboratory accredited in the country of export. The certificate must contain data on the date of sampling, the date of the test and the method of examination;

• Each animal must have a microchip for its identification. Data on chipping is also indicated in the pet passport;

• You must obtain an official import permit prior to enter the UAE in advance of your trip. The permit is issued on the official website of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE), and you also need to pay a fee to obtain this document.

The minimum age of an imported pet for low-risk countries is 12 weeks, for high-risk countries – 15 weeks. Moreover, there is a limit on the number of animals. It is allowed to import no more than 2 pets into the country per year (it can be two dogs, two cats or a cat and a dog).

Required vaccinations for dogs:

• A valid rabies vaccination (vaccination is administered according to the vaccine manufacturer's instructions; the initial dose is not allowed until the pet is 12 weeks old);

• Vaccination against Canine Distemper Virus (CDV);

• Vaccination against Canine Parvo Virus;

• Vaccine against Infectious Canine Hepatitis;

• Vaccine against Leptospirosis (if the country of export does not use vaccination against this disease, it is possible to replace the vaccination with a laboratory test).

Required vaccinations for cats:

• A valid rabies vaccination (vaccination is administered according to the vaccine manufacturer's instructions; the initial dose is not allowed until the pet is 12 weeks old);

• Vaccination against Feline Pan Leukopenia;

• Vaccine against Feline Rhinotracheitis;

• Vaccine against Feline Calicivirus.

Additional charges for animals:

• Pet import permit fee – 500 dirhams;

• Fee for examining a cat when entering the country – 500 dirhams;

• Fee for examining a dog upon entering the country – 1000 dirhams;

Countries with a low risk of animal rabies include: Albania, Andorra, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Falkland Islands, Fiji, Finland, French Polynesia, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Micronesia, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Palau, Portugal, Qatar, San Marino, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Vanuatu.

The following dog breeds are prohibited from entering the UAE: Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Bully, Fila Brasiliero, Dogo Argentino, Tibetan Mastiff, Neapolitan Mastiff, French Mastiff, Boerboel, Bullmastiff, Italian Mastiff, Bully Kutta, Canary Mastiff, Japaneese tosa, Presa Canario.

Animals whose documents do not meet the standards will not be accepted for entry or will be confiscated. Additional costs in this case are paid by the owner of the pet.