Dog Travel to the United Arab Emirates

Name: Iulia
Number of Pets: 1
Pet Type: Dog
Pet Breed: Yorkshire Terrier
From: EU
To: UAE

Greetings,

1. Some say that the Rabies antibody test must be done 3 months before entering UAE (I do not have this kind of time). Is that true?
2. Also some say that the pet needs to be chipped before or on the day of the rabies vaccination but definitely not after. Is that true?
3. And last but not least, how can I prearrange the pet taxi for myself and my pet (if we successfully make it out of the airport in Dubai)?

Best Regards,

Iulia
 

Hi Iulia,

Thanks for your questions! Moving pets to the UAE is a process that requires careful attention to detail, and you're right to double check everything early on.

Please take a look at this overview of pet import requirements for the UAE. Yes, the microchip needs to be implanted before the rabies vaccine is administered, but as you're coming from the EU, the rabies vaccine only has to be done 21 days before applying for the import permit (a titer test isn't necessary when coming from designated countries with a low incidence of rabies). Feel free to contact us or the UAE Ministry of Environment and Water if you'd like to verify this information.

In our experience, pet services in the UAE are pretty plentiful, and doing a Google search should reveal several choices. It's also a good idea to search online expat forums or IPATA.org for additional ideas and suggestions.

Hope this helps! Again, you're welcome to contact us if you think you'd like some help arranging this move and/or take a look at our blog for some basic pet travel advice. Good luck and have a great trip!