Emergency Pet Relocation
With the current fragile situation in the region, we have received many requests from pet owners with regards to Pet travel & relocation. Please find below the main rules and needs.
Furthermore, we like to advise you that in an emergency evacuation organized by the home country for its expatriate & oversea workers, pets are in general not allowed to travel as places need to be freed for people.
It is therefore important to realize that if you want to fly your pets out, this should in general be done before you fly out. We cannot advise you what is the right moment as this differs for everyone.
To ensure your pet is ready for travel at any moment you should:
- Check the requirements for the country you are most likely to travel to with a Pet Relocation Specialist even before having any plan to travel. Although regulations might change, this will give you an idea of how much time and which documents are needed as well as the approximate cost. Note that depending on the country and pet/s in question, the cost for pet relocation can be from AED 3,000 to AED 30,000 and above.
- Make sure your pet is Microchipped (Microchip should have been done before Rabies vaccination)
- Always make sure your pet’s vaccinations are up to date. For the majority of countries, the required vaccinations are the Rabies Vaccination together with DHPPI+L Vaccine for dogs and FVRCPP or Tricat Vaccine for cats (For the UAE they should be yearly boosted after an initial vaccination protocol)
- If your pet is already an adult, get an IPATA Approved Travel Carrier well in advance. This way your pet will get used to the Travel Carrier at home and will be more comfortable during the travel.
- Contact a Pet Relocation Specialist as soon as you have an approximate travel date to schedule the appointments for the preparation of your pet’s travel documents.
- Check for boarding facilities in case your pet needs to travel at a later date or before than yourself. Boarding can also be arranged via the Relocation Specialist, but it’s always a good idea to check for a Boarding Facility that you like and trust.
- If your pet will travel as Excess Baggage or in the cabin with you, before purchasing your flight ticket, make sure the airline accepts pets on board to the destination you are traveling to. Book your pet on the flight as soon as you have a travel date. Some airlines have limited space for animals, so it is best to book your pet as soon as possible.
If you want us to arrange your pet relocation, please contact us at travel@abvc.ae
