Moving abroad with your pet

In the US there are an estimated 77.5 million owned dogs and around 93.6 million owned cats.   Across the pond in the UK, a staggering 43 percent of households have a pet while, according to a recent study, 39 percent of UK pet-owners view their furry friends so highly they’ve replaced their partner with one!

 So it’s no wonder when we’re moving abroad that we want to take the smallest – and possibly cutest - member of the family with us.

But how do we do that? And what’s the deal with quarantine?

Well, fortunately if you’re travelling to the UAE then quarantine isn’t an issue. Your cat, dog, tortoise, bearded dragon etc can travel on the same plane, at the same time, as yourself or your family. There’s just one little exception – Tiddles or Rover goes as cargo (which can be expensive) while you remain upstairs relaxing in economy or first class.

But provided you’ve completed all the necessary paperwork prior to your flight there shouldn’t be a problem collecting your pet at the other end and all of you starting your new life together as one big happy family.

As you’d expect there are a number of rules concerning the importing of pets to the UAE. The ones you really need to be up-to-date with are:

·         Dogs and cats must be aged four months or over before they’ll be accepted into the country

·         Pets from certain countries may require to be tested for rabies (the US, UK, Australia and most of Europe are exempt).

·         Birds and certain breeds of dog are banned from the UAE. These include Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Japanese Tosas and any such cross-breeds

·         You must have an import certificate – one for each pet.

·         You must obtain a vaccination and an international health certificate for your pet which should be signed by your vet 10 days prior to arrival. The only vaccination necessary for the UAE is rabies but check your airline doesn’t require further ones

·         All pets should be micro-chipped and the number appear on their documents

·         When picking up your pet at the airport you’ll need the import permit, vaccination records, good health certificate and a copy of your passport. It’ll also cost Dhs 200 to get the vet to check over your pet at the airport.

There are other things to consider too. For instance, if you’ve arranged accommodation prior to your move double check that your landlord allows pets, especially as our furry friends aren’t always popular in furnished apartments.

If you’re heading for a hotel, make arrangements with a kennel beforehand where you can go and visit your pet until you find your accommodation.

It’s a good idea too to ensure your airline is a pet friendly carrier.  KLM and Lufthansa have good reputations in this regard. 

And remember, once you’ve actually got your pet here, there’s a bit of a learning curve too. There’s the hot weather for one and, in the case of dogs, a ban on public parks and beaches.