Updated: April 2026
Before entering the destination country, your pet must have:
Your pet must be microchipped before, or at the same time as, their rabies vaccination. If not, they will need to be vaccinated again.
These must be administered no more than one year prior to departure and at least 30 days before travel.
This is required for pets travelling to the EU, UK, USA, Japan, Korea, Australia, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Hawaii, and New Zealand. A blood sample is taken from your pet and sent to a certified laboratory in the United Kingdom. Results are typically received within 6 to 8 weeks.
Important additional info for UAE:
The rabies titre test must be performed at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination. If the test result is successful (i.e. demonstrates a protective antibody level), the titre test remains valid only for as long as the same rabies vaccination remains valid and uninterrupted.
If that rabies vaccination expires, the rabies titre test also becomes invalid, even if a new rabies vaccination is administered later.
In addition, if another rabies vaccination is administered after the blood sample for the titre test has been taken, the UAE authorities may consider the original titre test invalid, and a new titre test may be required.
Therefore, the validity of the rabies titre test is linked to the validity of the original rabies vaccination on which the test was based. Since the rabies vaccination is valid for one year, the titre test is effectively valid for the same period, provided there is no interruption or revaccination affecting the protocol.
Our Pet Travel Specialist will obtain this for you on your behalf. Please note that the import permit can take from three days to two weeks.
Before entering the destination country, your pet should be treated for certain internal and external parasites by a licensed veterinarian. This is not mandatory, but is recommended by our team.
Update: this treatment is mandatory!
We highly recommend acclimating your pet to their travel crate in advance and practising crate training. This will help reduce stress during travel. During your Travel Consultation, we will measure and weigh your pet to determine the appropriate crate size. The carrier must be IATA-approved.
Due to regulations set by commercial airlines, pets may only arrive as manifest (air) cargo on approved airlines into the UAE. Each airline has its own requirements, so make sure you research carefully.
What is manifest cargo? Your pet is booked on a separate ticket and may arrive before or after you. An import agent is required to clear your pet through customs upon arrival in the UK.