Bringing Your Pet to Dubai from the UK
The UAE has strict pet import rules, but for a pet travelling from the UK the paperwork is more manageable than most people fear — the binding constraint is usually the airline booking and the vaccination schedule, not a long mandatory waiting period. Allow around six to eight weeks if your pet's vaccinations are already in order, and longer if they are not. This guide covers what is actually required.
6–8 weeks
Typical Timeline
£800–£2,500
Approx. Total Cost
6 key steps
Process Steps
Check the vaccination record first
The UAE does not impose a multi-month waiting period on pets travelling from the UK, and there is no mandatory post-vaccination quarantine. What catches UK families out is the vaccination record itself: the UAE requires more than a rabies jab, the microchip must pre-date the rabies vaccination, and an out-of-date booster resets your timeline. Pull your pet's vaccination card out and check it against the list below before you book anything.
The 6-Step Process: UK to Dubai
The UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) governs all pet imports. The requirements below apply to dogs and cats travelling from the UK. Other animals have different — often stricter — requirements.
No rabies blood test is required from the UK
MOCCAE requires a rabies antibody titre test only for pets coming from countries outside its low-risk list. The United Kingdom is on that list, along with Ireland, most of the EU, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong. If your pet is travelling from the UK you do not need the blood test, and there is no associated waiting period. If you are moving to Dubai from somewhere else — or your pet will spend time in a non-listed country en route — check the current list before you plan, because the test must be taken at least 21 days after the rabies vaccination and is valid for 12 months.
Microchip
Do this first, before any vaccinations
Your pet must have an ISO 15-digit microchip. If your pet is already chipped, confirm it is the correct standard — older 9 or 10-digit chips are not accepted. The microchip must be implanted before the rabies vaccination, or the vaccination will not be valid for UAE entry purposes.
Rabies Vaccination
After microchipping, from 12 weeks of age
Your pet must receive a rabies vaccination from a registered UK vet after the microchip is confirmed, and no earlier than 12 weeks of age. Keep the vaccination certificate — the batch number, date, manufacturer and vet details must appear on the health certificate. If your pet already has a current rabies vaccine, check it was administered after the microchip was in place; if it was not, the vaccination must be repeated. Allow at least 21 days between the vaccination and departure.
The Other Required Vaccinations
Alongside the rabies vaccination
This is the step UK owners most often miss. Rabies alone is not enough. Dogs must also be vaccinated against canine distemper, infectious canine hepatitis, leptospirosis (Icterohaemorrhagiae and Canicola) and canine parvovirus — usually given as a combined DHLP shot. Cats must be vaccinated against feline panleukopenia, feline rhinotracheitis and feline calicivirus, again normally a single combined vaccination. All of these must appear on the official health certificate.
Parasite Treatment
Within 14 days of travel
Your pet must receive treatment for internal and external parasites within the 14 days before export, administered and documented by a registered vet. This is a certified requirement on the UAE health certificate, not a recommendation — an undocumented treatment will hold up the paperwork.
UAE Import Permit (MOCCAE)
Before travel
You must obtain an import permit from the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) before your pet arrives in Dubai. This is applied for online through the MOCCAE portal. You will need your pet's microchip number, vaccination records and your UAE visa details. The permit costs approximately AED 200 (around £43). Apply close to your travel date rather than months ahead — the permit is issued with a short validity window and must still be valid on the day your pet lands. If you are arranging the move yourself rather than through an agent, you are limited to two pets per person. Some breeds of dog cannot be imported at all — see breed restrictions below.
Official Health Certificate
Immediately before travel
Your pet needs an official government health certificate issued by a vet and endorsed by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), confirming the vaccinations above, the parasite treatment, and that the animal was examined and showed no sign of disease in the 24 hours before shipping. Every document presented on arrival must be an original — photocopies are not accepted. Your vet and APHA will confirm the exact issuing window, which is short.
What Does It Cost?
Costs vary depending on the size of your pet, whether you use a specialist relocation company, and which airline carries the animal. Below are typical UK-to-Dubai figures.
| Item | Approx. Cost |
|---|---|
| Microchip (if not already done) | £20–£40 |
| Rabies vaccination | £40–£80 |
| DHLP / feline combined vaccination | Ask your vet |
| Parasite treatment (internal & external) | Ask your vet |
| APHA certificate endorsement | £30 |
| MOCCAE import permit | ~£43 (AED 200) |
| Health certificate (vet fee) | £60–£120 |
| Relocation specialist service fee | £300–£800 |
| Airline cargo / freight charge | £200–£900 (size dependent) |
| Total (estimated) | £800–£2,500+ |
Breed Restrictions: Dogs
The UAE prohibits the import of certain dog breeds. The following are banned and will be refused entry regardless of documentation, as will any crossbreed or hybrid of them:
- ✕All Pit Bull Terriers
- ✕Staffordshire Bull Terriers (English and American)
- ✕American Bullies
- ✕All Mastiff breeds
- ✕Japanese Tosa Inu
- ✕Wolf / dog hybrids
A crossbreed counts. If your dog is a mixed breed that could be read as one of the above, get written confirmation from your relocation agent before you book anything — the determination is made at the border, not in advance. Separately from the import ban, some emirates apply muzzle and leash requirements to other large breeds in public places; those are local rules that vary between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and your agent or vet can confirm what applies where you are moving.
Flying Your Pet to Dubai
Emirates Airlines does not carry live animals in the passenger cabin. Dogs and cats travelling from the UK to Dubai go as manifest cargo, handled by Emirates SkyCargo or a specialist pet freight company. British Airways also handles pet cargo on their London–Dubai route.
Small cats and very small dogs (under 8kg including carrier) may be able to travel in-cabin on other airlines via a connecting route, though this is complex to arrange. Most UK expats use a direct cargo service — it is the most reliable option.
Avoid travelling in the hottest months (June–September) if possible. Dubai airport can reach 45°C on the tarmac, and many airlines suspend live animal cargo during the summer heat period. Aim for October to April.
Once You Arrive in Dubai
On arrival at Dubai International Airport, your pet will be inspected by Dubai Municipality veterinary officers. Have your original documents ready — originals, not copies: the MOCCAE import permit, health certificate, vaccination record and microchip documentation. Inspections are usually straightforward if paperwork is in order.
Once you are settled, register your pet with Dubai Municipality. Dubai requires cats and dogs to be microchipped, vaccinated and licensed, and the licence is renewed annually. Fines apply for unlicensed dogs found in public areas. Registration fees are set by Dubai Municipality and are reviewed periodically, so check the current figure at dm.gov.ae or through a licensed vet clinic rather than budgeting from a third-party guide — the amounts quoted around the internet vary widely and most are out of date.
Dubai has good veterinary care. Recommended practices include Dubai Kennels and Cattery (DKC), Veterinary Hospital at Dubai Hills, and the British Veterinary Clinic in Jumeirah. Pet-friendly apartments are available but confirm with your landlord before signing — some buildings prohibit animals.
Beyond the import process
Keeping a temperate-climate pet healthy in the heat
This guide stops where the paperwork does. The harder part usually starts after arrival: a dog or cat that spent its life in the UK now has to cope with 45°C summers, year-round parasites and a very different set of skin and respiratory pressures. That is not really a Dubai relocation question — it is a hot-climate pet health question.
Our sister site The Tropical Pet covers exactly that ground for expat owners in Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong. The climates are not identical to the Gulf, but the physiology is — heat load, humidity, acclimatisation timelines and heat-stress warning signs read the same whether you are in Jumeirah or Sentosa.
Pet Relocation Specialists We Recommend
Getting the paperwork right is critical — one error can delay or prevent your pet entering the UAE. These specialist companies manage the entire process for you, from the vaccination schedule and APHA endorsement to airport collection in Dubai.
Disclosure: these are plain editorial links. We have no commercial relationship with any of the companies below and earn nothing if you use them — they are listed because we consider them genuinely reputable.
PetAir UK
Most PopularOne of the UK's most experienced pet relocation specialists, handling door-to-door moves to Dubai and the UAE including all documentation, CITES permits and approved airline booking.
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Happy Tails Travel
RecommendedSpecialist in Middle East pet relocation. Offers a fully managed service covering the vaccination schedule, import permit, health certificate and cargo travel arrangements.
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Global Paws
Award-winning pet travel company with extensive UAE experience. Particularly strong on exotic breeds and larger dogs. Offers a free initial consultation.
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Pet Relocators
Specialist pet freight and relocation company covering the UAE. Handles all MOCCAE import permits and offers a transparent, itemised quote.
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Are you a pet relocation specialist working with UK expats moving to Dubai? Get in touch about a partnership.
Patrick's Note
“I moved with a Labrador. The process felt overwhelming at first but once you break it into steps it is very manageable. The one thing I wish I'd known earlier: use a specialist company. The MOCCAE portal and APHA process has enough moving parts that a professional who does this daily is worth every penny. My dog was at my new apartment in DIFC the same day I arrived.”
— Patrick, Founding Editor