Moving a Cat or Dog from the UAE: Canada, Australia, NZ, UK, Germany

Cosmos Immigration
Moving a Cat or Dog from the UAE: Canada, Australia, NZ, UK, Germany

Moving a cat or dog out of the UAE is doable, but each destination reads the UAE’s rabies status differently, and that one classification sets your waiting periods, tests and quarantine. Here is how five common destinations treat a pet leaving the Emirates, as at September 2026.

At a glance

  • Canada: no post-arrival quarantine for pet dogs; a vaccination certificate or titre test is accepted, and the commercial dog ban does not apply to your own pet.
  • Australia: a Group 3 country. Expect a 180-day pre-export wait (not quarantine), then a minimum 30 days of quarantine at Mickleham, potentially 10 with pre-export identity verification.
  • New Zealand: minimum 10 days’ quarantine; your pet must have lived in the UAE at least 6 months before shipment. A revised import standard phases in from 1 July 2026.
  • UK and Germany/EU: the UAE is listed, so no rabies blood test. Great Britain needs a pet health certificate and a 21-day wait after the first vaccination.
  • Leaving the UAE: a MOCCAE health certificate, valid 30 days from issue.

Canada: no quarantine, but read the dog rules carefully

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) states pet dogs imported from any country face no post-import quarantine — your dog goes home with you on arrival.

The high-risk label matters for one group only: since 28 September 2022, commercial dogs — for resale, adoption, breeding, show, exhibition or research — from high-risk countries like the UAE have not been permitted entry. A personal pet travelling with its owner is not covered.

For a personal pet dog aged 8 months or older from a non-rabies-free country, CFIA’s Import Reference Document accepts two routes:

  • A valid rabies vaccination certificate issued in English or French by a vet in the country of origin, clearly identifying the dog as currently vaccinated; or
  • A Rabies Neutralising Antibody Titre Test (RNATT) of at least 0.5 IU/ml, taken 3–4 weeks after any prior rabies vaccination.

Cats are treated separately, and the high-risk dog list does not affect them. A domestic cat aged 3 months or older can qualify with an RNATT of at least 0.5 IU/ml taken at least 30 days after any prior rabies vaccination, identified on the accompanying laboratory report. The human side of the move is covered on our Canada immigration page.

Australia: the 180 days are not quarantine, but they are real

Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) classifies the UAE as a Group 3 country — rabies present, but well controlled — driving the longest pre-departure timeline of the five.

Before export, a cat or dog from the UAE must complete a 180-day waiting period in an approved country. DAFF is explicit this is not a quarantine period: your pet can live with you during that time.

The RNATT has a shelf life. DAFF states it is valid for only 12 months, or 365 days, after the date of blood sampling, and it must still be valid on the date of export. If it lapses, the animal must be revaccinated and retested, and the 180-day wait restarts.

On arrival, cats and dogs from Group 3 countries need a minimum 30-day quarantine isolation period. DAFF says Group 3 pets may be eligible for a 10-day period if identity verification is carried out before export; missing that documentation means the 30-day minimum applies. The 10-day figure is the reduced outcome, not the default.

Quarantine is provided at Mickleham, in Melbourne, Victoria; a booking can only be made after an import permit has been granted. If the family’s own visa is still in progress, see our Australia immigration page.

New Zealand: a residency rule for the pet, and a standard in transition

New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) sorts approved countries into three categories; Category 3 covers “rabies-absent or well controlled” countries, consistent with the UAE’s Group 3 status in Australia. MPI’s full country list sits inside its guidance document, so confirm the UAE’s placement there.

Two rules shape the timeline. Cats and dogs, except those from Australia, must have resided in the country of export for at least 6 months (or since birth), and on arrival need a minimum of 10 days’ quarantine at an MPI-approved facility.

The rules are also changing. MPI issued a revised Import Health Standard on 12 May 2026, with a 9-month transition from 1 July 2026 during which either the 2021 or 2026 rules apply. From 1 October 2026 new identification checks begin, and from 1 April 2027 all cats and dogs must meet the new requirements, including a pre-export ID check at least 6 months before export. Our New Zealand page covers the visa side.

United Kingdom: simpler than most people expect

GOV.UK is clear: the UAE appears on the government’s table of listed countries, with a Great Britain pet health certificate as the required document. Only pets from countries not listed need a rabies blood test as well.

Three timing rules still apply:

  • Microchip first. The chip must go in before, or at the same time as, the rabies vaccination, or the vaccination does not count.
  • Wait 21 full days after the first rabies vaccination (or last dose of the course) before travel.
  • Tapeworm treatment for dogs, 24 hours to 5 days before arrival, every entry into Great Britain, using praziquantel or an equivalent. Cats are exempt.

Germany and the EU: new rules since April 2026

As of 22 April 2026, new EU rules govern private pet travel for dogs, cats and ferrets under Delegated Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/131, which Germany’s federal food and agriculture ministry describes as tightening controls to prevent illegal pet trade.

Under the European Commission’s listing, pets moved into an EU country from a non-EU country listed under Article 17(1) of that regulation do not require a rabies antibody titration test — and the UAE is on that list.

One rule to plan around: pets from a third country may generally only arrive via authorised entry points for identity and document checks by customs or the official veterinary service. Only a short list of European microstates is exempt, so this applies to a UAE pet.

Side by side: what each destination asks of a UAE pet

Destination How the UAE is classified Key steps as stated Quarantine as stated
Canada High-risk for dog rabies (CFIA); not rabies-free Dogs 8 months+: vaccination certificate, or RNATT of at least 0.5 IU/ml taken 3 to 4 weeks after vaccination. Cats 3 months+: RNATT of at least 0.5 IU/ml taken at least 30 days after vaccination. None for pet dogs from any country
Australia Group 3: rabies present but well controlled (DAFF) RNATT valid 12 months from sampling; 180-day pre-export wait; import permit before quarantine booking Minimum 30 days at Mickleham; may be eligible for 10 days with pre-export identity verification
New Zealand Category 3 covers rabies-absent or well controlled countries; confirm the UAE’s placement with MPI At least 6 months’ residence in the country of export; revised standard phasing in from 1 July 2026, mandatory from 1 April 2027 Minimum 10 days at an MPI-approved facility
United Kingdom (Great Britain) Listed country (GOV.UK) Microchip before or with rabies vaccination; 21 full days after first vaccination; GB pet health certificate; dogs treated for tapeworm 24 hours to 5 days before arrival Not stated in the sources used
Germany / EU Listed under Article 17(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2026/131 No rabies titration test; arrive via an authorised entry point for identity and document checks Not stated in the sources used

From the UAE: what this means for you

Whatever the destination, the UAE side runs through the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE), which issues a veterinary export health certificate valid for 30 days from its date of issue.

That 30-day window is the piece to time carefully: it must overlap with the destination’s own paperwork deadlines and your flight.

  • Microchip, then rabies vaccination — chip before or with the jab, as Great Britain requires.
  • Blood test and waiting periods for your destination: Canada’s titre test for cats and dogs; Australia’s RNATT (12 months’ validity, 180-day wait); New Zealand’s 6 months’ residence; Great Britain’s 21-day wait. The UK and the EU do not require a titre test for a pet from the UAE.
  • MOCCAE certificate last, inside its 30-day validity, followed by any final treatment such as the UK tapeworm dose.

Frequently asked questions

Does Canada’s ban on dogs from high-risk countries stop me bringing my own dog from Dubai?

No. The measure that took effect on 28 September 2022 covers commercial dogs only — for resale, adoption, breeding, show or research. A personal pet dog travelling with its owner faces no post-import quarantine.

Is the 180-day wait for Australia the same as quarantine?

No. DAFF states the 180 days is not a quarantine period; your pet can live with you in an approved Group 3 country during it. Quarantine is the separate stay at Mickleham: a minimum of 30 days, or 10 with pre-export identity verification.

Does my cat need a rabies blood test for the UK or Germany?

Not when travelling from the UAE. The UAE is a listed country for Great Britain, so the pet health certificate is the document required, and it is also on the EU’s list exempt from a rabies antibody titration test.

What to do next

If the family’s own visa is still the open question, start with a free eligibility assessment. Call us on 04 357 7796 or book a 20-minute review with one of our consultants in Dubai or Abu Dhabi through our contact page. We will look at your profile, timeline and destination, and point you to the official pet import pages for your route. We never promise an outcome; we help you prepare an honest, well-documented case and plan the move around it.

Sources

Not sure which route fits you? Book a free eligibility assessment with our Dubai or Abu Dhabi team. No obligation.

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