Vet warns of travel restrictions over the summer months

With the end of the school year upon us, many families will be planning to leave Dubai’s hot summer until the cooler start of the school year in September.

Dr Sara Elliott, at British Veterinary Hospital in Dubai, explains the restrictions pet owners will face with the increase in travel plans for pets. She said: “With the inevitable mass exodus over the summer we always have a huge increase of enquiries about pet travel arrangements.

While it’s wonderful for your pets to be able to enjoy the great outdoors with mum, dad and the kids, there are some key elements pet owners need to be aware of from both a health and safety perspective for their pet as well as a legal one.

Ideally pet owners will have planned in advance and pets will have been sent ahead in April or May, especially if quarantine is necessary at the other end. Pets travelling between May and September are likely to face hold ups if not properly planned for:

1. If you plan to send your pet overseas for two weeks or less, we’d highly recommend you put them up in a pet hotel here in Dubai. There are some fantastic facilities which guarantee your pet will be walked, fed and well loved.

2. If you plan to take your pet overseas over the course of the next three months the first thing to note is the airline embargoes on all short-nosed breeds of animal. This includes breeds like pugs, bulldogs and British short-hairs. The rationale behind the embargo is the difficulty these breeds have with their respiratory systems.

3. For all breeds not categorised as a short-nosed, we suggest you plan to travel over night as animals are not allowed to fly when the ground temperature is over 27 degrees.

4.Travelling with pets is not straight forward. Different countries have different restrictions and it may take months of planning to be able to take pets away and or bring them back into the UAE. Plan in advance and don't leave it until the last minute.

5. Ensure your pet's microchip is active, vaccinations and municipality registration are up to date and consider placing your local contact details on their collar.

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