oving house is a challenge, even bigger when you want to be sure that your pet will travel with you. In the end everything is easy except moving your beloved cat or dog. Be it a car or a plane, a number of documents must be prepared, and it may be even harder in the covid-world.

This article will tell you a story of a cat named Lena being relocated from Hong Kong to the UAE. As it is, the control-addict that is her Mommy (as the Hong Kongers say) wanted to know how it will happen. It ended with her doing the paperwork and not even being able to hire a pet relocation company that would take care of everything.

Luckily, we may say, because now we know how it happens from the “inside”.

The story starts with a decision to move, which was inevitably the beginning of the internet query of what should I prepare to relocate my pet. Several actions had to be taken and you will hear all of it, some of them being (click on them and jump to the section):

• vaccinations
• microchip
• airline paperwork
• interested countries forms
• COVID-19 attest

Be aware, and we need to state it now and repeat later, that each country you want to take your pet to has its own rules of what is needed. Unless you will hire an agency that will tell you all of them, be sure to check it thoroughly. The alternative is leaving your cat behind or paying a big fine.

What is more – all the sample forms in this article serve as an example – if you want to use them they may be out of date or not suitable for you. Please be advised about that.

Vaccinations

Lena is a strong-willed Maine Coon that found her new parents in the famous Goldfish Street area of Hong Kong. She was 3 months old and looked at people with sick eyes and a profound meow. By the age of 6 months, there was talk of moving house but she was oblivious of it, visiting the vet from time to time for her kitten vaccinations.

Hong Kong has a strict policy regarding pets, so half of the job was already done. The cat going to UAE has to be vaccinated for:

• Feline rhinotracheitis
• Panleukopenia
• Calicivirus

That was a 3in1 package that she was given as a child, so no problems there.

• Rabies (given at least a month before you fly)

The rabies vaccine was the last one that she had to take. Thankfully the local policy made Hong Kong a “rabies-controlled country”. Concerning the relocation to UAE, it meant that the cat didn’t have to go through the titer test. Be aware that this procedure takes some time, so if you must do it, you have to plan it well in advance in order to get the results before your departure.

Microchip and “ID”

A traveling pet is a registered pet. A microchip carries information not only about the animal but also about the owners. There are many different kinds and ISO may be the most popular.

It is a small detail, but for Lena, it was a big day. She was given something to sleep, got a big needle in her shoulder, and walked funny when she woke up.

Returning to the subject – her own vaccination card, in the bureaucratic language, is called her ID. Be sure to have an original with all the valid vaccinations and dates with you. There must also be the microchip number on it. Some countries make a pet passport, which is the same thing but looks fancier.

Either way – this is the proof of your animal’s identity and by correlation, of your animal’s medical clearance. You will be asked to show it on several occasions – government offices and the airport.

Paperwork & procedures

Meaning – a month full of appointments, where every step had to be taken on time and with precision.

In Lena’s case it didn’t seem like it at the beginning.

There was a lot of email exchange with every authority that took part in the procedure. The home veterinarian was informed and supportive. The airlines and the Agriculture and Fisheries Department of Hong Kong gave all the necessary information…

…but it took a month to receive those! There was some misinformation or rather a difference in naming things. Clarifying these took some time and was a pain. However, it sparked the idea of writing this article…

Please remember that each airline has different requirements, so treat the Emirates as an elaborated example. The same goes for the government offices. In Hong Kong – the Agriculture and Fisheries Department (it takes care of the import and export of animals, including pets).

The truth is that both organisms (AFCD and airlines cargo) needed the same documents – but the heroes of this story didn’t know that.

UAE import permit – valid 30 days

It started with the import permit, which seemed to be the first to prepare. It basically allows you to bring your pet to another country. In UAE’s case, it was the MOCCAE that was issuing it with the validity of 30 days. The procedure was fairly simple and everything could have been done online, but in Lena’s case, it was done by the relocation agency (hired only on Dubai’s side).

The idea was to have somebody local in the country of import, somebody who knows the rules. But then, it also created an unforeseen problem, a mild one in this case, but still…

The relocation agency didn’t want to issue the permit without the flight confirmation – the airwaybill number to be exact.

So… the airlines’ procedures

Getting it was tricky, but as you have read – the Mommy was already in the process of talking with everyone.

She was panicking that there will be no place for the cat and tried to have written confirmation of the booking and every step of the way. It looked impossible because the airlines wanted some documents that couldn’t be issued without the flight confirmation – isn’t it counter-intuitive?!

Between giving the required information or at least what she had, filling up the papers, and praying that it will be enough, she received the airwaybill number. And it was even before the agency asked for it.

What she had to do in the Emirates to fly in the cargo, you can find below:

• Shipper (Hong Kong) & Consignee (Destination) full name and address and telephone
• request flight & date
• container size and weight
• breed
• nickname
• animal date of birth
• last Rabies Vaccine date & expiry
• number of animals / individual weights
• individual ages and sex
• temperature tolerance / requirement – MIN & MAX
• 24hrs emergency contact number

Documents requirement

• health certificate (please provide to us once available)
• vaccination record
• import permit
• pet photo
• container photo with four sides (one photo of the pet inside into container)
• AVI Authorization form (provided by airlines)
• Annex COVID-19 (endorsed by AFCD). (please provide to us once available)
• Customer-Acknowledgement-Form-Pets (provided by airlines)

I bet reading this gives you the same feeling she had. It seems overwhelming doesn’t it… but the pet’s information you know. The forms, like AVI form, are given by the airlines – you just need to fill them in and sign.

What is the most important – the forms that you don’t have…

Remember, you don’t have them YET, and the airlines know it. As they have written above – “please provide when available”.

Now breathe, try to relax and read further.

AFCD application aka Endorsed Health Certificate – starts 10 days before the flight

At this point, you have an import permit and the flight reservation (not paid yet). Mommy also had a headache because she thought she needs 3 health certificates – ???!!!

So for the next thing, we will start with an “export permit” – let’s call it like this.

What you really receive is a complete health check-up of your animal including if it is fit to fly and if the container you have is ok. This is what “endorsed” means – the government body has to give you an OK for practically everything.

In Hong Kong, the form is called an Animal Health Certificate. You need a complete vaccination card (check above) and a regular veterinarian health check-up (read below) to apply.

In Lena’s case, also – a prefilled (on a computer) UAE health certificate had to be presented. As it turned out AFCD used it as the template for their examination. Lena received the same paper but signed and stamped by the AFCD.

You use an application form that is best delivered on the day/next day you do the health check-up with the ordinary vet – the earliest is 10 days before the flight.

Be warned – AFCD wants you to make an appointment with the government vet 2 weeks before the flight (appointment meaning the AFCD form). A bit difficult since the earliest you can have the ordinary vet health check-up is 10 days before flight… But an email or a talk with them is enough to make things go smoothly. We also advise not to wait till the last moment.

They will also tell you (at the time of COVID-pandemic rules) that they need the COVID-19 test results but don’t worry – they are to be presented to the vet on the day of the visit.

Each country has its own specifics regarding the “export form”. One thing is sure – there is only one OFFICIAL health certificate (we stress it because due to the email conversations there was a possibility that Lena needed two).

This is the same document required by the airlines to make the official booking (first – airway bill number, second – booking number, third – payment, and final confirmation) and the document that will be checked by the authorities in the country the animal is going to.

In Lena’s case, it was also the paper that had to be sent to the relocation agency as one of the required documents they needed to pick up the pet at the airport.

Deworming and health check-up – start 10 days before the flight

No mistake here – if you have the import permit 29 days before the flight then you need to wait 19 days until you can proceed with anything!

If you already think about stressing in between – somebody has already done this and today thinks “it was not worth it”.

You can read on the Internet that deworming (internal and external) has to be done a maximum of 14 days before the flight. Maximum means 1-14 days (13 to be safe) before the flight.

The preliminary health check-up is done with the regular veterinarian maximum of 10 days before the flight. It is needed in order to get an export permit or rather the government/endorsed health check. In Hong Kong, it was given by the AFCD (read above), and it was later required both by the airlines upon boarding and by the authorities in Dubai upon arrival.

It means that you can do both together because deworming is not a difficult thing. The internal part of it is just a pill. External deworming means putting a special fluid in the neck area of the cat.

I will stress it here and probably not for the last time. In the case of Hong Kong, you want every document you get to have BOTH a signature and a stamp. The more official it looks the better.

COVID test – starts 96 hours before flight

This is the reality of today, not only you, but your pet needs to be tested. In Lena’s case, it was the coronavirus-19 test! (NOT the feline coronavirus one)

This is the only question from the emails that remains unanswered until today. The owners decided to do this one because it sounded logical.

There was a lot of talk with laboratories – in Hong Kong AFCD had to have final approval on the lab. They require specific information to be on the paper. The only laboratory that does the covid-19 test that was found by the owners was the CityU Laboratories.

The laboratory stated that the results would be given 1-3 days later. Yes, it is tight and very important! You need the signed and stamped document stating the negative result, so you can give it to AFCD when you do the veterinary check with them (reminder – on the day of the flight). This was all because of the UAE’s requirement regarding COVID and pets.

Thankfully – maybe thanks to the number of sent emails… the results were there the next day. Lena’s story is a bit traumatic at this point. She was very scared and had bitten off a piece of the plastic swab. Poor thing had to vomit it later. Just look at this loving creature in the picture and know that she really hates going to the doctor. And she is all right and happily relocated to Dubai now.

The swab sample is taken from the throat/mouth (it is one of two methods – this one is less invasive). If you have a similar problem and a terrified pet – talk to your veterinarian about how to best handle things.

Government veterinarian visit – starts 24 hours before flight

The clock is ticking and the last thing your pet needs is to visit the government veterinarian and have the Official Health Certificate.

What do you have now? Not much – the import permit, covid test results, some email confirmations, and a lot of organisms waiting for the last piece of the puzzle – the official, endorsed health check.

At this point, you should already have filed an application to the government offices and made an appointment (AFCD – at least in Hong Kong). You come to the office, you give the coronavirus test results and you wait. They let you in to see the doctor who checks the skin and fur of your pet, checks the heartbeat and the temperature. He also looks at the cage (you need to bring it in with you), which has to fulfill the IATA requirements (basically be big enough in regard to the pet’s measurements). When everything is finished, you get back all the original documents, the vaccination card, and anything you left with them, and you are ready to go. Easy, right?

Curious how it was with Lena? She didn’t like it one bit and you know already – she is one strong, opinionated Maine Coon. She was as graceful as possible hissing, spitting, and biting – ended only with one tiny scratch to the owner.

But…

After a lot of waiting, it turned out the AFCD didn’t like one of the papers – the covid results. Although it was an original, it was not formal enough (in their opinion). A sentence passed

we cannot give you the Health Certificate without it,

followed by

we have a lunch break now you can return after an hour.

WHAT?!?!?!?!

Just to be clear, it was 1 PM and the flight was at 9 PM. The airlines and the relocation agency were both waiting for this document…

Not to tell you another story – be aware that 1 hour is plenty of time, even if you have only 3 before you need to arrive at the cargo office. What you wouldn’t do for your family member? If this article ever reaches the interested parties – people’s kindness is beautiful and the “thank you” is from the depth of the heart.

This is also why we stress – in Hong Kong you want a document to look as important and formal as possible – signatures, stamps, and even more, if possible, please.

Last hours of the story

As soon as the Health Certificate was given a copy of it was sent to the interested parties. The booking was confirmed and Emirates issued a personal number. The heroes arrived at the cargo office 30 minutes before the deadline and went through all the steps there.

It was not the end for them, because Murphy’s law is Murphy’s law. Thankfully the emails told the truth, even if something didn’t show up in the system, they had all the booking numbers and paperwork in order.

Lena was left with the cargo personnel and the two stressed “parents” went for their own check-in. The flight came, took them all, and brought them to Dubai.

3 hours later, after thinking what the heck is happening?! (remember? – control addicted person), Mommy got the call from the relocation agency. They were on their way. Lena looked positively relaxed and curious about her new environment. Outside the cage, it took her 1 minute before she thought the room is hers and hers alone. She bore no stress of the flight making her family light-hearted by this.

Final remarks – stress vs. money

We do believe that this story will give you an insight into what will be happening to you and your pet before you relocate.

Is it easier to take the relocation agency or do it yourself?

It is a choice that you will have to make.

In this story, it was quite funny, although in the exact moment – exasperating. The Mommy got all the knowledge that she could get her hands on. She bothered people with emails, trying to understand what is needed and how to organize the next 3 months of their life. She just wanted to know…

When she finally talked to the relocation agency in Dubai they offered a contact to a similar agency in Hong Kong. She was tired, she did want to pay for the service! But when she wrote what she already has (the flight was confirmed, the vet appointments as well – even with AFCD) the Hong Kong agency just told her you seem to have everything covered and that is it. No answer to her questions, even the one about the quote.

Seems that she really did have everything covered…

Taking care of everything this early on allowed Lena’s owner to make a huge saving… although involuntary. They heard first, but then they asked, that the full relocation service costs about 50000 HKD – which is an enormous amount!!!

So – a travel from Hong Kong to Dubai – what were the costs?

• Choosing an agency on only the arrival side cost them about 8000 HKD – which is just a portion of the above payment.
• The cargo flight of the pet (mandatory when you travel to the UAE) is the second, most expensive thing. When they were doing research, they have learned that flying with the Emirates will cost 9000 HKD, while with Cathay Pacific – 32000 HKD. Why? Nobody knows, but the choice was simple.
• Covid test – about 1500 HKD
• Then the vet visit, vaccinations, and microchip (which you would do regardless)

A piece of info to watch out for. The rules concerning flying pets vary, and in this case, a pet was allowed to travel (without interruption) for only 17 hours! The Emirates flight was 12 hours (Cathay Pacific – 9 hours…). The airlines also add 1 hour before and after (for check-in), so the true time of travel for the pet was 14 hours. As you can see it was less expensive – but very close to the time limitations.

Another piece of luck from the Earth and the Sky…

Be aware that there will be a lot of stress regardless of choosing an agency or doing things yourself. It is just a part of the package.

All in all, it is YOU that have to make a choice. The agency will take money, but they will do everything for you – you will supply them with information… If you do it yourself, you have more control, you pay less, but you also have more responsibility, pressure and there is only you when the troubles come.

One thing is certain, no matter what you choose… for your pet friend… totally worth it!