flying with your pet abroad

Transporting dogs and cats abroad
Dr. Tal Mayer, veterinarian in Kfar Saba.

Flying to Israel or from Israel with the dog?
Flying abroad on a mission? Doing Relocation? What do you do with your dog or cat at this time?
Do you take them with you? Should you? If you take them, how to do it? What procedures related? How long does it take?
The answers can be found in the following article:
First, important point:
flying abroad can be traumatic and may cause suffering to the animal, so my recommendation is to consider the flight only if it is a period in excess of two – three month.
If you decide to fly with your dog or cat abroad, bureaucratic process is divided into 2:
States require rabies antibody testing and states that do not require rabies antibody testing.
There are several companies that specialize in flying animals abroad – but you can of course do it alone using the information in this article:
What is rabies antibody testing?
This is a blood test sent to the lab of the veterinary services. Veterinary Services Laboratory is recognized and approved laboratory testing in rabies antibody levels.
The test usually takes up to two weeks and at the end received an official document with antibody levels against rabbis of the dog / cat.
The test should be performed once and is good for the all life of your dog or cat, as long as they continued to be vaccinated against rabies every year.
• It is very important to check the specific requirements of the destination country. There are countries that have special requirements, some do not. There blockade countries (UK, Australia, etc.) and it is important to know the subject well before the flight planning.
• The above information can be found online on the destination countries customs search by: "Import pet to _____"
The process in countries that do not require rabies antibody testing:
– Vaccinations: rabies and dog or cat vaccine against Infectious Diseases
– chip- if not yet exists.
– Recommended treatment against worms.
– health documents in English + Health Form (Form 998) + Export form of animal veterinary services for up to 10 days from the flight.
– Go with all privet vet documents to the district office of veterinary services, get them to sign documents and keep health document to export form of the animal.

Process states require rabies antibodies:
Step A:
– Rabies vaccine should be performed if not done in the last year and put a chip if there is one.
– take rabies antibody blood test 30 days at least after the rabies vaccination and up to one year after.
– Have to wait for test results (usually up to two weeks).
– Have to wait three months from the test results till the flight.
• Note that this step takes between 3-4 months!
Step B: (same like countries without a requirement for rabies antibody)
– Vaccinations: dog or cat vaccine against Infectious Diseases
– Recommended treatment against worms.
– health documents in English + Health Form (Form 998) + Export form of animal veterinary services for up to 10 days from the flight.
– Go with all privet vet documents to the district office of veterinary services, get them to sign documents and keep health document to export form of the animal.

* It is important to remember that Israel requires rabies antibody testing, so if you plan to return the dog to Israel – make shore you have the test before entrance to Israel.
Since the test is good for life – we recommend to do the test even before leaving the country, in order not to have problems in the future.

For more information, testing, and counseling about flying pets abroad, please contact the clinic and we will be happy to help