Hello, dear reader. Today we will tell you about the rules for transporting pets to Israel, discuss the features and strict requirements that pet owners (dogs and cats) face. Israel imposes strict requirements for compliance with all rules for the import of live cargo, and our experience shows that the slightest discrepancy can cause refusal. Let’s go over all the key points to ensure that your pet’s transport preparations go smoothly.
Basic requirements for importing animals to Israel
1. Minimum age of the animal
To import a dog or cat to Israel, the pet must be at least 4 months old. This requirement is related to the rabies vaccination schedule, the incubation period, and the antibody test required for importation. We’ll go into more detail about this procedure below.
2. Microchipping of the animal
Your pet must have a microchip that was installed no later than the last rabies vaccination. The date of microchipping must be indicated in the veterinary passport, and if this date is later than the vaccination date, this may cause problems upon importing into Israel.
3. Vaccination and rabies antibody test
To import an animal, it is necessary to vaccinate against rabies and, 30 days after the vaccination, to do an antibody test. This test confirms the presence of a sufficient level of antibodies to the rabies virus in the pet’s blood and is mandatory for entry into Israel.
4. Ban on import of fighting breed dogs
It is prohibited to import fighting breed dogs and their crossbreeds into Israel. Although theoretically you can indicate in the documents that your pet is a mixed breed of another breed, this does not always guarantee that there will be no problems upon entry. The Israeli veterinary services are strict about these requirements, especially when checking documents in Tel Aviv.
5. Transportation with personal accompaniment or Cargo status
An animal can be brought into Israel with personal accompaniment only if it has been with the transporting person for at least 3 months. If the pet has recently been acquired and the future owner cannot confirm such a period of cohabitation, then transportation is possible only in Cargo status (cargo terminal). This requirement is particularly important for recently purchased animals.
6. Obtaining an import permit
If transportation is carried out in Cargo status, it is necessary to obtain an import permit in advance from the Israel Nature and National Parks Protection Authority. This permit is issued on the basis of a certificate containing the results of a rabies antibody test.
Documents required for importing animals to Israel
When preparing to transport an animal to Israel, it is necessary to collect a number of documents, each of which must be prepared in advance:
1. Veterinary passport
The pet must have a veterinary passport with vaccination marks, as well as treatment for intestinal worms and fleas
2. VETERINARY CERTIFICATE FOR DOMESTIC DOGS AND CATS ENTERING ISRAEL
This is a mandatory document that must be certified by veterinary control at the airport of departure.
3. Arrival notification papers (Annex B and Annex C)
These documents must be filled out in advance and sent to the Israeli veterinary control no later than 48 hours before the animal’s arrival.
4. International Veterinary Certificate
This certificate is issued at the departure airport based on the veterinary certificate and confirms the health of your pet for international travel.
5. Import Permit
In case of transporting your pet with Cargo status, it is necessary to obtain a special import permit by sending the results of the rabies antibody test to the veterinary services of Israel. It is important that the permit is issued before departure.
All the documents listed above must be sent by email to the Israeli veterinary control: VS-AIRPORT@moag.gov.il. Make sure to prepare all documents in advance to avoid delays and problems when entering Israel.
Features of importing animals to Israel
Upon arrival at Tel Aviv airport, your pet must undergo veterinary control, where the presence and correctness of all documents are checked. Particular attention is paid to certificates and antibody test results. After checking the documents, in the absence of comments, the animal is allowed to enter.
Documents required for transportation from Russia to Israel
To export animals from Russia to Israel, you will need the following documents:
1. Veterinary certificate form No. 1
This certificate is issued at a state veterinary clinic no earlier than 5 days before departure and confirms the health of the animal. On the day of departure, it is exchanged for an international veterinary certificate form No. 5a.
2. International veterinary certificate form 5a
This certificate confirms the animal’s health for international transportation and is mandatory for import to Israel.
3. Exit permit from Rosselkhoznadzor
This permit is required only when transporting a pet with Cargo status and is issued through the ARGUS system.
4. Rabies antibody test
An antibody test can be taken at the VGNKI laboratory in Russia. The test results are sent to obtain an import permit.
We hope that this article helped you understand the rules for importing animals into Israel and the specifics of document preparation. If you have any questions or need help with paperwork, please contact us via the “Contacts” section. We are ready to help you and your pet prepare for a trip to Israel, ensuring full compliance with all requirements.
