Central African Republic Pet Import Requirements

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What is a Pet Passport?

We refer to a pet passport as a collection of documents that fulfill Central African Republic pet import requirements for dogs or cats entering this country. This term is not to be confused with an official EU Pet Passport issued in the European Union for EU-resident pets. Your pet’s passport to enter the Central African Republic will include proof of microchip, current rabies vaccination and an export health certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian in the country of origin.

Animals Eligible for These Regulations

Unless otherwise stated, the regulations below apply to domestic dogs and cats including service and assistance dogs and cats. These regulations do not include the import of wolf hybrids, Savannah and Bengal cats, unless 5th generation removed from the pedigree. Owners of other types of pets (amphibia, reptiles, birds, rabbits, and rodents) covered by these regulations should refer to IMPORTING OTHER PET ANIMALS TO THE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC below.

Pets in the Central African Republic

Dogs are commonly kept as pets, primarily for security and companionship. Local mixed breeds are prevalent, with fewer purebred dogs compared to more developed countries. Cats are appealing for their abilities to control rodent populations.

Pet ownership in the Central African Republic faces many challenges, including limited access to veterinary care, pet supplies, and organized animal welfare efforts. Veterinary services are limited, especially in rural areas. Urban centers like Bangui have some veterinary clinics that offer basic services such as vaccinations, treatments for common ailments, and emergency care. Pet owners should fully protect their pets against contagious diseases as well as internal and external parasites before traveling to the Central African Republic.

Additionally, owners who plan to return to their country of origin or to travel further should carefully research all pet import requirements for any other countries on their itinerary before travel as access to specific testing and treatments may not be available.

Pet-Friendly Airlines Flying to the Central African Republic

Flights to Central African Republic should be direct or transit through a rabies-controlled country or another EU Member State if possible*. *Note: If your pet has a layover in an EU Member State in its itinerary, then additional requirements will apply.

Flights to Bangui M’Poko International Airport by commercial airlines serving pets are limited, but include Air France, ASKY Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways, Royal Air Maroc and RwandaAir.

Find a Licensed Veterinarian

Before beginning any pet export procedure, make sure your veterinarian is approved by the governing veterinarian authority in your pet’s country of origin. The agency of the government that is responsible for the movement of live animals should either license or employ your veterinarian.

Quarantine for Pets Entering the Central African Republic

Quarantine will not be imposed on your pet if the following regulations are met. Pets not meeting import regulations will be quarantined, returned to the origin country or euthanized. All costs are the responsibility of the importer.

All steps required to import a pet dog or cat to Central African Republic must be completed in the country of origin. Complete steps 1-6 in the order given.

Step 1: Pet Microchip

Having your pet identified with a microchip is important when traveling internationally for several reasons. First, a microchip will tie your pet to its documentation when entering a foreign country. Second, if, for any reason, your pet is separated from you during travel, the chances of reuniting with your pet significantly increase if you register your information in a microchip database. Third, most countries require that pets be microchipped and compliant microchips may be difficult to find in the Central African Republic should your pet ever leave the country.

It is strongly recommended that your pet dog or cat be identified with a 15-digit pet microchip which is compliant with International Standards Organization standard 11784 or Annex A of ISO standard 11785 prior to entering the Central African Republic. All documentation must reflect the microchip number. If your pet’s microchip is not ISO 11784/11785 compliant, importers can provide a microchip scanner that will read their pet’s microchip.

Your veterinarian, a veterinary hospital or trained nurse should implant the microchip. Documentation should be provided as to the manufacturer of the microchip and registration instructions.

Step 2: Vaccinations

All cats and dogs must be vaccinated for rabies between 14 days and 6 months prior to entering the Central African Republic. The administering veterinarian should record vaccination information, sign and stamp one of the following documents depending on veterinary practices in the country of origin:

a rabies certificate
a government-issued vaccination booklet or
an EU Pet Passport

Other Vaccinations

Dogs should be vaccinated against distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, and parvovirus. Cats should be vaccinated against feline viral rhinotracheitis, panleukopenia and feline leukemia.

Veterinarians can record vaccinations on the international health certificate (step 5) at intervals required by veterinary health procedures of the origination country.

Step 3: Rabies Titer (Serology) Test

A rabies titer test, also known as a rabies antibody test or rabies serology test, is a blood test that measures the level of rabies antibodies in your pet’s blood. The test will assess the effectiveness of a rabies vaccination or determine your pet’s immune response to the rabies virus. When required, a licensed veterinarian will administer the test more than 30 days after the most current rabies vaccination.

A rabies titer test is not required for cats and dogs entering the Central African Republic from any country. However, all pets originating in countries classified as having a high risk of rabies should always travel with a rabies titer test. In addition, the World Organization of Animal Health classifies the Central African Republic as a high-rabies risk country. As such, if your pet will be returning to the country of origin, this test may be required.

Note that rabies titer test results or veterinary exemption letters are no substitution for proof of rabies vaccination.

Step 4: Parasite Treatments

According to all preventative measures to ensure public health and the safety of your pet, treatments for internal and external parasites should be administered prior to entering Central African Republic.

The treatment of pets for internal parasites, especially Echinococcus multilocularis, as well as external parasites (fleas and ticks) should be discussed with your veterinarian who will administer according to disease status of the origination country. These treatments are strongly recommended, especially with the limited availability of products in this country.

The administering veterinarian can record these treatments on the health certificate or issue you a record of treatment.

Step 5: Health Certificate

All countries worldwide require an original health certificate (sometimes known as a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection) for live animals entering their country. The certificate should include the following information:

details of your pet and
vaccinations and treatments and
veterinary attestations regarding symptoms of contagious diseases at the time of export.

Further, your veterinarian must certify that your pet is healthy enough to travel, does not have any signs of contagious diseases, and is not from a region that is subject to rabies restrictions. The health certificate must properly identify your pet. Your veterinarian will include additional details and treatments on the certificate depending on the country of origin.

A licensed veterinarian in the origination country must complete the health certificate within 10 days of entry.

A government veterinarian must either issue the certificate or endorse the certificate after issuance by a licensed veterinarian. This official represents the agency in the origination country that is responsible for the import and export of live animals.

Step 6: Import Permit

Pet dogs and cats entering the Central African Republic with their owners do not need an import permit. Commercial and unaccompanied imports will require an import permit.

Other Information

Importing Puppies and Kittens to the Central African Republic

Puppies and kittens should not be vaccinated for rabies prior to 3 months of age. They must be vaccinated after 3 months of age and wait for 30 days before travel. Pet puppies and kittens must be vaccinated for rabies to conform to the Central African Republic pet import requirements.

Breeds Banned by the Central African Republic

The Central African Republic does not publish a list of banned breeds. Pet owners are always responsible for their pet’s behavior.

Entering the Central African Republic by Air

Pets must enter the Central African Republic by air via Bangui M’Poko International Airport. Pets can enter in the cabin, as checked baggage or air cargo according to airline pet policies.

Flights should be direct if the duration of the flight does not violate animal welfare laws. Layovers should be short and not involve a change in airline companies. If your pet’s itinerary involves a layover in the European Union, then additional requirements will apply.

Importers will need to provide advance notice to veterinary officials at the airport so they will be available to inspect your pet and its passport documentation upon landing. This is especially important if your pet will be arriving outside of normal business hours.

Whenever your pet travels to a foreign country like Central African Republic, it is always advisable to carry some form of identification indicating ownership of your pet.

All domestic dogs and cats must be free of evidence of disease communicable to humans when examined at the entry airport.

A government veterinarian will provide further examination if your dog or cat is not in apparent good health when entering the Central African Republic. All costs associated with further inspections or treatments will be borne by the importer.

Importing Other Pet Animals to the Central African Republic

Birds, invertebrates, tropical fish, reptiles, amphibia, mammals such as rodents and rabbits are not subject to requirements of rabies vaccination but may have to meet other requirements and should have a health certificate to enter the Central African Republic. Pet owners are strongly advised to seek further information from the relevant authority of their country and/or that of the country of destination.

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) prohibits the trade of some species of animals, including pets. This is crucial if you have a pet that isn’t a dog or cat, and it’s crucial if it’s a turtle or a parrot. If this is the case, importers will have to submit additional permit applications. The agency that issues these permits is responsible for the protection of wildlife in your country.

Over 180 countries participate in and enforce CITES regulations.

Related: Read more about CITES

Have Questions About Importing Your Pet to the Central African Republic?

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Please note that the accuracy of comments made below by users other than Pet Travel have not been verified. We do not endorse any person or company that may offer transport services through posts to this webpage.

Current Information

To the best of our ability, we ensure that recommendations given on PetTravel.com reflect the current regulations. We cannot predict how a given country may enforce these regulations. Noncompliance may result in the need to make arrangements to put your pet into quarantine at your expense, return your pet to the country of origin, or euthanize your pet. To avoid these consequences, we suggest that you minimize the disruptions that may occur by following Central African Republic pet import requirements.