What is a Pet Passport?
We refer to a pet passport as a collection of documents that are required for dogs and cats entering Macau from other countries. This term is not to be confused with an official EU Pet Passport issued in the European Union for resident pets. Your pet’s passport will include proof of import permit, microchip, rabies vaccination and international export health certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian in the origination country.
Animals Eligible for These Import Requirements
These rules apply to the transport of domestic dog and cats including assistance and service animals. Unless 5th generation removed from the pedigree, wolf hybrids, Savannah and Bengal cats cannot be imported under these regulations. Owners of other types of pets (amphibia, reptiles, birds, rabbits, rodents) covered by these regulations should refer to IMPORTING OTHER PET ANIMALS TO MACAU below.
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 Macau
Macau does not quarantine cats and dogs that meet the following requirements when entering Macau from a rabies free country or a country with a low incidence of rabies. If your pet will be transported to Macau from a high-rabies country, your dog or cat will have to meet pet import requirements for entering Hong Kong, then continue on to Macau.
If your cat or dog is transiting through Hong Kong to Macau, the Macau import approval must be submitted to the Hong Kong Agriculture and Fisheries Department to obtain permission for your pet to transit through Hong Kong.
Keep in mind that it takes over three months to get all the endorsements necessary, so plan ahead.
Macau Pet Import Requirements
All steps required to conform to Macau pet import requirements must be completed in the origination country. 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. Firstly, a microchip will tie your pet to its documentation when entering a foreign country. Secondly, 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.
A minimum of six months prior to importing to Macau, have your pet identified with a 15-digit pet microchip which is compliant with International Standards Organization standard 11784 or Annex A of ISO standard 11785. 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.
If the microchip cannot be read, then the pet will not be allowed to enter Macau. This country no longer accepts tattoos.
Step 2: Vaccinations
After the microchip is implanted, your dog or cat must then vaccinate your pet with an inactive rabies vaccine. If your pet was vaccinated before it was fitted with a microchip, it will have to be vaccinated again.
Dogs and cats must not be vaccinated for rabies before 3 months of age.
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, influenza, lyme disease, and parvovirus. Cats should be vaccinated against feline viral rhinotracheitis, panleukopenia and feline leukemia.
Veterinarians should 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.
Unless your cat or dog is originating from a country where there have been no incidents of rabies in the past 2 years, your veterinarian must then administer a rabies titer test and send it to an approved laboratory for testing. The test must be administered no sooner than 30 days after the rabies vaccination and more than 3 months prior to entering Macau.
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 Macau.
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 recommended, but not required.
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 including:
- 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. Additionally, it 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.
If the results of the test are within acceptable limits, a licensed veterinarian in the origination country must complete the Pet Health Certificate for Macau shortly prior to 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
An import permit from the Division of Animal Control and Inspection is required when entering Macau with a personal pet. The permit must be applied for in Macau by the owner, owner representative or an agent and is valid for 30 days from date of issuance.
Other Information
Breeds Banned from Import to Macau
Macau does not permit the import of the following breeds or their crosses: Tibetan Mastiff, Fila Braziliero, Dogo Argentino, Pit Bull Terrier and Japanese Tosa.
Entering Macau by Air
Pets must enter Macau via Macau International Airport. Dogs and cats can arrive in the cabin, as checked baggage or air cargo.
Related: Is your pet’s crate IATA-compliant?
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 Macau, 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 Macau. All costs associated with further inspections or treatments will be borne by the importer.
Exporting Resident Pets from Macau
All resident pets leaving Macau must present their pet to the Macao Municipal Kennel for inspection. Details of travel, description of the pet, rabies certificate, license (for resident pets), details of the owner, requirements for the destination country must be provided before a health certificate is issued. The certificate is valid for 10 days.
Importing Other Pet Animals to Macau
Birds, invertebrates, tropical fish, reptiles, amphibia, mammals such as rodents and rabbits are not subject to requirements of rabies vaccination, however, they may have to meet other requirements and should have a health certificate to enter Macau. 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 and enforce CITES regulations.
Related: Search the CITES database or Search the Species+ database
Related: Read more about CITES
Need More Detailed Pet Import Requirements and Forms for Macau?
Visit PetTravelStore.com to find further detail on permits, costs, tests and pet import requirements for Macau. Unlimited email support for you and your veterinarian is included.
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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 Macau pet import requirements.
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