Pakistan Pet Import Requirements

What is a Pakistan Pet Passport?

We refer to a pet passport as a collection of documents according to Pakistan pet import requirements for dogs or cats entering the country. 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 microchip, rabies vaccination, parasite treatments, and international export health certificate. Details of all Pakistan pet import requirements can be found in the steps below.

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.

Pets from Israel are not permitted entry to Pakistan.

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 Pakistan

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.

Pakistan Pet Import Requirements

All steps required to conform to regulations to import a pet to Pakistan 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.

All pet dogs and cats must 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 Pakistan. All documentation should 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.

In addition, your pets should be wearing tags that identify them and have contact information for you.

Step 2: Vaccinations

All cats and dogs must be vaccinated for rabies between 30 days and 12 months prior to entering Pakistan. 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: distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, and parvovirus.
• Cats: feline viral rhinotracheitis, panleukopenia and calicivirus.

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

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.

Pakistan does not require a rabies titer test for cats and dogs entering from any country. The World Organization of Animal Health classifies Pakistan as a high-rabies risk country. As such, if your pet will be returning to the origin country, this test may be required. It is easier to have the test done in your origin country.

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 Pakistan.

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 required shortly prior to entry.

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. Pakistan is no exception to this pet import requirement. 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 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 special attestation will apply to countries infected with Mad Cow Disease or Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy.

A licensed veterinarian in the origination country must complete the health certificate within 7 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

All pet dogs and cats entering Pakistan will require an import permit in advance of departure. Commercial imports will also require an import permit. Pets entering Pakistan from India will need advance permission.

Other Information

Importing Puppies and Kittens to Pakistan

Puppies and kittens should not be vaccinated for rabies prior to three months of age. They must be vaccinated after three months of age and wait for 30 days before travel.

Related: More information on transporting a puppy.

Breeds Banned for Import to Pakistan

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

Entering Pakistan by Air

Your pet may enter Pakistan at Jinnah International Airport at Karachi, Benazir Bhutto International Airport in Islamabad or Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore.

Related: Is your pet’s crate IATA-compliant?

Flights to Pakistan 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 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 Pakistan, 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 Pakistan. All costs associated with further inspections or treatments will be borne by the importer.

Importing Other Pet Animals to Pakistan

Pet birds from Vietnam, South Korea, Thailand, Japan, Indonesia, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, South Africa, Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Turkey, Greece, Romania, Croatia, Iran, Italy Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Iraq, Bulgaria, Slovenia, France, Nigeria, Slovakia, Austria, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Germany, Afghanistan, Scotland, United Kingdom and China due to outbreaks of Avian Influenza H5N1 strain, is currently not permitted.

Exporting Resident Pets from Pakistan

Your pet will need a current rabies certificate, export permit from the Ministry of Commerce, rabies titer test results (if required by the destination country). Cats and dogs must also have an internal and external parasite treatment noted on a health certificate shortly prior to departure.

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: Search the CITES database or Search the Species+ database

Related: Read more about CITES

Have Questions About Importing Your Pet to Pakistan?

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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 Pakistan pet import requirements.