Bringing your dog or cat from Australia to Dubai

Good news first: flying a pet from Australia into the UAE is one of the easier pet moves out there. The hard parts are the breed list, the summer heat and the long road back into Australia later.

The short version

Every cat or dog entering the UAE needs an import permit from the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE), applied for online with UAE Pass before travel [2][3].
Australia is on the UAE's low-risk rabies list, so your pet doesn't need a rabies antibody titre test to enter. It still needs a microchip, a rabies vaccination at least 21 days before export and other core vaccines [1][3].
Pets must arrive as manifested cargo, not in the cabin or as checked baggage. Each person can import up to two pets a year [2][3].
Pit bull and American Bully types, several mastiff breeds and the Japanese Tosa are banned, including crosses [2][3].
Avoid flying pets in the Gulf summer. Airlines restrict snub-nosed breeds and may refuse pets in extreme heat [5].

How this differs from moving a pet within Australia

Moving a dog from Perth to Sydney is a booking and a crate. Moving it overseas involves two governments. Australia's Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry sets out what the importing country wants in its Manual of Importing Country Requirements (MICoR), and your vet signs a health certificate to match [1]. The UAE then checks the animal and its paperwork on arrival [2].

The bigger difference is the return trip. The UAE is a Group 3 country for Australian import purposes, which means rabies blood tests, a long wait and quarantine at Mickleham to come home. Plan for that before you leave.

What the UAE requires from an Australian pet

Requirement	What it means for a pet from Australia
Import permit	Apply online through MOCCAE with UAE Pass before the flight. AED 200 per animal [2][3]
Microchip	Permanent chip, number matching the health certificate and vaccine records [2]
Rabies vaccination	Given at three months or older, at least 21 days before export [1]
Titre test	Not needed from Australia, which is on the low-risk list [3]
Other vaccines	Dogs: distemper, parvovirus, hepatitis and leptospirosis. Cats: panleukopenia, rhinotracheitis and calicivirus [1][2]
Parasite treatment	Internal and external, within 14 days of export [1]
Vet inspection	By a registered vet within 24 hours of export [1]
Minimum age	15 weeks at export, per Australia's MICoR listing [1]
How it travels	Manifested cargo in an IATA-compliant crate [1][3]
Limit	Two pets per person per year [2][3]

On arrival, Khaleej Times reported release fees of AED 500 per dog and AED 250 per cat in 2024 [2]. Fees can change, so check MOCCAE's current schedule when you apply.

Permit validity

Khaleej Times's 2024 guide said the permit is valid for 30 days from issue [2]. A 2026 pet travel guide reports 90 days but flags the conflict [3]. Assume 30 days and time your application to your flight.

Banned breeds

The UAE bans a list of dog breeds and their crosses. Khaleej Times listed 15 in 2024 [2]:

American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Bully and Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Cane Corso, Bullmastiff, Boerboel, Dogo Argentino, Dogue de Bordeaux, Neapolitan Mastiff, Tibetan Mastiff
Presa Canario (Perro de Presa Canario), Bully Kutta and Japanese Tosa

This hits Aussies harder than you might think. Staffies and staffy crosses are among the most common dogs at home. If your vet records describe your dog as a staffy cross, it will likely be refused, and there's no appeal at the airport. Exceptions exist only for service, emotional support and medical-purpose dogs with the right documents [2][3].

The heat problem

Summer in the UAE runs from June to September, with temperatures that can top 50°C [6]. A pet in a cargo hold is climate-controlled in the air, but waiting on a tarmac in Dubai in July is another story.

Snub-nosed breeds. Pugs, boxers, shih tzus and Persian cats struggle to breathe in heat and stress. Emirates has in the past accepted them only between October and April, in a crate one size larger than standard [5].
Heat embargoes. The National reported that several major airlines, including Emirates and Etihad, imposed pet embargoes from May to October [5]. Rules change, so check your airline's current policy when you book.
The practical answer. If you're moving in mid-year, think about leaving your pet with family in Australia and flying it over in October or November.

Step by step: Australia to Dubai

Check the breed and the paperwork. Confirm your dog isn't on the banned list, and that the microchip reads and matches its records.
Read MICoR. Check the current UAE cats and dogs page on Australia's MICoR before you start, because importing country requirements change [1].
Book a vet and the vaccines. Rabies isn't routinely given to pets in Australia, so your vet will need to give it, at least 21 days before export. Bring core vaccines up to date [1].
Book the flight as cargo. Many owners use a specialist pet transport company. Emirates flies direct to Dubai from several Australian cities, which keeps the journey short.
Apply for the MOCCAE import permit. You'll need UAE Pass, so this is easiest once you or a partner has a residence visa and Emirates ID. Pay the AED 200 fee [2].
Parasite treatment and final check. Within 14 days of export, then a vet inspection within 24 hours of departure, recorded on the health certificate [1].
Collect at Dubai. Pets arrive at the cargo terminal. The animal is checked against the permit, release fees are paid, and if everything's in order there's no quarantine [2][3].

Once you're here: registration and housing

Register your pet

In Dubai, dogs and cats must be registered, microchipped and vaccinated. Property Finder's 2026 guide lists registration at AED 10 for a cat or dog and a microchip at AED 50, plus a small knowledge and innovation fee and 5% VAT. You can register through the government portal or at a vet clinic [4].

Finding a pet-friendly home

Dubai isn't Sydney's inner west. Many apartment buildings don't allow pets, and if you rent in a residential building you need the owner's permission [4]. Get it in writing in the lease, not a WhatsApp message from the agent.

Villa communities such as Arabian Ranches, Dubai Hills Estate and Damac Hills 2 tend to suit dogs better, with walking paths and pet areas [4]. Dogs must be on a lead in public, some breeds may need muzzles, and dogs aren't allowed in most public parks or on public transport [4]. Walk early in the morning or late at night in summer, because pavements get hot enough to burn paws.

Going home again

Plan the reverse trip from day one. Coming back from the UAE, your pet will need a rabies vaccination history, a rabies antibody blood test, a wait of at least 180 days after that test, an Australian import permit and a stay at the Mickleham quarantine station in Victoria. Keep every vaccine record from your Dubai vet. Our guide to bringing your pet home to Australia covers it in detail.

Looking for a vet, a dog-friendly building or someone flying a pet back to Australia? Ask in Cooee UAE, our Facebook group for Australians in the UAE.

Bringing your dog or cat to Dubai: the permit, the paperwork and the heat