Pets

Travelling with a pet

If you will travel with a pet, you must keep a number of things in mind:

• Make sure to arrange the vaccinations and travel documents of the animal in a timely fashion.
• You must be the owner of the pet, or must have been authorised by the owner or accompany the pet.
• Pets like dogs and cats must have a valid health declaration signed by an official or certified veterinarian and, depending on their age, have been vaccinated against rabies.
• The import and transit of apes, dogs, and cats in and through Bonaire, Saint Eustatius, and Saba, as well as canines and felines from one of the countries of the peninsula of South and Central America, except for Surinam, are forbidden.
• The prohibition set out above does not apply if this concerns the import of the pets of somebody moving to the public entities of Bonaire, Saint Eustatius, or Saba and who has already had these pets for four months or more.

Protected species

What if you are bringing a protected species? You require a CITES document. Request your veterinarian or the authorities in the country of departure. They will know whether an animal is protected.

Animal diseases in foreign countries

There may be a contagious illness at your holiday destination. Germs can travel on a pet you are transporting or on your luggage. Be careful with direct contact with animals abroad.

More information

Travelling with pets? Seek proper advice from your travel agency, the embassy of the country of destination, and, of course, your veterinarian first.