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dubai's pet municipality tags & registration

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One of the GREAT BIG questions of our age is... what the hell is municipality pet vaccination and registration... what is a "tag"... and why do I need to do this?!! (Heads up! A "pet passport", or indeed a "dog passport" or "cat passport", is related to international pet relocations, while this information is solely about the vaccinations and tags you and your pet need in Dubai and the UAE. Got it?!)

Keep scratching your head because although this page is about providing all that guidance, we don't even attempt to resolve the larger philosophical issues.

If you're a Dubai resident, this one's for YOU!

Why do I need to register my pet with the Dubai Municipality?

If your pet goes missing but then is found and is brought into the Municipality's Veterinary Section, they have a central database which will help them connect your pet's tag ID number and microchip number to your contact details. That's a pretty good thing, right?
Pets who are not registered are either rehomed or, if deemed unsafe, are euthanized. (Not a pleasant subject to talk about at all, and how they assess "safe" or "unsafe" is waaaayyyyyy beyond our influence and, sometimes, beyond our understanding.)

What are the prerequisites of getting my pet registered for an ID tag? And how often do I need to get my pet vaccinated?

Well, by law, your pet is required to have a microchip and the rabies vaccination, and these are required in order to get registered with the Dubai Municipality and to get an ID tag.
Registration is required annually, along with the renewal of the annual vaccinations ~ Dhppi/L and Rabies for dogs, Flu/Enteritis and Rabies for cats.
Not only does your pet have to have the rabies vaccination, but that vaccination needs to not be expired ~ it needs to be up-to-date. This means that the rabies vaccination must be no more than 1 year old since it was last administered and still be valid when the tag is purchased by you.
As we've said, your pet must be microchipped. If your pet has not been microchipped, the rabies vaccine cannot be given, which means you cannot register your pet with the municipality. Which means that the universe will go dark and Darth Vader will appear in your living room around 2am on a Friday demanding all sorts of evil from you. Be VERY afraid.

When getting vaccinated and registered and "tagged", what are the requirements?

You must present your Emirates ID or your passport containing a valid UAE visa. (Duh!)
Your pet's vaccination card confirming up-to-date annual vaccinations and the microchip.
You must live in the Emirate of Dubai. If you've had enough of Dubai, MOVE OUT!!

How is registration actually done?

The clinic you use (DKCVET, right? RIGHT!!?) logs into a government website called Smart Government and registers your pet.
The Smart Government website requires your full name, your phone number and the area you live in, and your email address. A copy of your Emirates ID (or passport/visa) is also uploaded and attached to your pet's registration record.
The information required about your pet is her/his name, microchip number, date of birth (or approximate), the date of his/her up-to-date rabies vaccination, sex, species, breed, colour, updated Municipality Tag number... and a partridge in a pear tree (well... not really that last thing).

Your pet's NOT registered??! Oh no!

Failure to register and vaccinate your pet, if discovered by the government, will result in a first warning with 3 days given for you to indeed then get him or her registered and vaccinated. Further noncompliance will (if discovered by the government) result in a fine... and if your pet is STILL not registered after that, your poochie-pooch or kitty-kat could be confiscated.
Lost pets which are then found but are not wearing a tag will be seized by the municipality.
Dog owners walking their dogs without a municipality tag can be fined. (...and we have NO IDEA how much! Sorry!)

Where does the tag go once I have it?

Ideally, your pet should always wear their municipality tag, attached either to the collar or a leash.
If your cat is one of THOSE cats who always loses their collar (and therefore their tag), you can probably get away with not attaching the tag to her/him (somewhere, somehow!) but this will make things more difficult if your cat is indeed caught by an inspector or someone else because they'll not immediately have that tag for quick identification and tracking back to you. However, with the microchip still present, it should... probably... work out happily in the end.

Is it safe to bring my pet into the heat of the UAE?

Answer

Yes it is safe. In fact, thousands of pets are imported into the UAE each year; the vast majority

<h5>Is it safe to bring my pet into the heat of the UAE?</h5><p>Yes it is safe. In fact, thousands of pets are imported into the UAE each year; the vast majority do perfectly well here, regardless of the breed.</p> <p>What about those which don't do well? Fundamentally, when things go wrong (such as dehydration and/or heatstroke), it is about how these pets are managed rather than their innate inability to cope with the heat or the fact of the heat being prohibitive. Yes, the UAE is VERY hot for at least 4 or 5 months of the year, and yes you must be careful about this during these periods, but isn't it extremely cold in January in Canada? Or hot in Texas in July? Aren't there any number of locations around the world with extreme temperatures at certain times of the year? And aren't there pets in these places too? Of course there are.</p> <p>You should be aware of the dangers of the heat here, but if you're thoughtful about this, you should be neither worried nor overly concerned. Do some research on the internet and talk to your UAE-based vet for guidance about things to watch out for, and at the most basic level be aware of such things as not leaving your dog or cat outside during the hottest periods of the year for too long, and always make sure there is plenty of water readily available, even if you're going for a walk.</p> <p>There is more to learn about this and plenty of information available from any number of sources. But yes, in short, it is safe to bring your pet.</p>

Flea, Tick and Worm Treatment ~ How often should I apply them?

Answer

<h5>Flea, Tick and Worm Treatment ~ How often should I apply them?</h5> <p>Dogs should be dewormed at 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks old. Cats at 6, 8 and 12 weeks. Then following this initial course, worming treatment should be administered once a month until 6 months old, then once every 3 months.</p> <p>Flea and tick treatment should be administered monthly, starting from 8 weeks old, if you are using a spot-on treatment, or every 12 weeks if you administer a tablet (such as <em>Bravecto</em>).</p> <p>Easy! It's like math!</p>

I know you relocate dogs and cats, but what about birds • rabbits • ferrets • guinea pigs • lizards • snake • cheetahs• penguins • monkeys • fish...

Answer

Well, DUH! Of course we can! Just about any animal at all.

As with our boarding and da

<h5>I know you relocate dogs and cats, but what about birds • rabbits • ferrets • guinea pigs • lizards • snake • cheetahs• penguins • monkeys • fish...</h5> <div class="faq_ans_img"><img loading="lazy" src="https://d12fifzdy7ujh4.cloudfront.net/images/faqs/faq_2.jpg"></div> <div class="faq_ans_text"><p>Well, DUH! Of course we can! Just about any animal at all. <img alt="" src="/graphics/ic_smiley3.png" height="15" width="15"></p> <p>As with our boarding and daycare services, we relocate all types of animal, all over the world, into and out of the UAE, including domestic pets of any kind and exotics, large and small.</p></div>

What are your opening hours?

Take a look...

...at our Two-Legged Timings for Boarding, Daycare, Relocations and our Veterinary Clinic.

Can DKC manage both the import and export sides of my pet's or other animal's relocation?

Answer

<h5>Can DKC manage both the import and export sides of my pet's or other animal's relocation?</h5> <div class="faq_ans_img"><img loading="lazy" src="https://d12fifzdy7ujh4.cloudfront.net/images/faqs/faq_3.jpg"></div> <div class="faq_ans_text"><p>Definitely yes! For sure! Yup!</p> <p>Well... maybe. Read on.</p> <p>There are two parts to any relocations process: 1) the export; 2) the import; and they need to be seen as distinct processes because, in fact, they are (although both sides coordinate with each other). We can definitely assist you with the import side if you're coming <em>into</em> the UAE, and we can definitely assist you with the export side if you're <em>leaving</em> the UAE. And that's because we, obviously, are <em>in</em> the UAE.</p> <p>Right, now that's clear.</p> <p>However, there (almost!) always needs to be someone (you, a friend or another relocations agent) handling things on the "other" side of a relocation. If you're importing into the UAE, someone will definitely have to handle things in your country of origin. If you're exporting from the UAE, someone in your destination country will have to handle things upon the arrival of your pet if your pet is being exported as "manifest cargo". (What is "manifest cargo" and "accompanied/excess baggage? Read our <a href="/docs/Pet_Flight_Options.pdf" target="_blank">Pet Flight Options</a>). There must always be a physical presence on both sides for the handing of it all when travelling as manifest cargo and when additional import requirements demand this.</p> <p>And so, you can of course engage us to handle the UAE-based stuff (please do!), but in the other country, you will have to have yourself, a friend or another agent handle that side of things. If you're going to use another agent, that's when we can step in to help with <em>both</em> sides of the shipment - although the other agent will be doing the physical work required at the other end, you may wish to deal with only one company for the management and payment of the whole process. In which case, we can manage that for you. There will of course be an additional management fee, but you might be happier having to deal with only one company.</p> <p>And by the way, if you do want to find another agent on your own, in your non-UAE location, check out <a href="https://www.ipata.org/ipata-pet-shippers-air-and-ground" target="_blank">IPATA.org</a>, where you'll be able to search for pet/animal shippers all over the world.</p> <p>But why did we exclaim "almost!" a couple of paragraphs up? Well, in departing the UAE, there are many countries around the world that permit the entry/arrival of pets travelling with you as "accompanied/excess baggage" rather than as "manifest cargo" for Customs clearance following arrival. This is not to say that additional assistance in the destination country is <em>never</em> required simply because your pet has travelled accompanied/excess baggage, but there are indeed many countries for which the entry requirements do <em>not</em> require this type of additional assistance (e.g. import permit, on-arrival quarantine, etc.). In other words, more research!!</p> <p>Complicated, this import/export thing, eh? </p></div>

Can DKC manage both the import and export sides of my pet's or other animal's relocation?

Definitely yes! For sure! Yup! Well... maybe. Read on. There are two parts to any...

How do I export my pet from the UAE and how much lead time do I need?

Answer

Tough one! Wish we could give you a straight answer. In fact, though, depending on which country

<h5>How do I export my pet from the UAE and how much lead time do I need?</h5><p>Tough one! Wish we could give you a straight answer. In fact, though, depending on which country you're travelling to, there will be different requirements and so different things you'll need to do on this end before you leave. The best place to start is to contact us ~ sooner rather than later just to be safe ~ but if you're set on doing things yourself, look around this website and search on the internet for the specifics.</p> <p>To give you some idea of the timelines involved, for a destination such as Canada, for example, it can take less than a week to prepare everything (although that is a bit rushed and we would normally look at a couple of weeks). Conversely, for a destination like Australia or New Zealand it takes as long as 6-7 months. Ouch!</p>

New puppy? What to do?

Answer

<h5>New puppy? What to do?</h5> <ol> <li>Arrange an appointment with your <a href="/what-we-do/dkc-veterinary-clinic" target="_blank">vet</a> to have your puppy fully checked over and examined.</li> <li>Start <a href="/what-we-do/dkc-veterinary-clinic/vaccinations-the-lazy-way" target="_blank">vaccinations</a> as soon as your puppy is old enough.</li> <li>Apply worm and tick treatment when required.</li> <li>Microchip your puppy.</li> <li><a href="/what-we-do/dkc-veterinary-clinic/dubai-pet-municipality-tags-registration" target="_blank">Register your puppy</a> with your local municipality after vaccinations and microchipping.</li> <li>Feed your new puppy the correct diet and amount.</li> <li>Toilet train your puppy.</li> <li>Socialize your puppy with other dogs ~ a lot!</li> </ol> <p><br>Seriously.</p>

Do I need to make an appointment?

Answer

<h5>Do I need to make an appointment?</h5> <p>We genuinely love having people just drop by and look around both our locations in <a href="/about-dkc/howl-we-get-there#dkcmap" target="_blank">Umm Ramool</a> (DKC Boarding & Daycare, and DKC Relocations) and <a href="/about-dkc/howl-we-get-there#dkcvetmap" target="_blank">Motor City</a> (DKC Veterinary Clinic).</p> <p>If you want to relocate your pet into or out of Dubai, then we do indeed need you to contact us to make an appointment... but we promise we won't make that difficult. <img alt="" src="/graphics/ic_smiley3.png"></p> <p>If you need to see one of our clinic's veterinarians, an appointment is always most assured but, yes, you can also just walk on in and we may be able to see you immediately, or not, but especially yes during The Night Shift, from 8pm to 8am, because our clinic is 24/7, always open, day and night. </p> <p>If, however, you just want to see either of our facilities and look around, to see where your pet will live while you're away and he's boarding or while she's in veterinary care, or to have a chat with our Animal Handlers and our veterinary clinic staff... then just come on down any time during our <a href="/about-dkc/two-legged-timings" target="_blank">Two-Legged Timings</a>.</p> <p>If you want to actually reserve boarding space for your pet, then yes, you do need to contact us in advance.</p>

Will you board my bird • rabbit • ferret • guinea pig • hamster • mouse • lizard • snake... any animal at all?

Answer

You bet! Just about any animal at all.

And we have quite a lot of knowledge about these an

<h5>Will you board my bird • rabbit • ferret • guinea pig • hamster • mouse • lizard • snake... any animal at all?</h5> <div class="faq_ans_img"><img loading="lazy" src="https://d12fifzdy7ujh4.cloudfront.net/images/faqs/faq_30.jpg"></div> <div class="faq_ans_text"><p>You bet! Just about any animal at all.</p> <p>And we have quite a lot of knowledge about these animals too, so it's not just a matter of sticking them somewhere in our facility and hoping for the best. We've spent a lot of time and energy over the years making sure that we have handlers who have real knowledge and experience in dealing with all manner of domestic pet and exotics, including and especially appropriate feeding and enclosures/spaces for them. And if there's anything we don't know, we have excellent contacts in the realm of wildlife husbandry and care who we can talk to.</p> <p>Take a look here: <a href="/what-we-do/boarding-daycare/pet-boarding-other-animals" target="_blank">Other Creatures Too</a></p></div>

Easy! You contact us! Or you contact another relocations agent, not us (no! not that!!). Or... yo

<h5>How do I import my pet into the UAE?</h5><p>Easy! You contact us! Or you contact another relocations agent, not us (no! not that!!). Or... you do it yourself. Whichever way you decide, you can start by heading over to our <a href="/what-we-do/global-relocations/pet-imports" target="_blank">Pet Imports</a> page and reading our <em>very</em> long, <em>very</em> comprehensive document, "<a href="/docs/Relocating_Pets_into_the_UAE.pdf" target="_blank">Relocating Pets into the UAE</a>".</p> <p>That page in our website and that document (and other documents you'll find there too) will answer most, if not all, your questions about the requirements for import, Ministry charges and DKC's fees. Once you've read through it, these FAQs should fill in some of the gaps, if any. And of course, you're always welcome to just <a href="/contact-us" target="_blank">contact us</a>.</p>

dubai's pet municipality tags & registration

Why do I need to register my pet with the Dubai Municipality?

What are the prerequisites of getting my pet registered for an ID tag? And how often do I need to get my pet vaccinated?

When getting vaccinated and registered and "tagged", what are the requirements?

How is registration actually done?

Your pet's NOT registered??! Oh no!

Where does the tag go once I have it?

Is it safe to bring my pet into the heat of the UAE?

Flea, Tick and Worm Treatment ~ How often should I apply them?

I know you relocate dogs and cats, but what about birds • rabbits • ferrets • guinea pigs • lizards • snake • cheetahs• penguins • monkeys • fish...

What are your opening hours?

Can DKC manage both the import and export sides of my pet's or other animal's relocation?

How do I export my pet from the UAE and how much lead time do I need?

New puppy? What to do?

Do I need to make an appointment?

Will you board my bird • rabbit • ferret • guinea pig • hamster • mouse • lizard • snake... any animal at all?

What if my pet has a tattoo and not a microchip?

What's DKC's Collection & Delivery schedule?

Vaccinations ~ How often?

How do I import my pet into the UAE?

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