Checked 22 September 2026
DogsBring your dog to Dubai
Start with the breed, then the crate, then the permit. The legal checklist lives on the import guide. This page is the practical dog preparation.
General guidance is free in the guides. Bespoke document review and coordination are paid.
What to sort out before you book a flight
A dog move fails the file when the breed is banned, the crate does not fit the dog, or the airline will not accept that shape of head in that season. The dog relocation service is the paid coordination. This page answers the preparation questions first.
Will the dog cope with the crate?
Let the dog sleep and eat in the crate for several days before travel, at home. The crate needs ventilation and enough room to stand, turn and lie down. We do not claim a temperature inside the hold, and we do not offer sedation or calming-drug advice. If the dog is unwell or severely distressed, ask your own vet whether the dog should fly. That is a veterinary decision, not a page instruction.
Is this breed allowed?
MOCCAE publishes a ban list for dogs. Check it before you pay for a crate. The full names are on the banned dog breeds page and on the import requirements guide. A restricted-breed story about muzzles and apartments is not restated here, because that residency rule was not on the import page checked on 22 September 2026.
What if the flight changes?
Cargo bookings can move. A managed file is rebooked against the permit window, which is 90 days from issuance, and against the health certificate's own validity. We do not promise to know about a delay before the airline does. You get WhatsApp updates during business hours on a booked move.
How a dog file is put together
1. Breed, weight and origin
Send the breed, weight and country on WhatsApp if you want a managed move. We compare the breed with the published ban list. Origin decides whether a rabies antibody test is required. There is no 15-minute reply promise.
2. Your vet, not a drug plan from us
Your vet implants or scans the microchip and gives the dog vaccines. MOCCAE names rabies, distemper, parvovirus, infectious canine hepatitis and leptospirosis for dogs. Leptospirosis can be replaced by a lab test when the exporting country does not vaccinate against it. Parasite products and doses stay with that vet. The legal sequence is on the import guide.
3. Permit and a cargo product
The MOCCAE import permit is valid for 90 days from issuance. Book the airline only after you know that product accepts this dog. Emirates requires cargo for itineraries ending in Dubai. We confirm crate size and breed limits in writing with the carrier. We do not guarantee acceptance.
4. Travel day and release
The health certificate is issued by the origin authority inside its own validity. At Dubai the animal is inspected and released if the file matches. Delivery to the home is available when that service is booked. See pet relocation to Dubai.
Crate size for a dog
Measure the dog standing: nose to the base of the tail, floor to the top of the head or ears, and the widest point of the body. The crate must let the dog stand, turn and lie down. Rigid plastic or wood with a metal door is the usual cargo crate. Wire crates are commonly refused. Bowls should be reachable without opening the door. Exact internal centimetres are an IATA and airline check, not a price list. See the IATA crate guide. We do not publish crate prices in AED.
- Length: the dog can lie with legs extended.
- Height: ears do not touch the roof when standing.
- Width: the dog can turn.
- Flat-faced breeds: airline limits are extra. Read snub-nosed dogs flying to the UAE and still confirm the booking. We will not promise a summer flight.
Airline acceptance is conditional
Emirates: ordinary pets are not in the cabin, and itineraries ending in Dubai must travel as cargo. British Airways: pets travel in the hold, not the cabin. IAG Cargo says some dangerous dog breeds and snub-nosed dogs may not be accepted. None of those pages gave a Dubai hold temperature or a month-by-month embargo we can repeat as fact. Confirm the product. Flight options are on the pet flight options hub.
Heat is a real planning problem in the Gulf, but a sentence such as "most airlines refuse all dogs from June to August" was not on the official pages checked on 22 September 2026. Ask the carrier for that date and that breed.
What a dog quote is made of
We do not publish a package total or a crate price. The drivers are origin veterinary work, the government permit and release fees (listed on the import guide), the crate size, the cargo rate, and whether you want door-to-door delivery. Read pet relocation cost for the driver list, then ask for a quote on this dog.
Questions about dogs
Related dog pages
Import rules, the paid dog service, and the cat page if you are moving both.
Official Sources
We coordinate the paperwork, but the rules are set by government and industry authorities. Always confirm the current requirements directly with the official sources.
Checked 22 September 2026 against the MOCCAE pet import page and the Emirates animals FAQ. This is not a veterinary certificate.
Ready for a managed dog move?
Use the import guide if you are preparing the file yourself. WhatsApp +971504782999 is for eligibility and a quote. Email support@dubai-pet-relocation.ae.
Check this dog's move