Country entry guide · Africa (Atlantic islands)
Traveling to Cape Verde with your dog
Cape Verde (Cabo Verde) is an Atlantic island nation outside the European Union, so it does not apply the EU pet-passport framework. Bringing a dog runs through the country's own veterinary scheme, overseen by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (Ministério da Agricultura e Ambiente). The published sanitary conditions ask for a valid rabies vaccination given at least 30 days before entry, several other core vaccinations, internal and external parasite treatment, and an official international veterinary health certificate issued by the veterinary authority of the country of origin. Prior authorisation is arranged before travel through a Cape Verde consular post or the veterinary services. Cape Verde publishes relatively little detail online, so several points — including any quarantine, blood-test or breed rules — are simply not stated officially and are marked Unknown here. This guide sets out what the official sources do confirm, so you know what to prepare and what still to verify before you book your flight.
📋 At a glance
| Dogs allowed | Yes |
| Prior authorisation | Required |
| Microchip (ISO) | Not mandatory (recommended) |
| Rabies vaccination | Required (≥30 days before entry) |
| Other core vaccinations | Required |
| Parasite treatment | Required (internal & external) |
| Rabies antibody test | Not in published conditions |
| Veterinary health certificate | Required (WOAH model) |
| Quarantine | Unknown |
| Restricted breeds | Unknown |
⏱️ Estimated preparation time
Times are indicative. The rabies antibody test alone adds a fixed 3-month wait.
⚠️ Important
- MyDogCanFly provides general information — not veterinary or legal advice.
- Only a veterinarian can confirm the exact procedure for your individual dog.
- Cape Verde publishes limited official detail; several points are marked Unknown and must be confirmed directly with the Cape Verde veterinary authority or a consular post before travel.
- Requirements depend on: the country of origin, previous travel history, identification, vaccinations, the itinerary and the travel date.
Always consult your veterinarian before booking your trip.
Find a flight to Cape Verde
🧭 How your dog's entry requirements are decided
The exact documents depend on three things — Cape Verde (your destination) is only the first.
- 1 Country of destination — Cape Verde★★★★★
Cape Verde runs its own veterinary scheme outside the EU framework: a valid rabies vaccination given at least 30 days before entry, other core vaccinations, internal and external parasite treatment, and an official international veterinary certificate are the published conditions. Prior authorisation is arranged before travel.
- 2 Country of departure★★★★★
The official veterinary authority of your country of departure is the one that issues and endorses the international health certificate, and prior authorisation is requested through the Cape Verde consular post covering that country. From the EU, your dog travels on the strength of that endorsed certificate, not an EU pet passport.
- 3 Countries your dog recently stayed in★★★★☆
Cape Verde does not publish a detailed rule on prior residence or a rabies-risk-country list, but travel history can affect what the origin authority is willing to certify and how the rabies requirement is applied. Confirm your dog's real history with the Cape Verde veterinary authority — not only the last airport.
So read the requirements below as Cape Verde's framework, then confirm your dog's exact origin and history — and the points marked Unknown — with the veterinary authority before booking.
✅ Entry requirements
| Requirement | Required? | When | Exceptions | Official reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prior authorisation | Required | Before travel, documents proving the dog's vaccinations and fitness to travel are submitted to a Cape Verde consular post (or the national veterinary services) so an entry attestation is issued. | None published — importing an animal requires authorisation from the veterinary/phytosanitary service of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment. | Embassy of Cape Verde — Travelling with animals |
| ISO microchip | Not mandatory | The published conditions state a microchip is not compulsory. An ISO 11784/11785 microchip is still strongly recommended so the animal can be reliably matched to its certificate and vaccination record. | Requirements may differ for onward travel or return to your home country, which often require an ISO microchip. | Embassy of Cape Verde — Travelling with animals ('Chip não obrigatório') |
| Rabies vaccination | Required | A valid rabies vaccination meeting WOAH (World Organisation for Animal Health) standards, carried out at least 30 days before entry into Cape Verde. | None published. A puppy must be old enough to be validly vaccinated and then wait 30 days. | Embassy of Cape Verde — Travelling with animals |
| Other core vaccinations | Required | Vaccination against distemper, parvovirus, leptospirosis and infectious (canine) hepatitis, in addition to rabies. | None published. | Embassy of Cape Verde — Travelling with animals |
| Internal & external parasite treatment | Required | Internal and external deworming/antiparasitic treatment with officially authorised active substances; the treatment date is recorded on the documentation. | None published. | Embassy of Cape Verde — Travelling with animals |
| Rabies antibody test | Not in published conditions | The published Cape Verde sanitary conditions do not list a rabies antibody test. Whether one may be requested in specific cases is not stated officially — confirm with the veterinary authority. | Unknown — not addressed in the available official sources. | Embassy of Cape Verde — Travelling with animals (no antibody test listed) |
| International veterinary health certificate | Required | A valid official health certificate issued by the Official Veterinary Authority of the country of origin, following the WOAH international model, together with the vaccination booklet. | None published — an official certificate must accompany the dog. | Embassy of Cape Verde — Travelling with animals |
| Airport / border veterinary inspection | Expected | Present your dog and its original documents to the veterinary/sanitary authorities on arrival. Cape Verde does not publish a detailed border procedure, but veterinary control on import is part of its animal-health legislation. | Exact points of entry and inspection fees are not published — Unknown. | Decreto Regulamentar 12/2020 (animal-health police); Embassy of Cape Verde |
| Minimum age / puppies | Linked to rabies vaccination | No stand-alone minimum age is published. In practice a puppy must be old enough to be validly vaccinated against rabies and then observe the 30-day pre-entry interval. | Unknown — not separately addressed in official sources. | Embassy of Cape Verde — Travelling with animals (rabies vaccination) |
| Quarantine | Unknown | The available official sources do not state whether quarantine applies to compliant pet dogs. Confirm with the Cape Verde veterinary authority before travel. | Non-compliant animals may be refused or held under veterinary control under the animal-health legislation. | Decreto Regulamentar 12/2020 (animal-health police) |
| Restricted / banned breeds | Unknown | No official Cape Verde breed-import ban or dangerous-dog import list is published in the sources reviewed. This does not guarantee there is none — verify with the veterinary authority. | Unknown. | No published breed-import instrument found |
🌍 Rules according to your dog's origin
From the European Union — international certificate
Cape Verde is outside the EU, so an EU pet passport is not the entry document. From an EU country, your official (state) veterinarian issues the international veterinary health certificate on the WOAH model. Your dog needs a valid rabies vaccination given at least 30 days before entry, the other core vaccinations (distemper, parvovirus, leptospirosis, infectious hepatitis), internal and external parasite treatment, and prior authorisation obtained through the Cape Verde consular post. A microchip is not compulsory but is recommended.
From another non-EU country — same scheme
Cape Verde does not publish a 'listed third country' category. From any non-EU country the same conditions apply: identification documents, valid rabies vaccination (≥30 days before entry), the other core vaccinations, parasite treatment and an official international veterinary certificate issued by that country's veterinary authority, plus prior authorisation. The USDA APHIS pet-travel site has no dedicated Cape Verde page, so US travellers should work with a USDA-accredited veterinarian and confirm the current conditions with a Cape Verde consular post.
At-risk origins — confirm case by case
Cape Verde does not publish a specific procedure (such as a rabies antibody test and waiting period) for dogs coming from higher-risk countries. Because the official detail is limited, a dog with a recent stay in a rabies-risk area should have its case confirmed directly with the Cape Verde veterinary authority before travel — the origin authority may add conditions when it issues the certificate. Treat this path as Unknown until confirmed.
🛬 Arrival
What happens when your dog reaches Cape Verde depends on your documents and the veterinary control at the point of entry.
- Carry the originals: the international veterinary health certificate, the vaccination booklet (rabies plus distemper, parvovirus, leptospirosis, infectious hepatitis) and proof of the parasite treatment.
- Have your prior-authorisation / entry attestation ready, arranged before travel through the Cape Verde consular post or veterinary services.
- Present your dog to the veterinary/sanitary authorities on arrival. The exact points of entry, inspection procedure and any fees are not published officially — Unknown.
- If documents are missing, incomplete or invalid, the animal-health legislation allows the authorities to refuse the animal or place it under veterinary control — potentially at the owner's expense.
- Because several points are Unknown, confirm the current arrival procedure with the Cape Verde veterinary authority or a consular post shortly before you travel.
🧳 Real traveller experience
No reliable documented traveller feedback available.
🚫 Restricted dogs
No official Cape Verde instrument banning or restricting the import of specific dog breeds was found in the sources reviewed. This absence is not proof that no rule exists — it means the point is not published in the official material available, so it is marked Unknown.
Restricted or 'potentially dangerous' breed categories: Unknown. No published Cape Verde list of restricted breeds for import was identified.
Behaviour-based 'dangerous dog' import rules: Unknown. The available sources do not describe an individual assessment or ban tied to a dog's behaviour for import.
Before travelling with a dog that could be seen as a guard or fighting type, ask the Cape Verde veterinary authority or a consular post directly whether any breed restriction applies. Do not assume there is none simply because none is published here.
🧾 Preparation checklist
- ☐Prior authorisation / entry attestation arranged through a Cape Verde consular post or the veterinary services
- ☐Valid rabies vaccination (WOAH standard) given at least 30 days before entry
- ☐Other core vaccinations: distemper, parvovirus, leptospirosis, infectious hepatitis
- ☐Internal and external parasite treatment with officially authorised products (date recorded)
- ☐International veterinary health certificate (WOAH model) issued by the official veterinary authority of origin
- ☐Vaccination booklet and original documents ready for veterinary inspection on arrival
- ☐ISO microchip (not mandatory but recommended, and often required for return travel)
- ☐Confirm the Unknown points (antibody test, quarantine, breeds, entry points) with the Cape Verde veterinary authority before booking
- ☐Airline reservation confirming your dog's travel option and a suitable IATA crate
📚 Official sources
- Embassy of the Republic of Cape Verde (Brazil) — Travelling with animals (sanitary conditions)
- Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (Cape Verde) — Livestock / veterinary services (Pecuária)
- Cape Verde — Decreto Regulamentar 12/2020 (animal-health police), Boletim Oficial I Série nº 116
- USDA APHIS — Take a Pet From the United States to Another Country (no dedicated Cape Verde page)