Country entry guide · South America
Traveling to Ecuador with your dog
Ecuador welcomes dogs, and it runs one uniform national scheme managed by AGROCALIDAD (Agencia de Regulación y Control Fito y Zoosanitario), the official animal-health authority. There is no EU pet passport here: the key document is an Export Zoosanitary Certificate (Certificado Zoosanitario de Exportación) issued or endorsed by the official veterinary service of your country of origin, in Spanish or English, dated no more than 10 calendar days before entry. It must confirm a clinical examination, several current vaccinations (including rabies) and internal and external parasite treatment. Ecuador asks for no rabies antibody test and imposes no routine quarantine for a healthy, compliant pet. If your dog flies in the cabin or as accompanied baggage, that certificate alone clears it; only pets arriving as cargo need an Import Zoosanitary Permit requested in advance. This guide explains exactly what to prepare, and when, before you book.
📋 At a glance
| Dogs allowed | Yes |
| Identification (name, tattoo or microchip) | Required (ISO microchip recommended) |
| Rabies vaccination | Required |
| Rabies antibody test | Not required to enter |
| Other canine vaccinations | Required (distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus) |
| Export Zoosanitary Certificate | Required |
| Parasite treatment (internal & external) | Required |
| Quarantine | Not required for a healthy, compliant pet |
⏱️ 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.
- 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 Ecuador
🧭 How your dog's entry requirements are decided
The exact documents depend on three things — Ecuador (your destination) is only the first.
- 1 Country of destination — Ecuador★★★★★
Ecuador applies its own AGROCALIDAD scheme: an Export Zoosanitary Certificate from the origin country covering a clinical exam, current vaccinations (including rabies) and internal & external parasite treatment. No rabies antibody test and no routine quarantine are demanded, and identification may be by name, tattoo or microchip.
- 2 Country of departure★★★★★
The Export Zoosanitary Certificate must be issued or endorsed by the official veterinary service of the country you travel from, in Spanish or English, with an issue date no more than 10 calendar days before entry. Its timing drives your whole preparation.
- 3 Countries your dog recently stayed in★★★★☆
If one of the required vaccines is not approved for use in the origin country, this must be stated on the certificate and the owner must administer it during the stay in Ecuador. Prior residence also matters for the return trip, where some countries require a rabies antibody test before departure.
So read the requirements below as Ecuador's framework, then confirm your dog's exact origin, age and history with your vet.
✅ Entry requirements
| Requirement | Required? | When | Exceptions | Official reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Identification (name, tattoo or ISO microchip) | Required | Conventional companion animals must be identified by name, tattoo or a microchip. An ISO microchip is strongly recommended for reliable identification and for the return trip. | The origin country may require a microchip for the dog's return, so verify this before you arrive in Ecuador. | AGROCALIDAD — Requisitos zoosanitarios para la importación de animales de compañía |
| Rabies vaccination | Required | The rabies vaccination must be current on arrival. If it is the animal's first rabies vaccination for entry, at least 14 days must have passed since the day it was administered. | If rabies vaccination is not approved for use in the origin country, this must be stated on the certificate and administered during the stay in Ecuador. | AGROCALIDAD — Requisitos zoosanitarios para la importación de animales de compañía |
| Rabies antibody test | Not required to enter | — | Ecuador does not require a rabies antibody test to enter. AGROCALIDAD notes it only for pets returning to a country that demands a virus-neutralisation antibody level (minimum 0.5 IU/ml), done in a laboratory authorised by the origin country's official service — that is, before leaving Ecuador, not to enter it. | AGROCALIDAD — Ingreso al Ecuador de animales de compañía (perros y gatos) |
| Other canine vaccinations | Required | For dogs, the following vaccinations must be current on arrival: distemper (Carré), hepatitis, leptospirosis and parvovirus. | If one of these vaccines is not approved for use in the origin country, this must be stated on the Export Zoosanitary Certificate and the owner must administer it during the stay in Ecuador. | AGROCALIDAD — Requisitos zoosanitarios para la importación de animales de compañía |
| Clinical examination | Required | A veterinarian recognised by the origin country's official veterinary service must examine the dog within the 10 days before travel, finding it free of clinical signs of infectious and parasitic diseases and of healing wounds; the record states species, breed, sex, age and coat colour. | Its content is embedded in the Export Zoosanitary Certificate. | AGROCALIDAD — Requisitos zoosanitarios para la importación de animales de compañía |
| Parasite treatment (internal & external) | Required | The dog must have received internal and external antiparasitic treatment within the 21 days before shipment, with products authorised in the origin country; the certificate states the product name, active ingredient and date of application. | — | AGROCALIDAD — Requisitos zoosanitarios para la importación de animales de compañía |
| Export Zoosanitary Certificate | Required | Issued or endorsed by the official veterinary service of the country of origin, in Spanish or English, with an issue date no more than 10 calendar days before the animal enters Ecuador. It attests all the sanitary requirements above. | For a dog that left Ecuador temporarily, the same AGROCALIDAD-issued Export Zoosanitary Certificate may be reused to return, provided no more than 30 calendar days have passed since its issue. | AGROCALIDAD — Ingreso al Ecuador de animales de compañía (perros y gatos) |
| Import Zoosanitary Permit (cargo only) | Required only for pets arriving as cargo | If the pet arrives in the cargo hold, the owner emails the arrival airport's AGROCALIDAD office at least 72 hours before arrival with the air waybill, owner's passport, phone and email, the Export Zoosanitary Certificate and the vaccination record. AGROCALIDAD then issues a payment order (System GUIA) for the Import Zoosanitary Permit, after which SENAE clears the animal. | A pet flying in the cabin, delivered as accompanied baggage, or crossing a land border does NOT need this permit — only the Export Zoosanitary Certificate. No cash payments are accepted for the permit. | AGROCALIDAD — Ingreso al Ecuador de animales de compañía (perros y gatos) |
| Border check (AGROCALIDAD inspection) | Required on arrival | At the airport or land border, AGROCALIDAD staff verify the Export Zoosanitary Certificate, the vaccination record and the dog. For a cabin or accompanied-baggage pet, presenting the certificate is enough to clear it; cargo pets are cleared by SENAE after the Import Zoosanitary Permit is issued. | — | AGROCALIDAD — Ingreso al Ecuador de animales de compañía (perros y gatos) |
| Minimum age | Over 4 months | Conventional companion animals must be older than 4 months to enter Ecuador. This aligns with the requirement that a first rabies vaccination be at least 14 days old on arrival. | Airline age rules and your home country's return rules may be stricter. | AGROCALIDAD — Requisitos zoosanitarios para la importación de animales de compañía |
| Quarantine | Not required | AGROCALIDAD's published requirements establish no routine quarantine for a healthy, compliant pet. | The Galápagos Islands have a separate, stricter biosecurity regime — see the restricted-dogs section. | AGROCALIDAD — Ingreso al Ecuador de animales de compañía (perros y gatos) |
🌍 Rules according to your dog's origin
Standard scheme — Export Zoosanitary Certificate
For almost every origin the path is the same. Your dog needs an Export Zoosanitary Certificate issued or endorsed by the official veterinary service of the country you travel from, in Spanish or English, dated within 10 calendar days before entry. It must confirm the dog is over 4 months old and identified (name, tattoo or microchip), a clinical exam within 10 days, current vaccinations against rabies, distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis and parvovirus, and internal & external parasite treatment within 21 days before shipment. A pet flying in the cabin or as accompanied baggage clears on this certificate alone.
Pets arriving as cargo
If your dog travels in the cargo hold (not with you in the cabin or as accompanied baggage), an Import Zoosanitary Permit is required before SENAE can clear it. At least 72 hours before arrival, email the arrival airport's AGROCALIDAD office (Quito or Guayaquil) with the air waybill, your passport, phone and email, the Export Zoosanitary Certificate and the vaccination record. AGROCALIDAD issues a payment order in the GUIA system for the permit; no cash is accepted. All the standard sanitary requirements still apply.
Missing vaccines & special destinations
If one of the required vaccines is not approved for use in the origin country, the Export Zoosanitary Certificate must state this and the owner must administer it during the stay in Ecuador. For a first rabies vaccination, at least 14 days must pass before arrival. Separately, the Galápagos Islands apply a much stricter biosecurity regime run by the ABG (Agencia de Regulación y Control de la Bioseguridad y Cuarentena para Galápagos); anyone planning to take a dog there must consult the ABG in addition to AGROCALIDAD.
🛬 Arrival
What happens when your dog reaches Ecuador depends on how it travels.
- In the cabin, as accompanied baggage, or across a land border: no Import Zoosanitary Permit is needed. Present the Export Zoosanitary Certificate (and vaccination record) to AGROCALIDAD staff, who verify the documents and the dog before it is cleared.
- As cargo: request the Import Zoosanitary Permit by email at least 72 hours before arrival at the Quito ([email protected]) or Guayaquil ([email protected]) office; SENAE then completes clearance. Fees follow the current tariff and are paid through the authorised banks — never in cash.
- The Export Zoosanitary Certificate must have been issued within the 10 calendar days before entry, so time your departure accordingly.
- For a dog returning to Ecuador after a temporary trip abroad, the same AGROCALIDAD-issued certificate can be reused if no more than 30 calendar days have passed since issue.
- If documents are missing or invalid, the dog cannot be cleared until the requirements are met; check every detail before you fly.
🧳 Real traveller experience
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🚫 Restricted dogs
AGROCALIDAD's zoosanitary import requirements do not refuse any dog at the border on the basis of its breed. However, Ecuador has a national responsible-ownership regulation for certain breeds, and the Galápagos Islands apply a separate, much stricter biosecurity regime.
Responsible-ownership regulation: Ecuador's Reglamento de Tenencia y Manejo Responsable de Perros (Acuerdo Ministerial 116, Registro Oficial 532, 2009) lists breeds considered not recommended as pets — notably Pit Bull and Rottweiler and their crosses — and restricts their breeding and sale to AGROCALIDAD-authorised kennels. This governs ownership and breeding inside the country, not a breed-based refusal at the border.
Galápagos biosecurity: taking a dog to the Galápagos Islands is governed separately by the ABG (Agencia de Regulación y Control de la Bioseguridad y Cuarentena para Galápagos), which controls and restricts the introduction of species to protect the archipelago. Its rules are far stricter than mainland entry and must be checked directly with the ABG before any travel to the islands with a pet.
For mainland entry, focus on the AGROCALIDAD sanitary rules; if you own a listed breed, check the national ownership regulation, and if you plan to reach Galápagos, consult the ABG in advance.
🛂 Airports in Ecuador
Check where your dog can relieve itself at each airport — and whether it's before or after security.
🧾 Preparation checklist
- ☐Export Zoosanitary Certificate from the origin country (Spanish or English), issued within 10 calendar days before entry
- ☐Dog over 4 months old and identified by name, tattoo or (recommended) an ISO microchip
- ☐Valid rabies vaccination (if it is the first, at least 14 days before arrival)
- ☐Other canine vaccinations current: distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus
- ☐Clinical examination within 10 days before travel; internal & external parasite treatment within 21 days before shipment
- ☐Original vaccination record (booklet or passport) showing product, date and validity
- ☐For cargo arrivals: email the arrival airport's AGROCALIDAD office at least 72 hours ahead to obtain the Import Zoosanitary Permit (paid via authorised banks, no cash)
- ☐Airline reservation confirming your dog's travel option and a suitable IATA crate if in the hold
📚 Official sources
- AGROCALIDAD — Ingreso al Ecuador de animales de compañía (perros y gatos)
- AGROCALIDAD — Requisitos zoosanitarios para la importación de animales de compañía (PDF)
- AGROCALIDAD — Salida del Ecuador de animales de compañía (perros y gatos)
- Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores (gob.ec) — Requisitos de ingreso de mascotas de compañía a Ecuador
- Reglamento de Tenencia y Manejo Responsable de Perros (Acuerdo Ministerial 116, Registro Oficial 532, 2009)
- ABG — Normas de bioseguridad para ingresar a Galápagos