Country entry guide · Middle East
Traveling to Israel with your dog
Israel welcomes dogs, but it is not part of the EU pet-passport system — it runs its own import scheme through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (Veterinary Services and Animal Health), under the Animal Diseases Regulations (Import of Animals), 1974. The step that surprises many travellers is that a rabies antibody test is mandatory for every dog, from every country, on top of an ISO microchip and a valid rabies vaccination. Your dog must be at least 4 months old, carry a government-endorsed veterinary health certificate issued no more than 10 days before arrival, and you must send a Notification of Pet Arrival to the Veterinary Services at your port of entry at least two working days before departure. Up to two pets travelling with their owner on the same flight are exempt from an import licence; more pets, cargo shipments and restricted breeds need a permit. This guide explains each case before you book.
📋 At a glance
| Dogs allowed | Yes |
| Microchip (ISO) | Required |
| Rabies vaccination | Required |
| Rabies antibody test | Required for every dog (>=0.5 IU/ml) |
| Import licence | Exempt for up to 2 accompanied pets; otherwise required |
| Pre-arrival notification | Required (>=2 working days before departure) |
| Veterinary health certificate | Required (endorsed, <=10 days before arrival) |
| Quarantine | Not required if compliant |
| Restricted breeds | 8 dangerous breeds prohibited (permit only) |
⏱️ 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 and Israel's Veterinary Services (Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security) can confirm the exact procedure for your individual dog.
- The rabies antibody test takes time (blood drawn more than 30 days after vaccination, then lab processing) — start it well before you book.
- 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 Israel
🧭 How your dog's entry requirements are decided
The exact steps depend on three things — Israel (your destination) is only the first.
- 1 Country of destination — Israel★★★★★
Israel runs its own Veterinary Services scheme (not the EU passport): an ISO microchip, a valid rabies vaccination, a mandatory rabies antibody test (>=0.5 IU/ml), a government-endorsed health certificate issued within 10 days, and a pre-arrival notification. Dogs must be at least 4 months old.
- 2 Country of departure★★★★★
The exporting country decides which official government veterinary authority endorses your health certificate and where the arrival notification is sent. Israel requires the rabies antibody test from all origins — including EU countries — so departing from the EU does not waive it.
- 3 Countries your dog recently stayed in★★★★☆
Your dog must have been under its owner's personal care for at least 90 days before the flight to qualify for the import-licence exemption. Travel history and health status can prompt extra checks at the port of entry, and a non-compliant animal may be held or refused.
So read the requirements below as Israel's framework, then confirm your dog's exact origin, history and timeline with your vet and the Veterinary Services before you book.
✅ Entry requirements
| Requirement | Required? | When | Exceptions | Official reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISO microchip | Required | ISO 11784 / Annex A of ISO 11785 microchip (134.2 kHz). It must be implanted before the most recent rabies vaccination, and the number must match every document. | If the microchip is not ISO-compliant, the owner must provide a compatible reader to the import official at the port of entry. | Israel Veterinary Services — import requirements (microchip); USDA APHIS guidance |
| Minimum age | At least 4 months | Dogs and cats must be no less than 4 months of age upon arrival in Israel. | The age rule combines with the rabies and antibody-test timing, so plan the schedule from the first vaccination. | Israel Veterinary Services — import requirements (age); USDA APHIS guidance |
| Rabies vaccination | Required | The dog must be current on rabies vaccination. A primary vaccination, or a booster given after the previous vaccine expired, counts as a primary vaccination: the dog must then wait at least 30 days before import. | A valid booster given within the previous vaccine's validity imposes no new 30-day wait, provided the antibody result remains valid. | Israel Veterinary Services — import requirements (rabies); USDA APHIS guidance |
| Rabies antibody test | Required for every dog | A rabies neutralising antibody titre of at least 0.5 IU/ml from an OIE/WOAH-approved laboratory. The blood sample must be taken more than 30 days after the primary rabies vaccination. A positive result is required before the health certificate is completed. | The laboratory result is valid for the life of the animal, as long as the dog stays current on rabies vaccination per the vaccine manufacturer's instructions. | Israel Veterinary Services — import requirements (rabies serology); USDA APHIS guidance |
| Veterinary health certificate | Required | Official veterinary health certificate for import to Israel, issued by the exporting country's veterinarian and endorsed by its government veterinary authority no more than 10 days before arrival. It confirms the microchip, valid rabies vaccination, the antibody test and that the animal shows no signs of infectious disease. | A printed paper copy of the completed certificate must accompany each shipment; documents should be in English (or with a certified English translation). | Israel Veterinary Services — health certificate; USDA APHIS — Veterinary Health Certificate for Dogs and Cats |
| Owner declaration (90-day care) | Required for licence exemption | An owner declaration (Annex C) that the animal has been under the owner's personal care for at least 90 days before being brought to Israel, and will stay with that owner. | Without the 90-day care condition, the animal is not eligible for the import-licence exemption and an import permit is needed. | Israel Veterinary Services — import-licence exemption conditions (Annex C) |
| Pre-arrival notification (Annex B) | Required | Send a Notification of Pet Arrival (Annex B) plus a copy of the endorsed veterinary certificate to the Veterinary Services at the port of entry (Ben Gurion Airport: [email protected]) at least two working days before departure. | The shipment is not released in Israel until the Veterinary Services at the port of entry have authorised it. | Israel Veterinary Services — Notification of Pet Arrival (Annex B); USDA APHIS guidance |
| Import licence / permit | Conditional | Under the Animal Diseases Regulations (Import of Animals), 1974, an import licence is required. It is waived when up to two dogs/cats travel as their owner's accompanied baggage on the same flight, under 90-day care, meeting all health rules and not a restricted breed. | More than two pets, unaccompanied/cargo animals and dangerous breeds require a permit from the Director of Veterinary Services (apply to [email protected]). Permitted animals arrive as cargo manifest only. | Animal Diseases Regulations (Import of Animals), 1974; Israel Veterinary Services |
| Tapeworm treatment | Not required per reviewed official sources | The Israeli import requirements and health certificate reviewed do not list an echinococcus/tapeworm treatment for dogs entering Israel. | Confirm the current certificate with your official veterinarian, as certificate templates are updated periodically. | Israel Veterinary Services — Veterinary Health Certificate for Dogs and Cats |
| Port of entry | Required | Pets must enter through an approved port: Ben Gurion Airport, Haifa seaport, Ashdod seaport or Eilat seaport. Cargo (permitted) animals are inspected at the cargo warehouse Sunday to Thursday, 06:00-24:00. | Plan cargo arrivals within the inspection window; there is no inspection on Friday or Saturday. | USDA APHIS guidance — ports of entry to Israel |
| Quarantine | Not required if compliant | Compliant dogs are released after the veterinary check; there is no routine quarantine. | A dog that does not meet the requirements can be detained, quarantined, returned to the exporting country or refused entry — costs borne by the owner. | Israel Veterinary Services — import requirements (non-compliance) |
🌍 Rules according to your dog's origin
Up-to-date dog with a valid antibody result — fastest path
A dog that is microchipped, currently vaccinated against rabies and already holds a valid rabies antibody result (>=0.5 IU/ml, blood taken more than 30 days after a primary vaccination) follows the shortest path. It travels as its owner's accompanied baggage (up to two pets, in the owner's care at least 90 days), so no import licence is needed. Have the government-endorsed health certificate issued within 10 days of arrival, send the Notification of Pet Arrival at least two working days before departure, and there is no quarantine if every condition is met.
Primary or lapsed rabies vaccination — new antibody test
If your dog needs a primary rabies vaccination, or a booster given after the previous vaccine expired, that dose counts as primary: the blood for the antibody test must be drawn more than 30 days after it, and the dog must wait at least 30 days before import. Budget for the laboratory turnaround too. The microchip must already be in place before the vaccination, and the dog must be at least 4 months old. The endorsed health certificate and pre-arrival notification are still required.
Import-permit cases — more than two pets, cargo, or a dangerous breed
More than two dogs/cats, unaccompanied animals, animals not under the owner's 90-day care, and dangerous breeds all require an import permit from the Director of Veterinary Services (apply to [email protected]); permitted animals arrive as cargo manifest only. Eight dangerous breeds — and any cross or dog with their physical traits — are prohibited from import except by a case-by-case permit. A dog arriving without the required documents, a matching microchip, a valid antibody result or a permit can be detained, returned or refused, at the owner's expense.
🛬 Arrival
What happens when your dog reaches Israel depends on whether every condition was completed before departure.
- Pets enter only through an approved port: Ben Gurion Airport, Haifa seaport, Ashdod seaport or Eilat seaport.
- The Veterinary Services must already have received your Notification of Pet Arrival (Annex B) and a copy of the endorsed certificate at least two working days before departure — the animal is not released until they authorise it.
- Present the original endorsed health certificate, proof of the rabies antibody test and the owner declaration; the officer checks the documents and scans the microchip (bring a compatible reader if the chip is not ISO-compliant).
- Cargo (permitted) animals are inspected at the cargo warehouse Sunday to Thursday, 06:00-24:00 — arrange arrival within that window.
- If documents are missing or invalid, the microchip does not match, or the antibody result is absent, the animal may be detained, quarantined, returned to the exporting country or refused entry — all costs borne by the owner.
🧳 Real traveller experience
No reliable documented traveller feedback available.
🚫 Restricted dogs
Israel restricts the import of dogs classed as dangerous under the Regulations for the Control of Dogs (Import of Dangerous Dogs), 5765-2004. Importing a dangerous-breed dog, a cross with one, or a dog with their physical traits is prohibited except by a case-by-case permit from the Director of Veterinary Services.
Prohibited (dangerous) breeds: American Staffordshire Bull Terrier (Amstaff), Bull Terrier, Dogo Argentino, Japanese Tosa, Staffordshire Bull Terrier (English Staff), Pit Bull Terrier, Fila Brasileiro (Brazilian Mastiff) and Rottweiler — plus any cross with these breeds or any dog showing their physical traits.
Exception route: entry is only possible with a valid, translated Israeli import permit specific to dangerous dogs, granted case-by-case by the Director of Veterinary Services (apply to [email protected]). Official veterinarians must not issue or endorse export certificates for these dogs without that permit.
Because the restriction covers crosses and look-alike dogs, have your dog's breed clearly stated on the export certificate and confirm its status with the Veterinary Services before booking. Airline breed policies (for example brachycephalic dogs in the hold) can be stricter still.
✈️ National airlines
Carriers registered in this country that accept dogs — see each airline's MyDogCanFly fiche.
🛂 Airports in Israel
Check where your dog can relieve itself at each airport — and whether it's before or after security.
🧾 Preparation checklist
- ☐ISO 11784/11785 microchip (134.2 kHz), implanted before the most recent rabies vaccination
- ☐Dog at least 4 months old on arrival
- ☐Valid rabies vaccination (30-day wait if primary or lapsed)
- ☐Rabies antibody test >=0.5 IU/ml (OIE/WOAH-approved lab, blood >30 days after primary vaccination)
- ☐Government-endorsed veterinary health certificate issued <=10 days before arrival (original, in English)
- ☐Owner declaration (Annex C): animal in the owner's care >=90 days
- ☐Notification of Pet Arrival (Annex B) emailed to the port-of-entry Veterinary Services >=2 working days before departure
- ☐Import permit if more than two pets, cargo, or a dangerous breed
- ☐Confirm your dog's breed is not restricted, and accepted by your airline; IATA-compliant crate if in the hold
📚 Official sources
- Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security — Procedure for the Import of Dogs and Cats into Israel
- Israel Tax Authority / gov.il — Import of dogs and cats to the State of Israel
- Ministry of Agriculture — Forms and Guidelines for the Import of Dogs and Cats (moag-pro-061)
- Animal Diseases Regulations (Import of Animals), 1974 (gov.il)
- USDA APHIS — Pet Travel From the United States to Israel
- USDA APHIS — Guidance Information for Exporting Pet Dogs and Cats to the State of Israel (PDF)
- European Commission — Designated laboratories performing rabies antibody titration tests