Pet import requirements for the Cayman Islands

The Cayman Islands at a glance

The detail

For Cayman Islands, start with this checkpoint: 2 months or older. The Islands are situated 480 miles southwest of Miami, about 277 miles south of Cuba, and 310 miles northwest of Jamaica. Cargo and passenger-pet routings commonly use GCM.

Import requirements

2 months or older.

PERMIT TO IMPORT All dogs and cats entering the Cayman Islands must be accompanied by an Import Permit issued by the Cayman Islands Department of Agriculture. You must provide evidence that your dog or cat complies with all of our import requirements before we will issue an Import Permit. The application form is located within the contents of this document. All correspondence and copies of the application documentsshould be written legibly in English, and can be submitted for consideration up to six months in advance of travel (see section B8 for further details). Submission options are listed below in order of preference: 1. Copies, scanned and emailed as attachments to ci.agriculturevs@gov.ky 2. Copies, delivered in person to the physical address listed below 3. Copies, delivered via courier service (e.g. FedEx, DHL, etc.) to the physical address listed below4. Copies, mailed ) to the post office box listed below

Cayman Rules for Importation of Dogs and Cats

Health Checklist

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The requirements may differ compared to exporting to other countries due to the Cayman Islands' status as a British Overseas Territory, meaning they often follow UK regulations and may have additional due diligence requirements depending on the exporting country's perceived risk level.

Tick and tapeworm treatment: Your pet must be treated for tapeworms and ticks within 14 days of travel.

Identification and microchip

It is required to have your pet with a 15-digit ISO compliant pet microchip or 10 or more alphanumerical characters and proof of the date of microchip implant.

Rabies and vaccinations

Rabies vaccination After identification, a licensed veterinarian using an approved in activated or recombinant vaccine must then vaccinate your dog or cat against rabies and issue a rabies vaccination certificate.

Note that 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year vaccinations are recognized. If your veterinary clinic does not have a (rabies) vaccination certificate template, then the template provided in Appendix V should be used. Your dog or cat must be at least twelve (12) weeks old before the primary (first) rabies vaccine is given. Subsequent booster vaccinations must be administered one year later in accordance with the guidelines outlined in Appendix VI. Only after that second vaccination can the in terval for revaccination be extended legally to 2 or 3 years with a product that has 2-year or 3-year duration of immunity label. Any lapse with revaccination may result in your dog or cat being delayed to enter the Cayman Islands. The microchip number must be recorded on the rabies vaccination certificate. Vaccination certificates without a microchip number will not be accepted. The rabies vaccination certificate must also contain the make, serial number, validity of the vaccination, and expiry date of the vaccine product used. If your dog or cat was vaccinated before being fitted with a microchip, it must be vaccinated again.

Routine vaccinations All current routine vaccinations must be recorded on the of ficial health certificate. Failure to do so will result in a delay of the processing of the import permit. Mandatory routine vaccinations for dogs in clude distemper, hepatitis, and parvovirus. Mandatory routine vaccinations for cats in clude panleukopenia, herpesvirus, and calicivirus.

Tests and treatments

Rabies titre testing and eligibility to enter A blood test must be taken after vaccination to confirm the presence of protective antibodies against rabies. The blood test, aFluorescent Antibody Virus Neutralising Test (FAVN), must be carried out by a laboratory approved by the Cayman Islands Department of Agriculture for carrying out such a test at a minimum of 30 days after the most recent rabies vaccination. The test result must show a microchip number. Test results bearing the wrong microchip number will not be accepted and a new test will have to be carried out. A list of major approved laboratories can be found in Appendix III. Please contact us at ci.agriculturevs@gov.ky for in formation on other potential laboratories.

Tick and tapeworm treatment Within 14 days of the scheduled date of travel to the Cayman Islands your dog or cat must be treated for tapeworms and ticks. The treatment must be recorded on the Official Veterinary Health Certificate. For tapeworms: a preparation containing praziquantel at a dose rate of 5mg/kg body weight. For ticks: a systemic preparation known to have residual action. Approved product in gredients in clude fipronil, amitraz, pyrethrins, permethrins, and isoxazolines. NOTE: The following products are NOT acceptable: Shampoos, collars, preparations that are licensed for control of fleas only (e.g. Program® Advantage®, Revolution® or Sentinel®).

Health certificate and permits

Veterinary Health Certificate correctly filled by an licensed/accredited veterinarian based on the in formation in Section C of these importation conditions.

The certificate endorsed by an of ficial government veterinarian if legally required by the exporting country. The Veterinary Health Certificate is valid for a period of 14 days only, from the date the pet was examined, and the tick and tapeworm treatments administered.

VETERINARY HEALTH CERTIFICATE A Veterinary Health Certificate must be completed and signed by a licensed veterinarian who is accredited by the of ficial government authority of the exporting country to perform health examinations for the purpose of dog and cat exportation. Endorsement of dog and cat health certificates by an of ficial veterinarian employed full time by the government of the country of origin (e.g. USDA in the USA, CFIA in Canada, DEFRA in the UK) is dependent solely on the legal requirements of the country of export. However, in the absence of an accreditation program for the exportation of dogs and cats in the country of export, the veterinary health certificate will need to be endorsed by a veterinarian in full-time employment of the of ficial government authority. The Veterinary Health Certificate is valid for a period of 14 days only, from the date the pet was examined and the tick and tapeworm treatments administered. The veterinary health certificate must have the following in formation: 1) A unique certificate number; 2) The country of origin of the animal; 3) The name and address of the; a) consignor (sender) b) consignee (receiver) 4) A description of the animal(s) to be imported; (Species, Breed, Sex and status {spayed, neutered, in tact}, Age and Coat color); 5) The microchip identification number of the animal(s), location of the microchip and date of microchip implant; 6) Information on the last rabies vaccination (date administered, the vaccine name, its manufacturer and batch number must be on the certificate); 7) The type and date of other/routine vaccinations administered; 8) If applicable, the seal number of the container in which the animal is being transported along with the signature and stamp of the of ficial affixing the seal. (See part G Transportation Instructions); 9) Certification statements as outlined below 10) Accreditation number of the certifying veterinarian The veterinary health certificate must have the following statements: a. As best as can be ascertained, the animal(s) is/are not in fected with any communicable disease and is free from external parasites. b. After due in quiry, I am satisfied that: (delete statements which are not applicable) i. The animal(s) has/have been resident in the country of export since birth, or continuously for the past three (3) months; or ii.The animal(s) has/have been in one or more -risk countries for the past three (3) months; or iii.The animal(s) has/have been in one or more -risk countries for the past three (3) months; or iv. -risk countries for the past three (3) months v.The animal(s) was/were originally from the Cayman Islands vi.The animal(s) is/are traveling by sea vii.Country of origin of animal(s) {if different from country of export}: ___________________________ c. After due in quiry, I am satisfied that the animal(s) has/have not been present within the past three (3) months in an of ficially quarantined or designated rabies area. d. The animal(s) has/have been treated on the day of examination with an acaricidal preparation, which is known to have residual action against ticks (in clude the name of the acaricidal product). e. The animal(s) has/have been treated on the day of examination with a preparation containing praziquantel at a dose rate of 5mg/kg body weight, which is known to be effective against tapeworms (in clude the name of the tapeworm product). f. The microchip(s) was/were scanned at the time of physical examination and prior to the administration of tick and tapeworm treatment. g. The animal(s) was/were subjected to a neutralizing antibody titration test within the past 12 months with a result of 0.5IU/ml or greater (attach a copy of the rabies titre laboratory report). The certificate should be written in legible English. In such circumstances as may be warranted, it should also be written in a language understood

All dogs and cats entering the Cayman Islands must be accompanied by an Import Permit issued by the Cayman Islands Department of Agriculture. Types of Import permits: Single Entry Import Permit: this permit is valid for 14 days from the date of the Official Health Certificate.

Health Certificate (Cayman Islands Department of Agriculture)

Health Certificate (USDA - for export of Dogs and Cats from the US to Cayman Islands)

COVID 19 - Declaration Form

Quarantine

There will be no quarantine imposed on your pet when entering the Cayman Islands if pet import regulations are met.

Restrictions and banned breeds

Restricted Breeds

Pit Bull Terrier and its breed types; Dogo Argentino and its breed types; Fila Brazileiro and its breed types; Japanese Tosa and its breed types; and any breed of dog or crossbreed of dog whose breeding lineage was for the primary purpose of dog fighting.

Customs, agents, and airports

Customs Broker is Highly Recommended.

RECOMMENDED

Owen Roberts International Airport (IATA: GCM)

Airports listed on this destination file: GCM.

When entering, you'll need to provide proof of ownership or identification for your pet.

Notice of arrival: You must give at least 48 hours notice of your expected arrival date and time.

Entry Point: 210 Roberts Dr, George Town, Cayman Islands. (Owen Roberts International Airport)

Cabin: Small pets that can fit comfortably in a carrier under the seat can travel in the cabin with you.

Checked Baggage: Larger pets that don't fit in the cabin can be transported as checked baggage in the pressurized cargo hold.

Cargo: Very large pets or pets traveling unaccompanied may need to be transported as cargo.

A leak-proof carrier that meets International Air Transport Association (IATA) standards. The carrier must allow the pet to move around easily.

The Customs and Border Control (CBC) of fices at Owen Roberts International Airport (GCM) in George Town, Cayman Islands are open from 6 AM–11 PM daily. The General Aviation Terminal office is open from 7 AM–9 PM daily.

Customs Vet Office Hours- Mon-Fri (8:00am - 5:00pm)

You must call ahead and you must give at least 48 hours notice of your expected arrival date and time.

Pets are received daily.

When importing a pet into the Cayman Islands, you will need to pay an import fee of CI$50 (approximately US$61) per animal, which is considered an "import tax" and must be obtained through an import permit issued by the Cayman Islands Department of Agriculture.

Export notes

To fly out of the Cayman Islands with your pet, you'll need a health certificate, rabies vaccination proof, and any other documentation required by the destination country. You'll also need an import permit if required by the Cayman Islands Department of Agriculture.

Other pets / CITES / extra rules

If your pet is not a dog, cat, or ferret and especially if it is a turtle or parrot, you should verify that it is not protected under CITES. You will need to apply for additional permits if this is the case

Captive cage birds, such as parrots, budgerigars, and lovebirds, also require an import permit from the Department of Agriculture. Most birds also require quarantine and CITES permits.

Animal Welfare Regulations

Airlines & Airport:

• Cayman Air - Miami Tel: +305 526-3190
• British Airways, American Airlines, Southwest, IBC - Please check plane equipment if viable for pet travel

PO Box 10009 APO

12 Owen Roberts International Airport

George Town, Cayman Islands, KY1-1001

+345 949-8960

+345 943-8900 (Cargo)

info@cdsltd.ky

cargo@cdsltd.ky (Cargo)

• IBC Airlines: The price is $500/per pet + $15.00 AWB + fuel and security. (USD)
• Owen Roberts International Airport (ORI) Owen Roberts Dr. George Town

Tel: +345 949-2479

Fax: +345 949-1594

Official contacts

Veterinary ServicesDepartment of Agriculture

P.O. Box 459, KY1-1106

#181 Lottery Road, Lower Valley

Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

Tel: +345 947-3090

Fax: +345 947-6501

Email: ci.agricultureVS@gov.ky

Website: www.doa.gov.ky

Import/ Export Officer (Veterinary Services)

Richard Perdido, BSc.

Email: CI.AgricultureVS@gov.ky

Current as of April 2025

Disclaimer

Import rules change without much warning. Confirm every vaccine date, test, permit, and crate routing with the destination veterinary authority before you travel. This page is a planning brief for Furry Freight customers, last checked against the IPATA country profile dated 2025-04-10.

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