Pet import requirements for Ecuador

Ecuador at a glance

The detail

Animals that comply with requirements will not be quarantined. Ecuador, of ficially the Republic of Ecuador, is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. Arrival airports noted for this destination in clude UIO and GYE.

Import requirements

4 Months

For dogs and cats to enter the country they need

-zoosanitary export certificate signed by the of ficial government veterinary service of the exporting country

• vaccination certificate with in formation on all above-named obligatory vaccines
• certificate to show the pet has been treated for in ternal and external parasites (vaccines and parasitic treatments can be in separate certificates or all to gether in a vaccination booklet)

• notify AGROCALIDAD 72 hours prior to arrival of the pets.

For the entry of dogs and cats that have temporarily left Ecuador, the same Zoosanitary Export Certificate issued by AGROCALIDAD may be used to return to Ecuador, provided that no more than thirty (30) calendar days have passed since the date of issue.

Cash payments will not be received, all procedures will be attended to with the presentation of the deposit slip and for the current value that reflects the current rate.

Personal Pet moves happen when the owner travels with the dog or cat, OR up to 60 days BEFORE the pet. Only 2 pets per person can be considered personal pets. There are 2 forms of personal pet moves: If pets travel with owner either in cabin or as accompanied luggage no import permit is needed, of ficially AGROCALIDAD must be in formed of the arrival 72 hours before, pets may be in spected upon arrival but no further paperwork is necessary.

If pets arrive with owner as manifest cargo OR up to 60 days AFTER arrival of the owner, an import permit is needed and an abbreviated personal item import procedure is followed at customs. No broker is needed for this procedure, an IPATA agent is highly recommended but not mandatory. In this case the AWB is made out to the owner, who will need to be present for the procedure or may give notarized permission to a third party to be there for the procedure at customs.

Commercial moves are those moves where a dog or cat enters the country AND the owner either has not travelled or has entered the country MORE THAN 60 days before arrival of the pet or is planning to arrive AFTER the pet. These moves require a customs broker. Only of ficially registered importers may import pets, so that AWB must be made out to an importer (IPATA agents in Ecuador are registered importers). There is no limit to pets being imported as commercial move.

Officially, pets must arrive in designated carriers approved by IATA.

Identification and microchip

All dogs and cats must be identified by name, microchip or tattoo (in short, no microchip or tattoo required)

Rabies and vaccinations

Rabies shot is required, if this is the in primo vaccination the dog or cat must be at least 3 months old upon applying the vaccine, and at least 14 days must have passed since the dog or cat was vaccinated.

What vaccinations must the animal have before entry? How long before entry? What time frame? Please in clude all animals.

DOGS

• Carré's disease (DISTEMPER)

• Hepatitis

• Leptospirosis

• Parvovirus

• Rabies. - Only for this disease, at least 14 days must have passed between an in primo vaccination and entering the country.

CATS

• Feline panleukopenia

• Feline viral rhinotracheitis

• Feline calicivirus

• Rabies. - Only for this disease, at least 14 days must have passed between an in primo vaccination and entering the country.

Tests and treatments

If your pet is going to return to its country of origin from Ecuador, and its return requires an entry test that quantifies anti-rabies antibodies, by a procedure of viral neutralization, (to verify if the vaccine has been effective with a minimum result of 0.5 IU/ml). This assessment must be carried out in a laboratory authorized by the Official Service of the exporting country. This means it is not an obligatory requirement for entry into Ecuador, but as Ecuador does not have an authorized lab for this test it is recommended this be done for all pets who will travel back to origin in a foreseeable future.

No tests are required for entry into Ecuador.

The animal must have received in ternal and external antiparasitic treatment within twenty-one (21)days prior to shipment with products authorized for use in the country of origin, detailing the name of the product, active in gredient, and the date of application. Pets must be free from parasites to enter.

Health certificate and permits

The animal (dog or cat) needs to be accompanied by a Zoosanitary Export Certificate issued or endorsed by the Official Veterinary Service of the country of origin with an issue date no older than ten (10) calendar days prior to the entry of the animals into Ecuador, which must be presented in Spanish or English. There is no specific format.

THE REQUIREMENTS TO BE MET ARE:

• Conventional pets must be older than 3 4 months and be identified by name, tattoo or a microchip.

• The animal underwent a clinical examination by a veterinary doctor within the ten (10) days prior to the trip who certifies that the animal, at that time, was free symptoms and/or signs of in fectious and parasitic diseases, as well as the presence of wounds in process of healing this certificate must in clude the species, age, breed, sex, coat color.

• The animal received in ternal and external antiparasitic treatment within twenty-one (21) days prior to shipment with products authorized for use in the country of origin, detailing the name of the product, active in gredient, and the date of application.

• The following vaccines must be current upon arrival of the animals to the country under the following considerations:

DOGS

• Carré disease (Distemper)

• Hepatitis

• Leptospirosis

• Parvovirus

• Rabies. - Only for this disease, at least 14 days must have passed between an in primo vaccination and entering the country.

CATS

• Feline panleukopenia

• Feline viral rhinotracheitis

• Feline calicivirus

• Rabies. - Only for this disease, at least 14 days must have passed between an in primo vaccination and entering the country.

• In each case, the date of immunization, type and brand of the product are recorded.

• In the event that one of the vaccines detailed in the previous lines is not approved its for application in the country of origin, this must be detailed in the Zoosanitary Certificate of Export and the user must apply it during their stay in Ecuador.

If your dog or cat is entering Ecuador by land or in the cabin of an aircraft, or as accompanied luggage of an aircraft with the owner an import permit is not required. For dogs and cats entering as cargo, an import permit is issued after in spection by the Agrocalidad in spectors. There is a fee for this service. This service must be requested 72 hours in advance of the arrival of the animal.

No specific format of Health Certificate or special document is required.

Quarantine

Animals that comply with requirements will not be quarantined. There are no quarantine facilities in Ecuador, I´m not sure what happens to pets who do not meet requirements upon arrival.

Restrictions and banned breeds

None

Customs, agents, and airports

Necessary for commercial import, not required for pet import with owner travelling with or up to 60 days before pet

Highly recommended for all import arriving as manifest cargo (not necessary for arrival as in cabin or accompanied luggage on same flight as owner)

Airports:

• Mariscal Sucre International Airport, Quito (IATA: UIO, ICAO: SEQM) aeropuerto.quito@agrocalidad.gob.ec, +593 23948110 Ext 1
• JOAQUIN OLMEDO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, GUAYAQUIL (IATA: GYE, ICAO: SEGU) aeropuerto.guayaquil@agrocalidad.gob.ec

Ground:

• Puente Internacional Rumichaca - Carchi, Carchi (control.rumichaca@agrocalidad.gob.ec, +596 62988954)
• Puente Fronterizo Terrestre Loja, Macará and Zapotillo (darwin.palma@agrocalidad.gob.ec, +593 72696465 for Agencia Macará or +593 72647014 for Agencia Zapotillo )
• Punto Fronterizo Terrestre – CEBAF – El Oro, Huaquillas (control.huaquillas@agrocalidad.gob.ec, +593 72910931)

Recommended Airports/Alternative Travel:

Mariscal Sucre International Airport in Quito – UIO (aeropuerto.quito@agrocalidad.gob.ec)

José Joaquín de Olmedo Airport GYE (Guayaquil)

aeropuerto.guayaquil@agrocalidad.gob.ec

Airports listed on this destination file: UIO, GYE.

Pets arriving as commercial import will be handled only during office hours, although they may arrive at any time and wait for office hours in the warehouse: Office hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 4PM. This import process takes 24 to 48 hours to complete. While pets wait, they are kept in the cargo warehouses, no specific animal friendly area is available and pets are not of ficially allowed out of their kennels. They will be fed and watered with food and water provided on the kennel. Cost of this procedure tends to be between 1.5 and 2x value of AWB due to taxes and fees. Customs agent required. IPATA agent recommended.

Pets arriving in cabin or as accompanied luggage with their owners can pass through customs as with personal luggage, no procedures required and 24/7 service. No cost. No agents needed.

Pets arriving as personal pet as manifest cargo arriving with the owner or up to 60 days after the owner can be handled outside office hours upon arrival of the flight as long as all in formation was previously sent to AGROCALIDAD and approved, this part of customs service does work 24/7 and the process may be expected to take between 3 and 5 hours. Cost of this procedure is much less than commercial import. IPATA agent highly recommended but not needed.

Export notes

-

Pets leaving the country must comply with:

• Health regulations (vaccinations, antiparasitic treatments) of Ecuador
• Regulations of country of import, and transit
• - Regulations of airlines

Ecuadorian Health regulations are equal to the ones for import, for the zoosanitary export permit can be processed by an authorized veterinarian (list available on the webpage link to the right) who will check the health and paperwork of the animal and carry out the parasite treatment and then submit the in formation to the AGROCALIDAD system to obtain the of ficial Zoosanitary Export Certificate. Information cannot be input into the system until 5 days before travel (7 days for travel to Panama due to need to stamp it by the embassy) and takes 1 or 2 business days to complete depending on amount f requests received.

Other pets / CITES / extra rules

For pets other than cats and dogs a CITES import permit must be requested from the ministry of environment. This process changes very frequently, is not always successful and can take up to 6 months. For each specific species requirement please see link on the right.

Only dogs and cats are considered companion animals, all other animals will need a permit from the ministry of environment.

Although Ecuador’s constitution gives animals rights, there is no specific national legislation for animal welfare where companion animals are concerned. There is a law coming, now being worked on: PROYECTO DE LEY DE BIENESTAR ANIMAL - PROYECTO DE LEY DE BIENESTAR ANIMAL,

None – please note some areas of the country are a risk for tropical parasites and heartworm.

Official contacts

AGENCIA DE REGULACION Y CONTROL FITO Y ZOOSANITARIO – REPUBLICA DE ECUADORPHYTO AND ZOOSANITARY REGULATION AND CONTROL AGENCY – REPUBLIC OF ECUADORIng.Christian Zambrano/ christian.zambrano@agrocalidad.gob.ecPhone: +59323828860 or 593 99 295 8210Website: www.agrocalidad.gob.ec

Av.Eloy Alfaro N30-350 y Av. Amazonas.170518/Quito-EcuadorAgricultural Health Services (Animal and Plant)

Director del Programa Nacional de Sanidad Animal;

Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganaderia

Piso 9

Av Eloy Alfaro y Amazonas

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 2026-02-25.

Next: measure your dog, find the kennel size, then get a free travel quote. Moving on military orders? PCS moves. Going to Hawaiʻi instead? Hawaiʻi has its own regime.

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