Germany

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Israel

Pet Transport from Germany to Israel

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8 Oct 2026

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Lufthansa shows direct Frankfurt to Tel Aviv flights (about 4 hours 15 minutes, 20 a week) and Munich to Tel Aviv flights (14 a week). Germany is not on Israel's short list of origins with lighter rabies rules, so the standard conditions apply. Israel then expects written flight authorisation before your pet is loaded.

Key facts: Germany to Israel

Israel puts Germany in its group “all other countries”. Rabies vaccination at 3 months or older, 30 days to 1 year before arrival; rabies antibody titre of at least 0.5 IU/ml from a WOAH or EU approved laboratory; Israeli model health certificate issued within 10 days.
Official source
Export health certificate: Berlin example: apply to the district veterinary office three to four weeks before travel; fees are time-based under tariff 31050 of the Berlin VSGebO, from EUR 41 to EUR 615. Applies to dogs and cats leaving from Berlin (Treptow-Köpenick).
Reisen mit Heimtieren, checked 1 October 2026
Import permit: An import licence from the Director of Veterinary Services is required under the Animal Diseases Regulations (Import of Animals) 1974. Owners who meet all the cumulative conditions (up to two animals, travelling with the owner on the same flight, 90 days in the owner's care, all health requirements met, not a restricted breed, staying with the owner) may instead apply for an import licence exemption. The exemption is applied for, not automatic.
Procedure for the Import of Dogs and Cats into Israel (English service page, updated 03.06.2026), checked 2 October 2026
Official sources differ
Exporting-government guidance differs: USDA APHIS guidance (Dec 2020, https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/guidance-information-for-pets-to-israel_1.pdf) says no import permit is required for two or fewer dogs and/or cats as accompanied baggage; UK APHA notes 4058NFG (rev. 19/01/2024, https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6864e73e1c735341c2111be3/4058EHC-guidance.pdf) say an import permit must be obtained, applied for in writing at least 10 days before export. Israel's own page wins: a licence, or an approved exemption application.

Taken from official government pages, last checked 5 October 2026. Rules change, so open the linked page again before you book.

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Official rules on this page checked 5 October 2026

Prepared by Marcus Webb, Senior Pet Relocation Consultant

What does Germany require for Israel before the flight?

An owner whose pet qualifies for Israel's import licence exemption must send the form and documents at least 2 working days before leaving the country of origin, and the page says to send them online for arrival at Ben Gurion airport.
Israel Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, dog and cat import service page (licence exemption section), checked 7 October 2026
Israel allows the pet to be loaded on the flight only after written approval from the Veterinary Service at the Israeli port of import, called a flight authorisation.
Israel Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, dog and cat import service page (licence exemption section), checked 7 October 2026
Israel's model certificate waives the pre-arrival rabies vaccination, and the 30 day wait before the blood sample, only for arrivals from Australia, Cyprus, New Zealand, Ireland, Japan, Singapore, Sweden and the UK. Germany is not on that list.
Annex A: Veterinary certificate for domestic dogs and cats entering Israel, checked 7 October 2026
Israel's model veterinary certificate is valid for 10 days.
Annex A: Veterinary certificate for domestic dogs and cats entering Israel, checked 7 October 2026

Which airlines take pets from Germany to Israel?

Lufthansa Cargo applies transport restrictions to snub-nosed dog breeds according to a temperature restriction list.
Live Animals - Lufthansa Cargo, checked 7 October 2026
Lufthansa lets a dog or cat fly with its owner as excess baggage in the air-conditioned cargo hold.
Carriage of animals as excess baggage in the cargo hold, checked 7 October 2026

Where does the journey connect and land?

Lufthansa's Frankfurt to Tel Aviv page shows a direct flight of about 4 hours 15 minutes, with 20 flights a week.
Flight from Frankfurt to Tel Aviv (FRA-TLV), checked 7 October 2026
Lufthansa's Munich to Tel Aviv page shows a direct flight of about 3 hours 50 minutes, with 14 flights a week.
Flight from Munich to Tel Aviv (MUC-TLV), checked 7 October 2026
Israel's exemption page says that a pet cannot be imported through any port other than the ones it lists, which are Ben Gurion airport and the ports of Ashdod, Haifa and Eilat.
Israel Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, dog and cat import service page (licence exemption section), checked 7 October 2026

Where can the rabies blood test be done?

Israel accepts the rabies antibody test report only from a laboratory approved by WOAH and/or the European Union.
Israel Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, dog and cat import service page (licence exemption section), checked 7 October 2026

Which Israel rules depend on a pet coming from Germany?

Israel sorts countries into 2 groups, and Germany falls in “all other countries”.

Rabies vaccination at 3 months or older, 30 days to 1 year before arrival; rabies antibody titre of at least 0.5 IU/ml from a WOAH or EU approved laboratory; Israeli model health certificate issued within 10 days. Official source

The rules that apply to every pet entering Israel, whatever the origin, are listed with their official sources in our Israel guide.

What does Germany require before your pet leaves?

Export health certificate: Berlin example: apply to the district veterinary office three to four weeks before travel; fees are time-based under tariff 31050 of the Berlin VSGebO, from EUR 41 to EUR 615. Applies to dogs and cats leaving from Berlin (Treptow-Köpenick).
Reisen mit Heimtieren, checked 1 October 2026
Export health certificate: Rhein-Erft-Kreis example: the district veterinary office charges EUR 35 to issue a health certificate for a stay abroad; it is valid for at most 10 days. Applies to dogs and cats leaving from Rhein-Erft-Kreis.
Gesundheitszeugnis für Auslandaufenthalte von Hunden/Katzen, checked 1 October 2026
Export health certificate: Official veterinary health and vaccination certificates for pets travelling abroad are issued by the local veterinary office (Veterinäramt) of the city or district (example: Munich city Veterinäramt). Applies to dogs and cats leaving Germany for non-EU countries.
Tiere im Ausland und bei Reisen, checked 1 October 2026
Other conditions: Entry rules for dogs and cats vary widely between non-EU destinations (blood tests, parasite treatment, entry permits); owners must check the destination's rules in advance. Applies to dogs and cats leaving Germany for non-EU countries.
Reisen mit Hund und Katze außerhalb der EU, checked 1 October 2026

FAQ

Common questions

Lufthansa's pages show direct flights from Frankfurt (about 4 hours 15 minutes, 20 a week) and from Munich (about 3 hours 50 minutes, 14 a week).

If your pet qualifies for the licence exemption, the form and documents must go in at least 2 working days before you leave Germany, online for arrival at Ben Gurion airport. Israel does not allow import through any other port than the ones it lists, so there is no option to land elsewhere.

Normally yes, because the shorter list without a titre test covers only pets that were born in, or have lived in, a short list of countries that does not include Germany. The result must be at least 0.5 IU/ml, and the report must come from a laboratory approved by WOAH or the EU.

Israel's model certificate is valid for 10 days. Plan the vet visit and the flight authorisation together, because the authorisation must be in place before the pet is loaded.

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