Shipping a dog or cat from Italy to Philippines rewards owners who start planning early. Expect around 18-26 weeks of lead time to line up the documents and the fixed waiting periods. Your pet will …
In short:
Preparing to move a pet from Italy to Philippines
typically takes around 18-26 weeks.
Expect 7 days of quarantine on arrival.
A rabies titre test is required, which adds a fixed waiting period, so start early.
Verification date not recorded. Confirm current requirements with the destination authority.
Prepared and reviewed by Pet Transport Global Editorial Team
Step by step
The Italy to Philippines import process
01
First step. Must be done before rabies vaccination.
Implant ISO microchip
Responsible: Your veterinarian
02
After microchip. Allow 30 days before titre test blood draw.
Rabies vaccination
Responsible: Your veterinarian
03
Blood drawn at least 30 days after vaccination. Processing takes 1-3 weeks.
Rabies titre test at OIE-approved laboratory
Responsible: Your veterinarian + approved laboratory
04
Apply at least 30 days before travel date. Have titre test result ready.
Apply for Philippines import permit from BAI
Responsible: You or your pet transport agent
05
3-4 weeks before departure. Confirm pet acceptance and crate dimensions.
Book cargo space with chosen airline
Responsible: You or your pet transport agent
06
Within 10 days of travel. Must be endorsed by Ministry of Health.
Obtain official Italian health certificate
Responsible: Official government veterinarian
07
7-day mandatory facility quarantine begins on arrival day.
Arrival: proceed to BAI quarantine station
Responsible: You + BAI quarantine officers
Requirements
Philippines entry requirements
Every item below must be in place before your pet can enter. We verify and track each one.
Microchip
Required (ISO 11784/11785). Must be implanted before rabies vaccination.
Rabies vaccination
Required. Valid vaccination with documented date and batch number. Minimum age 12 weeks at time of vaccination.
Rabies titre test
Required. FAVN or ELISA titre test at an OIE-approved laboratory. Blood drawn at least 30 days post-vaccination. Result must be 0.5 IU/ml or greater.
Quarantine
7-day facility quarantine on arrival at Bureau of Animal Industry quarantine station. Fee payable on arrival.
Import permit
Required. Apply to the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), Philippines. Submit at least 30 days before travel.
Health certificate
Required. Official veterinary certificate endorsed by Italian Ministry of Health.
Leaving Italy
Export requirements
Export permit
Not required
Health certificate
Official veterinary health certificate issued by an Italian government-authorised vet. Endorsed by the Italian Ministry of Health. Allow 10 days before departure.
Costs
What this route typically costs
Airline cargo fee (Rome Fiumicino or Milan Malpensa to Manila, typically EUR 600-1,800 depending on pet size)
IATA-approved travel crate (required for cargo)
Rabies titre test laboratory fee (EUR 80-150)
BAI import permit application fee
7-day quarantine facility fee (payable on arrival in Philippines)
Official veterinary health certificate and Ministry of Health endorsement
Pet transport agent fee (strongly recommended for this route)
Critical points
The 7-day quarantine on arrival is mandatory and cannot be waived. Factor this into your plans, your pet will not come home with you on arrival day.
Get the import permit well in advance. BAI can take several weeks to process applications.
Always verify current requirements with the Bureau of Animal Industry before finalising preparations.
Airlines
Approved carriers on this route
Airline
Notes
Type
Emirates
Cargo only. Pets fly as manifested cargo in a temperature-controlled hold. Routes via Dubai (DXB). Seasonal temperature embargoes apply during Gulf summer. Brachycephalic breeds accepted with restrictions. Book via Emirates SkyCargo.
Cargo Only
Qatar Airways
Cargo only via Doha (DOH). Qatar Airways Cargo handles all pets. Temperature restrictions apply. No brachycephalic breeds in cargo during summer. Convenient routing between Europe and Asia.
Cargo Only
Lufthansa
Small pets (under 8kg including carrier) in cabin on European legs. Cargo for Philippines sector via Frankfurt (FRA). Lufthansa Cargo operates temperature-controlled hold. Brachycephalic breeds restricted from cargo.
Cabin and Cargo
Cathay Pacific
Cargo only via Hong Kong (HKG). Well-regarded for long-haul pet cargo. Temperature-controlled hold throughout. Additional compliance checks at Hong Kong transfer. Brachycephalic breed restrictions apply.
Cargo Only
Singapore Airlines
Cargo only via Singapore (SIN). Strong reputation for animal welfare in cargo. Temperature-controlled pressurised hold. Brachycephalic restrictions apply. Singapore transfer requires compliance with AVS regulations for transit.
Cargo Only
KLM
Small pets in cabin to Amsterdam (AMS), then cargo connection to Manila (MNL). KLM Cargo for larger pets. Seasonal temperature restrictions. Brachycephalic breeds restricted from cargo.
Cabin and Cargo
Air France
Small pets in cabin within Europe. Cargo via Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) to Manila. Air France Cargo operates climate-controlled hold. Brachycephalic breed restrictions in cargo.
Cabin and Cargo
What Philippines requires
The requirements for Philippines are thorough rather than difficult. Work through them methodically and confirm anything you are unsure about with the official source.
Avoiding the common mistakes
Work backwards from your travel date and add a buffer. Fixed waiting periods mean a single slipped appointment can push the whole move back by weeks.
Check the airline’s crate size and labelling rules early. An undersized or wrongly labelled crate is a frequent reason pets are refused at check-in.
Ask about temperature embargoes for your travel window. Summer and winter cargo restrictions can rule out certain routes and dates entirely.
Book the titre test laboratory well ahead. Approved labs have limited slots and the sample takes time to process, so this is not something to leave to the final weeks.
FAQ
Common questions about this route
Yes. A 7-day mandatory facility quarantine applies to all pets entering the Philippines. Your animal will be held at a Bureau of Animal Industry quarantine station on arrival. The stay cannot be waived. Factor this into your arrival plans and ensure someone can collect your pet on day 8.
Allow at least 18 weeks from starting preparations to your travel date. The titre test has a mandatory 30-day waiting period after vaccination, and the BAI import permit can take several weeks to process. Starting earlier reduces stress considerably.
Yes. An FAVN or ELISA titre test at an OIE-approved laboratory is required. Blood must be drawn at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination. The result must be 0.5 IU/ml or greater. Keep the original laboratory report.
Emirates (via Dubai), Qatar Airways (via Doha), Singapore Airlines (via Singapore), Cathay Pacific (via Hong Kong), Lufthansa (via Frankfurt), and Air France (via Paris) all handle pet cargo on Italy-Philippines routes. No airline offers non-stop service, so your pet will connect through a hub.
Only on the European leg. Small pets may travel in-cabin as far as an intermediate hub (Frankfurt, Paris, Amsterdam, Dubai). The Manila sector requires cargo. Ask your airline whether an in-cabin/cargo split booking is available on your specific route.
Airline guides
Emirates
Qatar Airways
Lufthansa
Cathay Pacific
Singapore Airlines
KLM
Air France
Breed guides
Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.