Pet Transport from the United Arab Emirates to Zambia
If you are relocating a pet from United Arab Emirates to Zambia, the process is manageable once you know the sequence. Allow around 5-9 weeks and follow the steps in order to stay on track.
Use the …
In short:
Preparing to move a pet from United Arab Emirates to Zambia
typically takes around 5-9 weeks.
Regulations checked
Prepared and reviewed by Pet Transport Global Editorial Team
Step by step
The United Arab Emirates to Zambia import process
01
As early as possible; no online system exists, so this step is the longest lead time on the route.
Apply to Zambia's Department of Veterinary Services in Lusaka for the import permit before requesting the MOCCAE export certificate.
Responsible: Owner or Zambia-based receiving contact
02
Before the MOCCAE certificate is requested.
Confirm rabies vaccination timing falls between 30 days and 12 months before the Zambia entry date, giving a booster if needed.
Responsible: UAE vet
03
Before travel.
Update core vaccinations: distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis and parvovirus for dogs; feline viral rhinotracheitis, panleukopenia and feline leukaemia for cats.
Responsible: UAE vet
04
Only once the Zambian import permit is in hand, since the certificate is valid just 30 days from issue.
Request the MOCCAE export/re-export health certificate online, or via Dubai Municipality or ADAFSA depending on the emirate.
Responsible: Owner, via MOCCAE, Dubai Municipality, or ADAFSA
05
Day of departure.
Final in-person inspection by a government vet at the airport.
Responsible: MOCCAE-appointed vet
06
Once the export certificate is issued and dated within its 30-day window.
Emirates SkyCargo booking confirmed for the direct Dubai-Lusaka service.
Responsible: Owner / cargo agent
07
On arrival.
On arrival at Kenneth Kaunda International, notify the nearest Zambian Veterinary Officer for inspection.
Responsible: Importer
Requirements
Zambia entry requirements
Every item below must be in place before your pet can enter. We verify and track each one.
Microchip
15-digit ISO 11784, or Annex A of ISO 11785, compliant microchip required. Source: PetTravel.com, 'Zambia Pet Import Requirements,' citing Zambian import guidance, 2026.
Rabies vaccination
Dogs and cats over 3 months old need a rabies vaccination given between 30 days and 12 months before entering Zambia. Dogs also need distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis and parvovirus vaccinations; cats need protection against feline viral rhinotracheitis, panleukopenia and feline leukaemia. Source: PetTravel.com, 2026.
Rabies titre test
Not mandated by Zambia's own import rules. Worth keeping a valid titre result on file regardless, in case a connecting country or airline along the route asks for one.
Quarantine
Waived for pets meeting the documentation and vaccination requirements. Non-compliant animals face quarantine, return to origin, or destruction, at the importer's cost. Source: PetTravel.com, 2026.
Import permit
Veterinary Permit required in advance from the Department of Veterinary Services (Department of Research & Specialist Services) in Lusaka. No published online application; apply directly and allow real lead time, since correspondence is typically by post or email rather than an instant online system. Source: Embassy of the Republic of Zambia, Washington D.C., 'Procedures for Importation of Livestock and Pets into Zambia,' zambiaembassy.org, accessed 2026.
Health certificate
Health certificate from the exporting country's official vet, prepared using the Zambian import permit as the guide, must accompany the pet. The importer must notify the nearest Zambian Veterinary Officer on arrival for inspection. Source: Embassy of the Republic of Zambia, 2026.
Leaving United Arab Emirates
Export requirements
Export permit
MOCCAE veterinary export/re-export health certificate required for every pet leaving the UAE, regardless of destination or mode of transport, valid 30 days from the date of issuance. Applied for online via the MOCCAE portal, or through Dubai Municipality's Veterinary Services Section for Dubai-based pets, or ADAFSA (Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority) for Abu Dhabi-based pets, each running a separate system with its own turnaround. Source: MOCCAE, 'Request for a veterinary health certificate for exporting or re-exporting live animals,' moccae.gov.ae, 2026.
Veterinary inspection
A final in-person inspection by a government veterinarian at the airport is required on the day of departure, in addition to the earlier clinical examination.
Government endorsement
The certificate must be prepared to match the destination country's stated import requirements; for Zambia, that means matching the format expected by the Department of Veterinary Services rather than a generic template.
Health certificate
MOCCAE export/re-export health certificate, valid 30 days from issue, confirming vaccination status, microchip and general fitness to travel.
Costs
What this route typically costs
MOCCAE export/re-export health certificate: fee varies by emirate. Dubai Municipality and ADAFSA run separate tariffs, typically AED 200-500
UAE vet visits and any booster vaccinations: AED 300-800
Zambia import permit from the Department of Veterinary Services: fee not published; apply directly and allow for correspondence time
IATA-compliant travel crate: AED 300-1,000
Emirates SkyCargo Dubai-Lusaka, direct: USD 900-2,200 depending on crate size and season
Critical points
Sort the Zambian import permit before requesting the MOCCAE export certificate. The certificate expires in 30 days and Zambia's permit process, run by direct correspondence rather than an online system, can easily take weeks.
Zambia's Department of Veterinary Services doesn't publish a fee schedule or an online application, so build in genuine lead time for postal or email correspondence with Mulungushi House.
Confirm which UAE authority applies before starting, Dubai Municipality or ADAFSA in Abu Dhabi, since the two run separate systems with different turnaround times.
No nonstop flight exists from Abu Dhabi to Lusaka. Dubai's direct Emirates service is the more reliable choice if the departure emirate isn't fixed yet.
Airlines
Approved carriers on this route
Airline
Notes
Type
Emirates
Flies Dubai (DXB) to Lusaka (LUN) nonstop as EK713/EK714, around 7 hours 10 minutes, on a Boeing 777. Emirates SkyCargo carries all pets as manifested cargo, with brachycephalic breeds accepted under extra conditions and subject to seasonal heat embargoes.
Cargo Only
Etihad Airways
No nonstop Abu Dhabi-Lusaka service; connecting routings run to roughly 10 hours 40 minutes, longer than flying direct out of Dubai.
Cargo Only
Kenya Airways
Connecting cargo option via Nairobi (NBO) for pets departing the UAE, useful if the Emirates direct flight can't take the booking on the required dates. Live animals travel as cargo only.
Cargo Only
How Zambia handles incoming pets
Zambia has a clear set of import requirements that are manageable with some planning. Follow them in order and keep an eye on the dates that cannot move.
What experienced owners do
Get your pet used to the travel crate weeks in advance. A calm, crate-familiar animal travels far better than one meeting the crate for the first time at the airport.
Confirm live animal acceptance on every flight segment before booking. Not all aircraft or connections take pets, and cargo terms can differ leg to leg.
Keep every original document together and take copies. Border officials want originals, and a missing signature or date can hold up clearance.
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.
FAQ
Common questions about this route
Apply for Zambia’s import permit from the Department of Veterinary Services in Lusaka before requesting the MOCCAE export certificate. The certificate is only valid 30 days, and Zambia’s permit process has no online system, so it needs to be started first.
MOCCAE issues the underlying export/re-export health certificate, but the application runs through Dubai Municipality’s Veterinary Services Section for Dubai-based pets or ADAFSA for Abu Dhabi-based pets, each with its own system and turnaround. Source: MOCCAE, moccae.gov.ae, 2026.
Yes, from Dubai. Emirates flies Dubai to Lusaka nonstop as EK713/EK714, roughly 7 hours 10 minutes. Abu Dhabi has no nonstop equivalent; an Etihad routing needs a connection and takes around 10 hours 40 minutes in total.
Not for a pet that meets the documentation and vaccination requirements. Quarantine, return to origin, or destruction only applies to non-compliant animals, and the cost falls on the importer. Source: PetTravel.com, citing Zambian import guidance, 2026.
Airline guides
Emirates
Etihad Airways
Kenya Airways
Breed guides
Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.