Getting a pet from United Kingdom to Paraguay is a step by step process, and each stage has its own timing. This route takes some organising, and roughly 8-12 weeks of preparation is about right. Compliant pets are not held in quarantine on …
In short:
Preparing to move a pet from United Kingdom to Paraguay
typically takes around 8-12 weeks.
There is no routine quarantine on arrival for compliant pets.
Regulations checked
Prepared and reviewed by Pet Transport Global Editorial Team
Step by step
The United Kingdom to Paraguay pet import process
Each step must be completed in a precise sequence. Start early. We manage every stage and deadline.
1
Confirm the animal has an ISO microchip and is up to date on rabies, and for dogs, distemper, parvovirus, hepatitis and leptospirosis cover.
Responsible: Your vet
Start of planning, at least 6-8 weeks before travel.
2
Check the current SENACSA companion animal entry requirements directly, since published English-language detail is limited and rules can shift.
Responsible: You or your pet transport agent
6-8 weeks before travel.
3
Book the Export Health Certificate appointment with an APHA Official Veterinarian for the correct EHC model.
Responsible: Official Veterinarian via APHA
3-4 weeks before travel.
4
Book cargo space London-Madrid-Asuncion, confirming the connection between the UK carrier and Air Europa's Asuncion leg.
Responsible: You or your cargo agent
3-4 weeks before travel.
5
Internal and external parasite treatment recorded ahead of travel, per SENACSA's pre-shipment window.
Responsible: Your vet
Within 14 days of departure.
6
OV signs and issues the EHC/CVI close to the travel date. Present this to the SENACSA inspector on arrival in Asuncion along with vaccination records.
Responsible: Official Veterinarian
Within days of travel, per the EHC's validity window.
Requirements
What your pet needs to enter Paraguay
Every item below must be in place before your pet can travel. We manage and verify each one.
Microchip
ISO 11784/11785 microchip required, matching the number recorded on the CVI presented at the port of entry.
Rabies vaccination
Current rabies vaccination required for dogs and cats. First-time vaccination needs a 21-day wait before the animal can travel. Dogs also need up-to-date distemper, parvovirus, infectious hepatitis and leptospirosis cover; cats need panleukopenia, rhinotracheitis and calicivirus cover. Source: SENACSA, viewed July 2026.
Rabies titre test
No titre test is required by SENACSA for companion animals entering Paraguay under the standard non-commercial route. Confirm this directly with SENACSA before travel, since requirements are not always published in English and can be updated without much notice.
Quarantine
No standard quarantine period is published for pets arriving with a complete, correctly endorsed CVI. The animal is inspected documentarily and clinically by a SENACSA vet at the port of entry rather than held for a fixed period.
Import permit
No separate import permit for non-commercial pet movement. SENACSA allows up to 5 companion dogs and cats per owner under the non-commercial category; a sixth animal or more is treated as a commercial import with its own process.
Health certificate
Certificado Veterinario Internacional (CVI) issued by the exporting country's competent authority, in this case APHA on behalf of a UK Official Veterinarian, presented to the SENACSA inspector on arrival along with vaccination records.
Costs
What this route typically costs
APHA Export Health Certificate and OV appointment: GBP 150-300
Vaccination top-ups if any are due: GBP 40-120
IATA-compliant travel crate: GBP 80-250 if one is not already owned
Cargo London-Madrid-Asuncion for a medium dog: typically USD 2,000-3,800, confirm with a current agent quote
Pet transport agent fee for a two-leg move: GBP 300-700
Critical points to read before you book
Paraguay bans the import of several breeds outright, including Pit Bull-type dogs, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Bully, Cane Corso, Boerboel and multiple mastiff varieties. Check the current SENACSA banned breed list against your dog's breed and any mix before booking anything.
SENACSA treats a sixth pet in one shipment as a commercial import, with a different, more involved process. If you are moving a multi-pet household, count carefully before you assume the standard non-commercial route applies.
SENACSA's own published English-language guidance is thin. Where this page states a requirement is not needed, such as a titre test, verify that directly with SENACSA or a Paraguay-based agent close to your travel date rather than relying solely on this page.
Airlines
Carriers approved for this route
Not all airlines accept live animals on this route. We know which carriers to use and how to book.
AIR EUROPA
Air Europa
Air Europa flies Madrid to Asuncion nonstop, the only nonstop link between Europe and Paraguay, several times a week on a Boeing 787. The practical routing from the UK is London to Madrid on British Airways, Iberia or Air Europa, then the Air Europa nonstop leg into Asuncion.
Cargo Only
BRITISH
British Airways
British Airways flies Heathrow to Madrid multiple times daily. IAG Cargo can hand the crate to Air Europa in Madrid for the onward Asuncion leg, avoiding a longer routing through Sao Paulo or Buenos Aires.
Cargo Only
IBERIA
Iberia
Iberia, part of the same IAG group as British Airways, also operates London-Madrid and works with the same cargo handling for the Madrid transfer. A useful alternative if British Airways cargo space is not available on the date needed.
Cargo Only
The rules for bringing a pet into Paraguay
Paraguay asks for several pieces of paperwork, and they all need to line up. A checklist and a clear timeline are your best tools here.
How to keep this move on track
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.
Microchip before you vaccinate. The microchip must be in place before the rabies shot for the vaccination to count, and getting this order wrong is the most common and costly mistake.
FAQ
Common questions about United Kingdom to Paraguay pet transport
SENACSA’s published companion animal entry rules do not set out a mandatory titre test for pets arriving from the UK, unlike the reverse direction, where GB requires one because Paraguay is unlisted. Confirm this directly with SENACSA or a Paraguay-based agent close to your travel date, since detailed English-language guidance is limited.
Yes. Paraguay bans the import of several breeds outright, including Pit Bull-type dogs, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Bully, Cane Corso, Boerboel and multiple mastiff varieties. This applies regardless of documentation and should be checked before any booking is made.
Up to 5 companion dogs and cats per owner under SENACSA’s non-commercial category. A sixth animal in the same move is treated as a commercial import, which follows a different process.
No. There is no nonstop UK-Paraguay flight. Air Europa’s Madrid-Asuncion service is the only nonstop link between Europe and Paraguay, so the standard routing is London to Madrid with British Airways or Iberia, connecting to the Air Europa flight into Asuncion.
Airline guides
Air Europa
British Airways
Iberia
Breed guides
Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.
Get a free, fully itemised quote for your United Kingdom to Paraguay pet move. Our specialists will map out the entire timeline and costs. No surprises.