International Pet Flight Services from India to France

Famed for its romantic beaches and monuments like the Eiffel tower, France is one of the world’s premier holiday destinations. Spend your days exploring the historical monuments on offer like the Arc de Triomphe or the famed Louvre Museum, or perhaps unwind with their delicious wine and food on offer while relaxing at one of its many beautiful beaches. If you’re someone who plans to relocate to France, you may be wondering how to import your pet with you. There are a few rules to keep in mind, however it is no hardship with the correct planning in advance. Let’s see how you can do this.

Requirements for your Pet Dog/Cat to be Imported into France

The following criteria need to be met in order to travel with your pet safely:

Pet Microchip

France requires all pets to be microchipped, regardless of whether they’re already within the country or being imported through a pet travel service. Your pet should be microchipped either before their rabies vaccination, or at the same time as it. India uses the same microchip as France for pets, the ISO 11784/11785 compliant, 15-digit pet microchip, so just remember to get the process done before you get your pet vaccinated against rabies.

Updated Vaccination Record

Your pet’s vaccination records should be up to date with the following:

• Pet’s date of birth
• Microchip number
• Date of installation of microchip
• Location of microchip on your pet’s body
• Vaccination date
• Vaccine manufacturer
• Product name (with the sticker)
• Vaccine batch number
• Manufacturing date of vaccine and expiration date as well
• Vet’s signature
• Contact details

Rabies Titer Test

A rabies titer test is a test which finds out if your pet has had a rabies vaccination and has adequate antibodies to defend against rabies. A Titer test is conducted 31 days after the rabies vaccination. This is one of the most important tests to conduct before your pet can be exported from on country and imported into another. Your pet must also wait 3 months from the day of the titer test before they can travel, so make sure your pooch is tested well in advance to avoid any hassle during transportation. The results of the blood test must show that the vaccination was successful (rabies antibody level of at least 0.5 IU/ml).

Health and International Pet Travel Export Certificate

An animal health certificate is issued by an authorized veterinarian, and can then be verified by the concerned authorities. The certificate has an alpha-numeric code, details of vaccination and history of treatment against ringworm. Such a certificate is valid ten days from the date of issue. Also, you will need a no objection certificate (NOC) from the Animal Quarantine and Certification Services in India before exporting your pet. You will have to call 7 days in advance to get an appointment and submit all necessary documents along with your pet 7 days before your flight to get an NOC.

Tapeworm Treatment for Dogs

Tapeworm treatment is necessary and treatment must contain praziquantel or an equivalent proven to be effective against the Echinococcus Multilocularis tapeworm. You must get this treatment done no more than 120 hours and no less than 24 hours before the scheduled time of entry in the country.

Pet Owner Passport, Air Ticket, Visa Copy

While traveling between countries means you should always have all your original documents, but when with your pet, make sure to have copies of all the necessary documents so there’s no rush if they are ever required by the authorities.

Pet Quarantine

Your pet may be put into quarantine or returned to the country of departure at the importer’s expense if they are not accompanied with correct documentation. France has a few conditions for pets entering from outside the EU, which are the microchip, anti-rabies vaccination, Titer test, and a health certificate from a vet. Make sure all these are in order and are on hand to present to the customs authorities.

Banned Breeds

France has breed-specific legislation on which breeds of dog are allowed inside the country. The following breeds are prohibited from entering the country: Staffordshire Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier (Pitbull) Mastiff (Boerbull), and Tosa. France considers these dogs “attack dogs” and does not permit their entry under any circumstance.

Pet Crate

Standard crate sizes should be used for your pet’s travel, with proper crate training provided to make your pet as comfortable as possible during travel. Paying attention to the prerequisites guarantees a safe and risk-free journey for your pet. Click here to learn everything you need to know about a pet crate and how to choose one.