Relocating Your Family to Cambodia
You’ll know that relocating to another country has its challenges and can be grey-hair inducing. Add an animal or two into the mix, and your anxiety levels could be through the roof. At PetAir, they understand that these furry animals are very much part of your family, and will help guide you through the process with ease. Remember it’s something that they do all day, every day. PetAir has fine-tuned their services to accommodate both you and your animals and take the stress out of travelling.
What is the process?
We firstly recommend that you give yourself ample time to ensure the smooth running of your relocation. Please start the process as soon as you have your relocation confirmed because it can take a few months. There can be unplanned setbacks or delays with vaccination requirements, animal illness or administration errors.
Recruit PetAir
The rules and regulations surrounding pet importation are often changing. You can breathe easily with PetAir. They have fully trained experts that understand the importance of your pets and the ever-changing landscape. They will make sure that your pets meet the import requirements. Each pet must be fully vaccinated and be at least three months old.
Banned breeds
The government has specific guidelines that you must follow. The criteria to import dogs are strict.
The following dogs appear on the restricted list:
- Bull Mastiff
- Bull Terrier
- Doberman
- German Shepherd (Alsatian) or Belgian Shepherd and East European Shepherd
- Perro de Presa Canario
- Rottweiler
Vaccinations
It’s essential to ensure that your pets have all of the relevant vaccinations within the stipulated times.
Dogs
- Leptospirosis
- Parvovirus (DHLPP)
- Hepatitis
- Parainfluenza
- Distemper
Cats
- Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis
- Calicivirus
- Panleukopenia (FVRCP)
All of these vaccinations should be administered no less than two weeks before your export date and must be valid.
Rabies Vaccine and Certificate
Cats and dogs must be vaccinated against rabies. Your veterinary surgeon will provide you with a certificate that states the microchip number, the validity of the vaccination, and the date of inoculation. Rabies vaccines are valid for one, two or three years. The vaccine must be the inactivated variety. The vaccine must be administered between 30 days and 12 months before your pet’s flight into Cambodia.
Rabies Neutralising Antibody Titer Test (RNAT) for Cats and Dogs
Once your pet has had their rabies vaccination, you will need to wait approximately four weeks before collecting a blood sample for the RNAT test. The test must meet the following requirements:
- A government-approved vet must scan the cat’s microchip and collect the blood sample for the RNAT testing in an approved country
- The microchip number must be recorded accurately on the blood tube and laboratory submission form
- The test is to be carried out by the competent authority approved laboratory in the country of export. It is possible to draw blood in one approved country and have it tested in another approved country
- The testing laboratory must use either a fluorescent antibody virus neutralisation (FAVN) test or a rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test (RFFIT)
- The laboratory report must be in English and written on the testing laboratory’s letterhead. It must include:
- the pet’s microchip number
- the blood sampling date and location
- the signature of the person issuing the laboratory report
- the test type and test result
Microchip
The authorities will only identify your pets with a microchip, and the corresponding vet stamped pet passport. A microchip is an integrated identification circuit placed under the skin of your pet. The rice grain size chip uses passive radio-frequency identification technology. It must be implanted before the rabies vaccination is administered. The Cambodian government accepts microchips that comply with AVID 9 or AVID 10 and ISO Standard 11784 or Annex A to ISO standard 11785.
Import Permit
PetAir can provide you with the necessary import permit that is required to allow your pets into Cambodia. Each of your pets will require this import permit from the Cambodia State Director or Director General of Veterinary Services. The team will provide you with the exact requirements for your country of origin. You will need to apply for an import permit two weeks prior to your arrival. The following information is required:
- Pets name, breed, sex, age and colour
- Arrival date
- Address
- Copies of your passport
- Health and vaccination certification
Veterinary Certification
You will need to send an official health certificate that states the name, age, description and microchip identification number of each pet within seven days of your flight. The microchip identification number is 15-digits long. Without this, the government will deny your pet entry into the country.
The Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that the certificate must also include the following information before export:
- The animal has been examined and found to be healthy and free from any clinical sign of rabies and infectious or contagious diseases
- The animal has been vaccinated against rabies using an approved anti-rabies vaccine
- The vaccination history and health status of your pet
- That your pet is healthy enough for air travel
Make at least four copies of the certification and vaccination records for the following:
- Airline
- Pet travel crate
- Transit permit (if necessary)
- One for you
Additional Information
There are no restrictions on the number of pets imported, but the local Cambodian authorities might have local regulations about the number of pets that can be kept in residential premises.
You are required to obtain all of the necessary permits that will allow you to import your pets into Cambodia. PetAir can also help you arrange the import permit on your behalf. Officers may not allow pets to enter the country if there are no import permits.
We hope that this reassures you, but should you need more specific advice, please let the helpful team at PetAir help, they are all delighted to help you.
