Cat to Doha
Has anyone brought their cat with them to Doha? We are going to rent an apartment when we arrive in a couple of months and was just wondering what the general feel is about pets and landlords? Out of the question? Just wondering before we invest in a pretty sum to bring him to Qatar.
AGE/QUANTITY:
Dog/cat must be at least 10 weeks old. Limit one per kennel, unless under 6 months and of comparable size up to 9 kg each, then limit is two per kennel. Pup or kittens less than 4 months can travel in same kennel as mother.
The first sentence is incorrect. A puppy must be 16weeks or older to be admitted into Qatar.
moving from the UK, consider also the cost of taking the animal into back the UK.
We acquired a stray in Turkey and to date it is costing in the region of £2,500 to take it back with us inclusive of the quarantine charges..... and that's at the lower end of the scale.
I see you are from Oz and suspect that charges may be of a similar level.
Thanks everyone that's great information!
If you are getting a pet relocation company to apply for the import permit on your behalf (it must be done in person) all you will need to email them are:
- Copy of your ID card or passport
- Copy of the cat's vaccination record
- Full pet details (ages, gender, breed, colour etc)
A health certificate from your vet is no longer needed for an IMPORT permit but it may be needed by your airline or to apply for an export permit so check your country's requirements.
Great stuff. a QL er that offers constructive advice, not just badly written pithy comments that to the author appear funny.... and used to build up QL points. well done dutchbird!! happy 2011
We also brought our cat from the Netherlands to Qatar (and got a very lovely second cat from the QAWS shelter !). Our cat travelled with us as cargo and if I remember correctly we paid around 100-150 Euro for her transport. We arrived in the middle of the summer, so I was relieved that our plane landed in Doha in the evening, so there was less chance that our cat was exposed to the excessive heat.
We live in a compound and have no problems. We are not allowed to let the cats walk outside, but we have a small balcony and the cats are happy that they can sit outside and enjoy the sun.
Just make sure that you have the correct papers before you enter Qatar. The information I have provided below is based on our experiences 2 years ago, so I am not sure if it is still up to date. Anyway, you have to check the specific regulations with 2 different parties:
- the airline you are flying with
- the Qatar Authorities
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Qatar authorities
You have to obtain an import permit from the Ministry of Agriculture in Qatar (Department of Animal Resources). An application form for the permit can be obtained from the Ministry through a sponsoring employer. Note that the application will take some time and that you cannot start this process any earlier than 14 days before you travel.
You have to supply the following documents for the application:
- Filled out application form
- Copy of certificate of origin (birth certificate) - we supplied a copy of the cat’s European Pet Passport
- Recent copy of veterinary health certificate issued by the competent authority of the country of exportation (recent vaccination certificate) - this information is included in the European pet passport:
a. ‘Clinical examination’, the vet declares that the animal is in good health and able to withstand carriage to its destination; This declaration should be signed and dated by a government approved vet no earlier than 14 days prior to the date of the animal’s arrival in Qatar (we did not have the vet’s name and signature legalized by the Dutch authorities to indicate that it is a government approved vet, but this did not cause any problems);
b. ‘Vaccination against rabies’; The vaccination record should clearly show the vaccine sticker in which the batch no., dates of manufacture and expiry, and the name of the manufacturing company are mentioned (the sticker in our cat’s passport did not include a manufacture date, but this did not cause any problems). The rabies vaccination should be more than 30 days (and less than a year? or 2 years?) prior to the dispatch, otherwise the animal will not be allowed to enter Qatar
c. 'Yearly required vaccinations'; I am not sure if the Qatar authorities require this for the import permit, but we included a copy of this, just to be sure. Your vet will know what the yearly vaccinations are.
- Owner’s passport copy
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We received a copy of the import permit by email and took this with us(nobody asked for the original at the airport, they only had a look at the import permit and the pet passport).
Within 48 hours of arrival you have to register your pet at the Doha Veterinary Centre (DVC) on Al Mattar Road (open only in the mornings, until approx. 13.00 hrs?, closed on Friday).
From what I have understood, it is not required to have your pet micro chipped in Qatar. Our cat was already micro chipped though.
Dogs and cats less than 4 months old are not allowed to enter Qatar.
Larger and dangerous aggressive breeds of dogs require a ‘special’ permit from the Ministry of interior affairs. Some breeds are not allowed entry.
If you prefer, you can also use a pet relocator (e.g. www.qatarpetrelocators.com)
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Airline
The pet’s carriage should apply with IATA regulations (www.iata.org/whatwedo/cargo/live_animals/pets.htm)
Ask the specific airline you will be flying with about their requirements regarding travelling with pets.
We flew with KLM and their requirements for flying to Doha were as follows:
The pet must have a valid health certificate signed by a licensed veterinarian. This certificate must be issued between two and eight days prior to departure (so we had to get a health certificate twice; once for the import permit (no more than 14 days old) and once for the airline (between 2 and 8 days old)).
The pet must have a valid certificate stating that the animal has been vaccinated against rabies at least 21 days before departure. This certificate must be signed by a local veterinary service officer or other official. In our case this meant that we had to have the vaccination legalized by the Dutch authorities.
Pets travelling from/to the European Union must have an identification microchip or tattoo and an official EU Pet Passport issued by a licensed veterinarian.
The pet passport must contain the following details:
- Name and full address of the owner
- Description of the pet, such as the color of its fur
- Type of identification: microchip or tattoo
- The date and the brand of the vaccination against rabies
- Rabies serological test (not necessary for Qatar)
- Tick treatment (not necessary for Qatar)
- Echinococcus treatment (not necessary for Qatar)
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KLM tips on how to prepare your pet:
- Secure a label to the side of the kennel stating the animal’s name and feeding instructions.
- Allow five days for your pet to get used to its kennel before the flight.
- Do not allow your pet to drink for 4 hours before departure.
- Do not feed your pet for 12 hours before departure.
- We strongly advise you not to tranquillize your pet. It will take longer to get accustomed to its new surroundings and its temperature may drop during the flight.
- Below is our Pet Checklist, which must be completed by a KLM agent at check-in. Please make sure you can meet all its requirements.
KENNEL:
Dog/cat must be able to stand with head fully erect (without touching the roof), turn around, and lie down comfortably. For snub-nosed dogs, one kennel size bigger than usual is required to prevent breathing problems. Kennel must be made of rigid plastic with a built-in metal door. (Wooden kennels and kennels with plastic doors are not permitted.)
AGE/QUANTITY:
Dog/cat must be at least 10 weeks old. Limit one per kennel, unless under 6 months and of comparable size up to 9 kg each, then limit is two per kennel. Pup or kittens less than 4 months can travel in same kennel as mother.
DOCUMENTS:
Copies of pet passport/health certificate must be attached to the kennel. Therefore, please bring photo copies of the health certificate with you when you check-in.
PHYSICAL CONDITION:
Pet must not appear to be physically distressed, injured or over tranquillized.
DISHES:
Kennel must have two empty dishes attached or a single dish with two compartments for food and water, accessible without opening kennel door.
ABSORBENT MATERIAL:
Kennel must have blanket, newspaper or other absorbent material on floor. Straw is prohibited.
STICKERS:
Kennel must have at least one ‘Live Animal’ sticker and two ‘Arrow Up’ stickers.
PASSENGER NAME TAG:
Passenger's name, address, and phone contact must be completed and attached.
LEASH/MUZZLE:
Pet must not have a leash or muzzle on or left in kennel.
LOCK:
Door lock on kennel must be secure, but no padlocks. Door hinges and locking pins must extend beyond the horizontal extrusions above and below the opening by at least 1.6 cm (5/8 inch).
WHEELS:
Wheels must be locked, taped or removed.
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Other useful information and websites
Travelling with a pet:
IATA: www.iata.org/whatwedo/cargo/live_animals/pets.htm
Qatar Pet Relocators: www.qatarpetrelocators.com
Pet supplies:
Most of the Veterinary clinics carry accessories and food supplies for pets.
You can find pet food and a few basic accessories in most of the big super markets like The Centre, Carrefour, Family Food and Megamart.
Animal Kingdom at Al Mirqab Street and Daiso in Hyatt Plaza also have some pet supplies.
Kennels and Cattery:
Pampered Pets Kennels and Cattery: www.ppkdoha.net
Paws and Claws Kennels and Cattery: see website Qatar pet relocators
The Veterinary Surgery: www.dohavets.com
Veterinary Clinics in Doha:
Qatar Veterinary Centre: www.qatarvet.com
The Veterinary Surgery: www.dohavets.com
Others:
Qatar Animal Welfare Society: www.qaws.org
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I hope that this is of any help. Good luck with taking your cat!
Bring him with you :)
The only thing you need to consider is where you will be staying when you first arrive whilst your are looking for an apartment as you may have to pay boarding for him until you move into your own place.
Depending on where you are coming from, bring your cat as accompanied baggage as it is the easiest and cheapest way to do it.
Contact Qatar Pet Relocators for help with obtaining the right paperwork.
I guess in general the landlord really don't care about you having a cat in the house. For the most part you never get to see the landlord to start of with!
As for cats in Doha, there are sooooo many homeless cats here , you can find one or more cats living in trash cans out side your house . They have a real cat "problem" here . Cats are everywhere here !
Just pick a poor skinny kitten of the streets of Doha and give it a home :)