Moving Pets to Mauritius: Permits, Rabies Tests and Quarantine
Moving pets to Mauritius starts with an import permit from the Division of Veterinary Services, which charges Rs 500 per animal plus a Rs 500 veterinary clearance fee. The Mauritius Revenue Authority says dogs and cats must come as manifested cargo, not in the cabin or as baggage, and the Division’s leaflet has them quarantined at Réduit for at least five working days or at least a month, depending on the country of origin. Undated copies of the ministry’s guidelines put the rabies blood test months before the flight, so confirm the dates with the Division before you book.
This covers dogs and cats, in the order things happen: permit, vet work, a timeline, the flight, quarantine, breed limits and costs. The Division’s leaflet is short and undated, so the lead time, test windows and breed lists below come from undated copies of the ministry’s guidelines that we did not find on any government page. We call them the guideline copies; confirm anything resting on them with the Division before you book. Where sources differ, we show each version and say whose it is.
Start with the import permit
The permit comes from the Division of Veterinary Services at Réduit, which Air Mauritius’s page calls the Livestock and Veterinary Division. Pet dogs and cats may be imported under the Animal Diseases Act on conditions the Division sets, and the permit is compulsory.
The leaflet lists what the application form must carry: species, age or date of birth, sex, breed, colour, coat type and markings, microchip number and expected arrival date. The guideline copies ask for a separate form for each animal and add a letter to the Principal Veterinary Officer (expatriates attach a residence or occupation permit), a copy of the vaccination book, a sterilisation certificate unless the animal is for breeding, the owner’s passport or ID, and a letter of authority if someone applies for you. Confirm the list with the Division before you book.
According to the leaflet, the permit is issued on four conditions:
- proof, as originals or certified true copies, that every condition on the permit’s specimen copy has been met;
- a free kennel or cattery place at the quarantine station;
- payment of the Rs 500 import fee per animal and the Rs 500 veterinary clearance fee;
- for cargo, the contact details of a local broker.
The specimen copy, which sets what your vet must do, is not online; the leaflet says it is available on demand at the Division. The Division’s veterinary services page offers the leaflet as the pet application form and links an undated one-page import permit form for live animals and birds. We found no form made for pets alone, so ask which one to use. The guideline copies say to apply for and obtain the permit 45 days before departure, so confirm that lead time with the Division before you book. No source says how long a permit stays valid or how long the Division takes to issue one. A permit not used within its specified period is cancelled and a fresh one means paying the fees again, and the Division can cancel without compensation if disease breaks out, or is suspected, in the country of export.
The Division’s own page lists the numbers (230) 454 1016, 454 1017 and 466 6662 and the address moa-dvs@govmu.org. The leaflet shows moa-dvs@mail.govmu.org. If one bounces, try the other.
Ask for the specimen copy first: take it to your vet at the first appointment. The vet’s work has to match its conditions, and the health certificate must carry the permit’s number and date.
Rabies blood test, microchip and other vet work
No source gives a date for implanting the microchip. On the guideline copies, the vet scans it when the blood is drawn and its number goes on the lab report, so it has to be in before then.
The guideline copies give the order: rabies vaccination, a wait of four weeks, then a blood sample for the rabies neutralising antibody titre (RNAT), taken by an approved vet in an approved country. The lab must use the FAVN or RFFIT method, be approved by the exporting country’s government vets or be an OIE (now WOAH) reference laboratory for rabies, and issue an English report on its letterhead showing the chip number, sampling date and result, with a copy to the Division. A result of 0.5 IU/ml or more passes; anything lower means another vaccination and a repeat.
The test must fall between 3 and 12 months before shipment, and the same copies require a wait of at least 3 months after it, counting the sampling day. We read that as one three-month rule stated twice, not two periods that stack; the Division can confirm which. The alternative to the blood test is six months in an approved quarantine station in the exporting country, under its veterinary authority.
The dog copy adds two tests that the cat copy does not list: Ehrlichia canis (an indirect fluorescent antibody test, negative at 1:40, within 45 days before departure) and Brucella canis (an agglutination test, negative). Dog vaccines cover distemper (hard pad), infectious hepatitis, leptospirosis and canine parvovirus, given at least two weeks before despatch, with make, batch, expiry and date on the certificate. Cats need feline enteritis, rhinotracheitis and calicivirus cover, given 14 days to 12 months before export.
The international health certificate comes last. The leaflet has the exporting country’s official veterinary services issue it, with the permit’s date and number on it. The guideline copies add that the competent authority endorses every test report and that the animal showed no clinical signs of rabies or other infectious disease the day before shipment or on the day. Air Mauritius adds that a certificate from an ordinary clinic does not satisfy a government veterinary inspection.
The timeline, counting back from the flight
Nothing official sets these steps against a calendar, so the table is ours, built from the leaflet and the guideline copies. The dates in your permit overrule it, so confirm them with the Division before you book.
| When | What happens | Whose figure |
|---|---|---|
| Before you book | Ask the Division for the specimen permit and application form. | Leaflet |
| About 4 months before | Latest sensible rabies vaccination: four weeks to the blood sample, then 3 months to the flight. | Ours, from the guideline copies |
| 12 to 3 months before | Window for the blood sample, with the chip scanned. The alternative is six months in approved quarantine abroad. | Guideline copies |
| 45 days before | Latest point to have applied for and obtained the permit. For dogs, the Ehrlichia canis test must be dated within these 45 days. | Guideline copies |
| 14 days before | Dogs: last vaccinations given by now. Cats: vaccines given between 14 days and 12 months before export. | Guideline copies |
| Day before or day of the flight | No clinical signs of disease allowed. Certificate carries the permit’s number and date. | Guideline copies; leaflet |
| 4 days before landing | Email the flight number and arrival time. The leaflet says 3 days, by fax or phone. | Guideline copies; leaflet |
| Landing day | Broker clears customs and a veterinary officer examines the animal. | Leaflet |
| After landing | Quarantine at Réduit, then collection. | Leaflet |
The guideline copies say a result below 0.5 IU/ml restarts the sequence (re-vaccinate, wait four weeks, sample again), so leave slack.
The US Department of Agriculture’s export form for dogs leaving the United States uses different windows: a sample taken more than 30 days and less than 12 months after the latest rabies vaccination, and one to six months before export. We could not tell which version the Division applies. Work to the dates in your permit.
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Flying in: as cargo, with a broker
The Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA) says every live animal must be registered as manifested cargo, and that bringing pets as accompanied baggage or in the cabin is strictly prohibited. The page ties the rule to Covid-19 but still carries it, and the guideline copies repeat it. We could not confirm it still applies, so ask the Division. Air Mauritius says pets cannot fly in the cabin and travel in the hold of most of its aircraft. Its page also describes pets as checked baggage, but that applies to flights leaving Mauritius.
Air Mauritius’s page says pet cargo is booked through its cargo office or a freight forwarder, that the price rests on the combined weight of pet, container and food, and that the container must meet IATA standards, which the leaflet also requires. On a route with a stop, it adds, transit permits have to be in order as well.
The permit conditions ask for a local broker’s contact details for cargo, and you or the broker must be at the airport when the animal lands, to deal with customs. With nobody there, the leaflet says the animal risks being put back on the plane at your cost or put to sleep one hour after landing; the guideline copies mention only the return flight.
No source we found names the airport or entry point where animals may land; confirm it when the permit is issued. The MRA says there is no customs duty on a dog or cat, though VAT may be payable at 15%, on top of the separate Veterinary Services clearance. Furniture and boxes follow other customs rules, covered in our guide to shipping your belongings to Mauritius.
Landing and quarantine at Réduit
A veterinary officer examines the animal on arrival and allows landing once it is found healthy. If the export certificate does not conform to the permit, the leaflet says landing is refused and the animal is returned at the importer’s expense or otherwise put to sleep, so check the certificate against the permit line by line before the flight.
Quarantine is where the sources disagree most.
| Source | Stay it gives |
|---|---|
| Division leaflet (undated) | At least five working days or at least one month, by country of origin |
| Guideline copies (undated) | Five days or one month, by the rabies status of the exporting country when the permit is issued |
| Air Mauritius (page marked 2024) | Five days, extendable to 30, by country of origin |
| MRA import restrictions page | One month before release |
| Division main page (footer 2024) | Three months, which no other source repeats |
No official page says which countries get the shorter stay. Our reading, and it is only that, is that a country with rabies gets the longer one. We found no ruling for South Africa or the UK, so plan and budget for a month until the Division confirms your case in writing.
The kennel or cattery costs Rs 15 a day per animal. Ask early whether space is open for your dates, because a free place is itself a condition of the permit. The leaflet has the station feed your animal at Rs 25 a day if you do not supply food; the guideline copies say owners bring the food, and litter for cats. Visiting runs Monday to Saturday from 9.00 to 11.00 a.m. and 1.00 to 2.30 p.m., and on Sundays and public holidays from 9.00 a.m. (the closing time is printed as 12.00 a.m.; confirm it with the station). The guideline copies say the owner or someone authorised in writing collects the animal, and Air Mauritius says to give the authorities the pick-up person’s details.
Breed bans and other limits
The Division’s leaflet names no breeds. The guideline copy for dogs lists nine that are not allowed in: American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Terrier, Blue Nose Pit Bull, Red Nose Pit Bull, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro and Boerboel. The last matters to South African owners. The US form lists eight of the nine, without the Red Nose Pit Bull.
The same copy adds an 18-breed list of dangerous dogs from the Animal Welfare Act 2013 and says only pure breeds from that list may be imported. Nine are the banned breeds above; the other nine are Alaskan Malamute, Bull Mastiff, Cane Corso, Dobermann, Kangal, Mastino Napoletano, Presa Canario, Rhodesian Ridgeback and Rottweiler. We read that as nine banned outright and nine allowed only if pure-bred, but the wording does not spell it out or say how crossbreeds are treated. Ask the Division in writing before paying for any tests.
The guideline copies ask breeding animals for a pedigree certificate and, for dogs, a breeder’s licence registered by the Animal Welfare Unit. Other species have lines in the Division’s fee table, but the guidelines we found cover dogs and cats only.
What the government charges
| Charge | Amount | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Import permit, dog or cat | Rs 500 | Per animal |
| Veterinary clearance fee | Rs 500 | The leaflet pairs it with the permit; the fee table says per landing, so ask if two animals landing together pay once |
| Kennel or cattery at Réduit | Rs 15 | Per animal per day |
| Food from the station | Rs 25 | Per animal per day, if you do not provide food |
| Customs duty | None | MRA traveller FAQ |
| VAT | May be payable at 15% | MRA traveller FAQ, which does not say what value it applies to |
Our own sum for one animal in a 30-day stay is Rs 500 for the permit, Rs 500 for clearance and Rs 450 for the kennel (30 days at Rs 15), which makes Rs 1,450. If the station feeds the animal for those 30 days at Rs 25, add Rs 750 for a total of Rs 2,200. Both figures are before any VAT, and both are ours, not the Division’s.
Vet work, lab fees, the container, air cargo and the broker are priced privately, so we give no figure. For the other one-off bills in a move, see our cost of moving to Mauritius page.
Frequently asked questions
Can my dog or cat fly to Mauritius in the cabin?
Not under the rules we found. The Mauritius Revenue Authority says live animals must come as manifested cargo and bars pets as accompanied baggage or in the cabin, and Air Mauritius says pets cannot fly in the cabin. Ask the Division whether the cargo rule still applies before you book.
How long is quarantine for a pet in Mauritius?
The Division’s leaflet says at least five working days or at least a month at Réduit, depending on the country of origin. Air Mauritius gives five days, extendable to 30, and the MRA says one month. No official list shows which countries get the shorter stay, so plan for a month.
How much does a pet import permit cost in Mauritius?
Rs 500 per animal for the permit and a Rs 500 veterinary clearance fee. Quarantine at Réduit is Rs 15 a day per animal, and Rs 25 a day for food if the station feeds your pet. Vet work, tests, air cargo and the broker are priced privately.
Are any dog breeds banned in Mauritius?
An undated copy of the ministry’s guidelines, not found on any government page, lists nine banned breeds, including the American Pit Bull Terrier, Dogo Argentino and Boerboel, and a further list where only pure-bred dogs may be imported. The Division’s leaflet names none, so ask in writing before you pay for tests.
Sources, checked 28 October 2026
The first five are Mauritian government pages and the sixth is Air Mauritius’s own. The last three are not: two are undated copies of the ministry’s guidelines that we did not find on any government page, so they are listed by title with no link, and one is the US export form. They carry the dates, tests and breed lists the Mauritian pages leave out, so the permit overrules them and the Division should confirm them before you book.
- Importation of pet animals (Division of Veterinary Services, Mauritius): the permit conditions, Rs 500 permit and clearance fees, kennel and food rates, visiting hours, arrival notice, quarantine wording and landing rules (undated).
- Division of Veterinary Services (Ministry of Agro-Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy and Fisheries): contact numbers, the fee table and the three-month quarantine line (page footer 2024).
- Veterinary services (Ministry of Agro-Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy and Fisheries): that pet imports are allowed under the Animal Diseases Act, plus its links to the leaflet, to a one-page application form for live animals and birds and to notes for dog breeders.
- Import restrictions, domestic pets (Mauritius Revenue Authority): the permit requirement, the manifested-cargo rule and the one-month quarantine line.
- FAQs by travellers (Mauritius Revenue Authority): no customs duty on a dog or cat, VAT possibly 15%, and the separate Veterinary Services clearance.
- Travelling with pets (Air Mauritius): hold-only carriage, how cargo is booked, IATA rules, weight-based pricing, transit permits, the pick-up person’s details and quarantine of 5 days extendable to 30.
- Guidelines for import of dogs into Mauritius (undated copy of the ministry’s guidelines, not found on a government page, so no link): the 45-day lead time, document list, rabies titre rules, dog-only tests, vaccines and breed lists.
- Guidelines for import of cats into Mauritius (undated copy of the ministry’s guidelines, not found on a government page, so no link): the same permit steps for cats and their vaccine window.
- Veterinary certificate for dogs and cats exported to Mauritius (US Department of Agriculture, APHIS): the American form’s different titre windows and its eight-breed list.
General information only, not immigration, tax, legal or financial advice. Mauritius often changes these rules in its June Budget, so check the official pages above and speak to a qualified professional before you act.