Pet travel route
Dog or cat from China to Israel: official requirements
Possible. With nothing done yet, start at least 5 weeks ahead for a dog. The main steps: ISO microchip, before the rabies vaccination, rabies vaccination at least 30 days before arrival and most recent rabies shot no more than a year before arrival and 6 more.
Rules checked up to 13 October 2026From 10 official pages
In short
- Dogs and cats differ on this route: choose Dog or Cat to see just yours.
- On this route: rabies blood test needed, official stamp on the certificate, tell the authority in advance and arrive at a set entry point.
Limited official guidance. The authority for leaving China publishes little for this route. Everything it does say is here, with its wording. This is Shanghai Customs' procedure, as published on the Shanghai government's English portal (guide of September 2025 and answers from 2026). China's customs sites block automated readers and the national online service needs a login, so we could not read customs' own national guidance. Other cities' customs offices may use other inspection sites, documents and lead times, and the 10–14 and 7–10 day timings are Shanghai Customs' recommendations, not fixed rules. Check with the customs office where you live (hotline 12360) before you travel.
Limited official guidance. The authority for entering Israel publishes little for this route. Everything it does say is here, with its wording. Israel's Veterinary Services publish their current information sheet on gov.il, which blocks automated readers with a security check, so we couldn't read it. These rules come from the Veterinary Services' own earlier information sheet and model certificate (requirements in force from May 2010), their forms and their letter of June 2020 that is still in force, and the certificate and guidance the US agreed with Israel. The current sheet may differ in details, for example which countries count as rabies-free and how long a rabies vaccination may be before arrival. Check the current sheet on the Veterinary Services' website, or write to the import-export unit (vs-ie@moag.gov.il), before you travel.
At a glance
How early to start (dogs)
5 weeks
if your pet has no microchip or rabies vaccination yet
Set by: Rabies blood test (at least 0.5 IU/ml), more than 30 days after the vaccination (result shown on the health certificate)
10 days
if it is already microchipped and vaccinated
Set by: Apply online to customs ("Internet + Customs"): Shanghai Customs recommends 10 to 14 days before departure (Shanghai Customs recommends applying 10 to 14 days before departure)
The least time the official waiting periods allow. Vet, lab and paperwork appointments come on top.
On this route (dogs)
- Rabies blood test needed
- Official stamp on the certificate
- Tell the authority in advance
- Arrive at a set entry point
Part of this route is still under review, so we don’t say what it doesn’t need.
How early to start (cats)
5 weeks
if your pet has no microchip or rabies vaccination yet
Set by: Rabies blood test (at least 0.5 IU/ml), more than 30 days after the vaccination (result shown on the health certificate)
10 days
if it is already microchipped and vaccinated
Set by: Apply online to customs ("Internet + Customs"): Shanghai Customs recommends 10 to 14 days before departure (Shanghai Customs recommends applying 10 to 14 days before departure)
The least time the official waiting periods allow. Vet, lab and paperwork appointments come on top.
On this route (cats)
- Rabies blood test needed
- Official stamp on the certificate
- Tell the authority in advance
- Arrive at a set entry point
Part of this route is still under review, so we don’t say what it doesn’t need.
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China → Israel
What your pet needs
In the order you do them. Each step says whether China (leaving) or Israel (entering) asks for it.
Dogs
Bringing a dog or cat into Israel: we summarised this from a short or older official page and it is still under review, so it may be incomplete.
Taking a dog or cat out of China (customs Animal Health Certificate): we summarised this from a short or older official page and it is still under review, so it may be incomplete.
Get ready
Age ruleEntering Israel
At least 4 months old on arrival
Your dog or cat must be at least 4 months old when it arrives in Israel. (Pets from countries Israel treats as rabies-free may come from 3 months old: see the note on rabies-free countries.)
Details and the official words
“The dog/cat shall be no less than 4 months of age upon arrival in Israel”
“Dogs and cats shall be no less than 4 months of age upon arrival in Israel.”
IdentificationEntering Israel
ISO microchip, before the rabies vaccination
Your pet needs an ISO 11784/11785 microchip (134.2 kHz), implanted before or on the same day as the rabies vaccination recorded on the health certificate. If the chip isn't ISO-compliant, bring your own reader.
Details and the official words
“All dogs and cats must be tagged with a subcutaneous electronic chip that transmits on a frequency of 134.2 kilohertz and can be read with a chip reader that conforms to the provisions of the ISO Standard No. 11784 or of Annex A of ISO Standard 11785.”
“If the chip does not conform to these standards, the importer or the importer's representative is required to be in possession of another means to read it.”
“Please note that the pet's microchip must be implanted before or on the same date as the rabies vaccination documented on the health certificate.”
“the microchip was implanted prior to, or on the same day as, the most recent rabies vaccination”
VaccinationEntering Israel
Rabies vaccination at least 30 days before arrival
Your pet must be vaccinated against rabies and the vaccination must still be valid on arrival. After a first vaccination (or a booster given after the previous one had run out), wait at least 30 days before arriving in Israel. A booster given while the previous vaccination was still valid needs no wait.
Details and the official words
“They have been vaccinated against rabies no more than one year and no less than 30 days prior to their arrival in Israel”
“If primary vaccination is needed, or if booster does not occur during the period of validity of the previous vaccination, this booster should be considered a primary vaccination, and animals are required to wait at least 30 days prior to importation.”
“there is no waiting period before the importation of the animals”
VaccinationEntering Israel
Most recent rabies shot no more than a year before arrival
Israel's earlier information sheet asks for a rabies vaccination given no more than one year before your pet arrives. If your pet's most recent shot will be older than that on arrival day, give a booster before you leave (while the current one is still valid, so no new wait applies).
The official wording is ambiguous. Confirm this point with the authority.
Details and the official words
The certificate the US agreed with Israel only asks that the pet is current on its rabies vaccination, so we don't apply this to pets from the US. Israel's current sheet may accept the vaccine maker's validity period instead of one year: ask the Veterinary Services.
Add the date of your pet's most recent rabies shot to check this.
“They have been vaccinated against rabies no more than one year and no less than 30 days prior to their arrival in Israel”
“All pets listed on this certificate are current on rabies vaccinations.”
Blood testEntering Israel
Rabies blood test (at least 0.5 IU/ml), more than 30 days after the vaccination
A vet takes a blood sample more than 30 days after the first rabies vaccination, and a laboratory approved by WOAH (formerly OIE) must find at least 0.5 IU/ml. The result stays valid for your pet's life as long as its rabies vaccinations are kept up to date without a gap. There is no wait after the test, but the result must be ready before the health certificate is issued, so leave time for the laboratory.
Details and the official words
“Not less than 30 days after the rabies vaccination, A serological test for the animal, carried out on a sample taken by an approved veterinarian and tested in an OIE-approved laboratory, which states that the rabies neutralizing antibody titer was equal to or greater than 0,5 IU/ml.”
“The sample referred to in Part V must have been taken more than 1 month after the rabies vaccination”
“The sample must be taken more than 30 days after the primary rabies vaccination, and the laboratory results are valid for the life of the animal, as long as the dog/cat remains current on rabies vaccinations”
In the days before you travel
Vet examLeaving China
On-site health check by customs: Shanghai Customs recommends 7 to 10 days before travel
At the appointed time, bring your pet and all original documents (passport, dog licence, vaccination booklet, antibody test report) to the customs inspection site: in Shanghai, Huangpu Customs' Sanmen Road office (No 617 Sanmen Road, Baoshan district). Customs checks that your pet matches your application and examines its health.
Details and the official words
“Every pet must undergo a health check.”
“In Shanghai, this inspection takes place at the Sanmen Road Customs Office”
“Attend the quarantine check: Bring your passport, dog license, vaccination booklet, antibody test report and your pet to the Sanmen Road Customs Office at the appointed time.”
“Customs officers will confirm that the pet matches the submitted records and check its overall health.”
PaperworkChina and Israel
Official health certificate, issued no more than 10 days before arrival
Your pet travels with Israel's veterinary health certificate, issued no more than 10 days before arrival and signed by a government veterinarian of your country (or by an authorised vet and then endorsed by the government). It confirms the clinical examination (no signs of contagious or infectious disease), the microchip, the rabies vaccination and the blood test result.
Details and the official words
Customs Animal Health Certificate (needed for every pet leaving China): If your pet passes the inspection, customs issues the Animal Health Certificate within about three working days. In Shanghai, collect it at Huangpu Customs' Customs Clearance Service Hall (7F, No 8 Middle Huaihai Road) with the collection slip and your passport; someone collecting for you needs a signed authorisation letter, their own ID and a copy of your passport. Without this certificate your pet can't leave China. It is usually valid for 14 days (10 days for the EU).
If this is missed: Pets that don't meet the requirements in full are returned, destroyed or quarantined at the Director's discretion, at the owner's cost.
“The import must be accompanied by an official veterinary health certificate, which was issued not more than 10 days prior the arrival and signed by a government veterinarian of the country of origin”
“At the time of examination it did not exhibit any symptoms of contagious or infectious diseases”
“All U.S. pet dogs and cats must be accompanied by the Veterinary Health Certificate for Export of Pet Dogs and Cats from the United States of America to the State of Israel, issued by a USDA accredited veterinarian and endorsed by USDA-APHIS, no more than 10 days prior to arrival.”
“Any health certificate without APHIS endorsement is not valid for dogs or cats entrance to Israel.”
“Without it, pets won't be allowed out of China, and in some cases, they may even be refused entry upon arrival.”
“If the inspection is cleared, the certificate will be ready in about three working days.”
“The processing time will not exceed three working days.”
“The collection slip and passport are required.”
“If someone else is collecting on the owner's behalf, they must present a signed authorization letter, their own ID and a copy of the owner's passport.”
“The certificate itself is only valid for a short time — usually 14 days, and just 10 days for the European Union.”
Official stampLeaving China
Apply online to customs ("Internet + Customs"): Shanghai Customs recommends 10 to 14 days before departure
Register on the "Internet + Customs" platform (online.customs.gov.cn) with your passport or ID and apply under "携带出境宠物检疫" (Quarantine Service For Non-Commercial Export of Pet). Enter your details, your pet's and its rabies vaccination history, and upload a valid rabies vaccination certificate, a photo of your pet and, if your destination needs one, a rabies antibody test report from a government-recognised laboratory. Customs usually reviews it within three working days; once it is approved, book the on-site inspection.
Details and the official words
“Customs recommends filing the online application 10 to 14 days before departure, and completing the physical inspection seven to 10 days before travel.”
“you must submit an application in advance through the "互联网+海关 (Internet + Customs)" platform, under the "携带出境宠物检疫 (Quarantine for Pets Carried Out of China)" section.”
“First-time users need to register — individuals with their passport or ID, and businesses with an IC card.”
“These include a valid rabies vaccination certificate, a pet photo, and in some cases, a rabies antibody test report from a government-recognized lab.”
“Once submitted, the application is usually reviewed within three working days.”
PaperworkEntering Israel
Owner's declaration (Annex C): your pet for at least 90 days
Sign Israel's owner declaration (Annex C): the pet travels with the person responsible for it, it isn't for sale, and it has been in your possession for at least 90 days before you bring it to Israel. It goes with the health certificate. A pet you've had for less than 90 days can't use the no-licence route for accompanied pets: ask the Veterinary Services.
Details and the official words
“The certificate should be accompanied by a declaration by the owners that the animals had been in their possession at least 90 days prior to being brought to Israel, annex C.”
“The animals had been in my possession at least 90 days prior to being brought to Israel.”
“The animals are not intended for commercial purposes.”
NoticeEntering Israel
Notify the Veterinary Services and get written approval before you fly
At least two working days before your pet is loaded on the plane or ship, send the Veterinary Services at your port of arrival the 'Notification on Pet Arrival' (Annex B) and a copy of the health certificate. For Ben Gurion Airport the address is vs-airport@moag.gov.il. Since June 2020, every passenger must also have the Veterinary Services' written flight confirmation by email before travelling, and your pet isn't released on arrival until the port's Veterinary Services authorise it.
Details and the official words
The Veterinary Services' letter of 4 June 2020 (COVID-19) is still listed by USDA as applying to all dogs and cats entering Israel until further notice. Its other points, about quarantine hotels, no longer apply in practice.
If this is missed: The pet is not released until the Veterinary Services at the port of entry have authorised it; pets arriving against these guidelines can be confiscated or returned to the country of origin.
“The fax must be sent two working days prior to loading the shipment on the vessel (plane or ship).”
“The shipment is not to be released until this has been authorized by the Veterinary Services at the port of entry.”
“Import of dogs and cats as accompanied baggage also requires provision of details as indicated in paragraph 8 above.”
“Notification on Pet Arrival”
“Ben Gurion Airport e-mail: vs-airport@moag.gov.il”
“Every passenger / importer must receive a written flight confirmation (by email) from the veterinary services at Ben Gurion Airport.”
“These guidelines are valid beginning the 04th of June 2020 and until further notice.”
“This applies to all dogs and cats entering Israel, effective June 4, 2020, and until further notice.”
Travel day and arrival
RouteEntering Israel
Arrive at Ben Gurion Airport or the ports of Haifa, Ashdod or Eilat
Pets may only enter Israel through Ben Gurion Airport or the seaports of Haifa, Ashdod and Eilat.
Details and the official words
“No person will import an animal unless through the following ports of entry: Ben Gurion Airport, Haifa seaport, Ashdod seaport and Eilat seaport.”
Good to know
- Israel's Veterinary Services say the version that counts is the Hebrew one on their website. We couldn't read their current information sheet (gov.il blocks automated readers), so this plan uses their earlier sheet and the certificate agreed with the US. Check the current sheet, or ask vs-ie@moag.gov.il, before you book.
- Israel does not allow dogs of dangerous breeds, or crosses of them that look and behave like them, except with a special licence from the Director of the Veterinary Services: American Staffordshire Bull Terrier (Amstaff), Bull Terrier, Dogo Argentino, Japanese Tosa, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Pit Bull Terrier, Fila Brasileiro and Rottweiler. To apply for that licence, email vs-ie@moag.gov.il.
- Dogs and cats that are healthy on arrival and have the right documents don't go into quarantine in Israel. If the requirements aren't fully met, the Director of the Veterinary Services decides: the pet is sent back, put down or placed in quarantine, at the owner's cost.
- Customs checks your pet against your destination's requirements (vaccination timing, rabies blood test, deworming and so on) and refuses the certificate if the paperwork is incomplete or doesn't meet them. It can also stop the inspection if your pet seems sick or behaves aggressively.
- In Shanghai, a dog needs its Shanghai Dog Registration Certificate (dog licence), and a cat's owner may need to show proof of residence in Shanghai if the cat was vaccinated elsewhere.
- Customs at Shanghai Pudong airport does no extra quarantine inspection of pets leaving: the Animal Health Certificate is arranged beforehand with Huangpu Customs (+86 21 6889 4323).
- Shanghai Customs' hotlines for dogs and cats leaving China: applications 021-962116; on-site inspection 021-6889 0453.
Cats
Bringing a dog or cat into Israel: we summarised this from a short or older official page and it is still under review, so it may be incomplete.
Taking a dog or cat out of China (customs Animal Health Certificate): we summarised this from a short or older official page and it is still under review, so it may be incomplete.
Get ready
Age ruleEntering Israel
At least 4 months old on arrival
Your dog or cat must be at least 4 months old when it arrives in Israel. (Pets from countries Israel treats as rabies-free may come from 3 months old: see the note on rabies-free countries.)
Details and the official words
“The dog/cat shall be no less than 4 months of age upon arrival in Israel”
“Dogs and cats shall be no less than 4 months of age upon arrival in Israel.”
IdentificationEntering Israel
ISO microchip, before the rabies vaccination
Your pet needs an ISO 11784/11785 microchip (134.2 kHz), implanted before or on the same day as the rabies vaccination recorded on the health certificate. If the chip isn't ISO-compliant, bring your own reader.
Details and the official words
“All dogs and cats must be tagged with a subcutaneous electronic chip that transmits on a frequency of 134.2 kilohertz and can be read with a chip reader that conforms to the provisions of the ISO Standard No. 11784 or of Annex A of ISO Standard 11785.”
“If the chip does not conform to these standards, the importer or the importer's representative is required to be in possession of another means to read it.”
“Please note that the pet's microchip must be implanted before or on the same date as the rabies vaccination documented on the health certificate.”
“the microchip was implanted prior to, or on the same day as, the most recent rabies vaccination”
VaccinationEntering Israel
Rabies vaccination at least 30 days before arrival
Your pet must be vaccinated against rabies and the vaccination must still be valid on arrival. After a first vaccination (or a booster given after the previous one had run out), wait at least 30 days before arriving in Israel. A booster given while the previous vaccination was still valid needs no wait.
Details and the official words
“They have been vaccinated against rabies no more than one year and no less than 30 days prior to their arrival in Israel”
“If primary vaccination is needed, or if booster does not occur during the period of validity of the previous vaccination, this booster should be considered a primary vaccination, and animals are required to wait at least 30 days prior to importation.”
“there is no waiting period before the importation of the animals”
VaccinationEntering Israel
Most recent rabies shot no more than a year before arrival
Israel's earlier information sheet asks for a rabies vaccination given no more than one year before your pet arrives. If your pet's most recent shot will be older than that on arrival day, give a booster before you leave (while the current one is still valid, so no new wait applies).
The official wording is ambiguous. Confirm this point with the authority.
Details and the official words
The certificate the US agreed with Israel only asks that the pet is current on its rabies vaccination, so we don't apply this to pets from the US. Israel's current sheet may accept the vaccine maker's validity period instead of one year: ask the Veterinary Services.
Add the date of your pet's most recent rabies shot to check this.
“They have been vaccinated against rabies no more than one year and no less than 30 days prior to their arrival in Israel”
“All pets listed on this certificate are current on rabies vaccinations.”
Blood testEntering Israel
Rabies blood test (at least 0.5 IU/ml), more than 30 days after the vaccination
A vet takes a blood sample more than 30 days after the first rabies vaccination, and a laboratory approved by WOAH (formerly OIE) must find at least 0.5 IU/ml. The result stays valid for your pet's life as long as its rabies vaccinations are kept up to date without a gap. There is no wait after the test, but the result must be ready before the health certificate is issued, so leave time for the laboratory.
Details and the official words
“Not less than 30 days after the rabies vaccination, A serological test for the animal, carried out on a sample taken by an approved veterinarian and tested in an OIE-approved laboratory, which states that the rabies neutralizing antibody titer was equal to or greater than 0,5 IU/ml.”
“The sample referred to in Part V must have been taken more than 1 month after the rabies vaccination”
“The sample must be taken more than 30 days after the primary rabies vaccination, and the laboratory results are valid for the life of the animal, as long as the dog/cat remains current on rabies vaccinations”
In the days before you travel
Vet examLeaving China
On-site health check by customs: Shanghai Customs recommends 7 to 10 days before travel
At the appointed time, bring your pet and all original documents (passport, dog licence, vaccination booklet, antibody test report) to the customs inspection site: in Shanghai, Huangpu Customs' Sanmen Road office (No 617 Sanmen Road, Baoshan district). Customs checks that your pet matches your application and examines its health.
Details and the official words
“Every pet must undergo a health check.”
“In Shanghai, this inspection takes place at the Sanmen Road Customs Office”
“Attend the quarantine check: Bring your passport, dog license, vaccination booklet, antibody test report and your pet to the Sanmen Road Customs Office at the appointed time.”
“Customs officers will confirm that the pet matches the submitted records and check its overall health.”
PaperworkChina and Israel
Official health certificate, issued no more than 10 days before arrival
Your pet travels with Israel's veterinary health certificate, issued no more than 10 days before arrival and signed by a government veterinarian of your country (or by an authorised vet and then endorsed by the government). It confirms the clinical examination (no signs of contagious or infectious disease), the microchip, the rabies vaccination and the blood test result.
Details and the official words
Customs Animal Health Certificate (needed for every pet leaving China): If your pet passes the inspection, customs issues the Animal Health Certificate within about three working days. In Shanghai, collect it at Huangpu Customs' Customs Clearance Service Hall (7F, No 8 Middle Huaihai Road) with the collection slip and your passport; someone collecting for you needs a signed authorisation letter, their own ID and a copy of your passport. Without this certificate your pet can't leave China. It is usually valid for 14 days (10 days for the EU).
If this is missed: Pets that don't meet the requirements in full are returned, destroyed or quarantined at the Director's discretion, at the owner's cost.
“The import must be accompanied by an official veterinary health certificate, which was issued not more than 10 days prior the arrival and signed by a government veterinarian of the country of origin”
“At the time of examination it did not exhibit any symptoms of contagious or infectious diseases”
“All U.S. pet dogs and cats must be accompanied by the Veterinary Health Certificate for Export of Pet Dogs and Cats from the United States of America to the State of Israel, issued by a USDA accredited veterinarian and endorsed by USDA-APHIS, no more than 10 days prior to arrival.”
“Any health certificate without APHIS endorsement is not valid for dogs or cats entrance to Israel.”
“Without it, pets won't be allowed out of China, and in some cases, they may even be refused entry upon arrival.”
“If the inspection is cleared, the certificate will be ready in about three working days.”
“The processing time will not exceed three working days.”
“The collection slip and passport are required.”
“If someone else is collecting on the owner's behalf, they must present a signed authorization letter, their own ID and a copy of the owner's passport.”
“The certificate itself is only valid for a short time — usually 14 days, and just 10 days for the European Union.”
Official stampLeaving China
Apply online to customs ("Internet + Customs"): Shanghai Customs recommends 10 to 14 days before departure
Register on the "Internet + Customs" platform (online.customs.gov.cn) with your passport or ID and apply under "携带出境宠物检疫" (Quarantine Service For Non-Commercial Export of Pet). Enter your details, your pet's and its rabies vaccination history, and upload a valid rabies vaccination certificate, a photo of your pet and, if your destination needs one, a rabies antibody test report from a government-recognised laboratory. Customs usually reviews it within three working days; once it is approved, book the on-site inspection.
Details and the official words
“Customs recommends filing the online application 10 to 14 days before departure, and completing the physical inspection seven to 10 days before travel.”
“you must submit an application in advance through the "互联网+海关 (Internet + Customs)" platform, under the "携带出境宠物检疫 (Quarantine for Pets Carried Out of China)" section.”
“First-time users need to register — individuals with their passport or ID, and businesses with an IC card.”
“These include a valid rabies vaccination certificate, a pet photo, and in some cases, a rabies antibody test report from a government-recognized lab.”
“Once submitted, the application is usually reviewed within three working days.”
PaperworkEntering Israel
Owner's declaration (Annex C): your pet for at least 90 days
Sign Israel's owner declaration (Annex C): the pet travels with the person responsible for it, it isn't for sale, and it has been in your possession for at least 90 days before you bring it to Israel. It goes with the health certificate. A pet you've had for less than 90 days can't use the no-licence route for accompanied pets: ask the Veterinary Services.
Details and the official words
“The certificate should be accompanied by a declaration by the owners that the animals had been in their possession at least 90 days prior to being brought to Israel, annex C.”
“The animals had been in my possession at least 90 days prior to being brought to Israel.”
“The animals are not intended for commercial purposes.”
NoticeEntering Israel
Notify the Veterinary Services and get written approval before you fly
At least two working days before your pet is loaded on the plane or ship, send the Veterinary Services at your port of arrival the 'Notification on Pet Arrival' (Annex B) and a copy of the health certificate. For Ben Gurion Airport the address is vs-airport@moag.gov.il. Since June 2020, every passenger must also have the Veterinary Services' written flight confirmation by email before travelling, and your pet isn't released on arrival until the port's Veterinary Services authorise it.
Details and the official words
The Veterinary Services' letter of 4 June 2020 (COVID-19) is still listed by USDA as applying to all dogs and cats entering Israel until further notice. Its other points, about quarantine hotels, no longer apply in practice.
If this is missed: The pet is not released until the Veterinary Services at the port of entry have authorised it; pets arriving against these guidelines can be confiscated or returned to the country of origin.
“The fax must be sent two working days prior to loading the shipment on the vessel (plane or ship).”
“The shipment is not to be released until this has been authorized by the Veterinary Services at the port of entry.”
“Import of dogs and cats as accompanied baggage also requires provision of details as indicated in paragraph 8 above.”
“Notification on Pet Arrival”
“Ben Gurion Airport e-mail: vs-airport@moag.gov.il”
“Every passenger / importer must receive a written flight confirmation (by email) from the veterinary services at Ben Gurion Airport.”
“These guidelines are valid beginning the 04th of June 2020 and until further notice.”
“This applies to all dogs and cats entering Israel, effective June 4, 2020, and until further notice.”
Travel day and arrival
RouteEntering Israel
Arrive at Ben Gurion Airport or the ports of Haifa, Ashdod or Eilat
Pets may only enter Israel through Ben Gurion Airport or the seaports of Haifa, Ashdod and Eilat.
Details and the official words
“No person will import an animal unless through the following ports of entry: Ben Gurion Airport, Haifa seaport, Ashdod seaport and Eilat seaport.”
Good to know
- Israel's Veterinary Services say the version that counts is the Hebrew one on their website. We couldn't read their current information sheet (gov.il blocks automated readers), so this plan uses their earlier sheet and the certificate agreed with the US. Check the current sheet, or ask vs-ie@moag.gov.il, before you book.
- According to Israel's Nature and Parks Authority, Bengal cats cannot be imported into Israel (the UK's export guidance for Israel says so).
- Dogs and cats that are healthy on arrival and have the right documents don't go into quarantine in Israel. If the requirements aren't fully met, the Director of the Veterinary Services decides: the pet is sent back, put down or placed in quarantine, at the owner's cost.
- Customs checks your pet against your destination's requirements (vaccination timing, rabies blood test, deworming and so on) and refuses the certificate if the paperwork is incomplete or doesn't meet them. It can also stop the inspection if your pet seems sick or behaves aggressively.
- In Shanghai, a dog needs its Shanghai Dog Registration Certificate (dog licence), and a cat's owner may need to show proof of residence in Shanghai if the cat was vaccinated elsewhere.
- Customs at Shanghai Pudong airport does no extra quarantine inspection of pets leaving: the Animal Health Certificate is arranged beforehand with Huangpu Customs (+86 21 6889 4323).
- Shanghai Customs' hotlines for dogs and cats leaving China: applications 021-962116; on-site inspection 021-6889 0453.
Money
What it costs
Government fees exactly as the official pages state them, and what vets and labs in China publish for the steps above. The two are never added together.
Government fees on this route
No government fee is published on the official pages we use for this trip. That doesn’t always mean it’s free: ask the authority.
What vets and labs charge Not official figures
Rabies blood test: the lab’s own pricean approved laboratory; your vet adds the blood draw and the courier · for: rabies blood test (at least 0.5 IU/ml), more than 30 days after the vaccinationPrices from 8 countries
Austria: 1 published price
- AGES (Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety), Institute for Veterinary Investigations Mödling: Lab price for the rabies antibody titre test for pets (EU-recognised lab), samples sent from EU countries, 20% VAT included; transport to the lab paid by the sender97.26 EUR · per sample · read 2026-10-13
France: 2 published prices
- Laboratoire départemental de la Haute-Garonne (LD31 EVA): Lab price for the FAVN (WOAH/OMSA method) rabies antibody test, VAT included, price guaranteed until 31/12/2026 (from the lab's order form)99 EUR · per test · read 2026-10-13
- Inovalys (laboratory): Lab price only: rabies antibody titration (COFRAC accredited), ordered online by the owner; the page says the blood sample is taken by your vet and sending it to the lab is the owner's responsibility (no amounts given for those)99.18 EUR · per test · read 2026-10-13
the United Kingdom: 2 published prices
- Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Weybridge: Lab price for the FAVN rabies antibody test for dogs and cats for pet travel (test code TC0712), single sample, excluding VAT72.30 GBP · per test · read 2026-10-13
- Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Weybridge: Lab price for the FAVN rabies antibody test for dogs and cats, extended method (test code TC0570), single sample, excluding VAT106 GBP · per test · read 2026-10-13
Japan: 1 published price
- Research Institute for Animal Science in Biochemistry and Toxicology (RIAS, 一般財団法人生物科学安全研究所): Lab fee only: rabies antibody test at RIAS (a MAFF-designated lab), tax included, paid in advance by bank transfer; vet's blood draw and shipping not included15,000 JPY · per sample · read 2026-10-13
Poland: 1 published price
- National Veterinary Research Institute (PIWet-PIB), Puławy: Lab price for the FAVN rabies antibody test, standard service (max 21 calendar days), electronic report only, gross (VAT included)280 PLN · per test · read 2026-10-13
Sweden: 1 published price
- Swedish Veterinary Agency (SVA): Lab price for the FAVN rabies vaccination-check antibody test (article D142410), excluding VAT (exkl. moms)1,365 SEK · per test · read 2026-10-13
the United States: 1 published price
- University of Missouri Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory: Lab price for the FAVN rabies antibody test for pet travel/export (University of Missouri VMDL One Health-Rabies Laboratory); shipping not stated79 USD · per test · read 2026-10-13
South Africa: 1 published price
- Agricultural Research Council – Onderstepoort Veterinary Research (ARC-OVR): Lab price for the rabies neutralization (antibody) test per clear serum sample, VAT included; the price list does not name FAVN or RFFIT (ARC-Onderstepoort diagnostic price list, PDF created May 2026)2,030 ZAR · per clear serum sample · read 2026-10-13
No published prices yet for China: microchip, rabies vaccination, health certificate (vet’s fee), vet examination.
Prices that businesses publish on their own pages, quoted as we read them; yours can differ. Ranges are the lowest to highest of these examples, never our estimate. How we collect prices
Airline fees aren’t included: check your airline’s pet page.
Round trip
Coming back to China
Nothing for the trip back has to happen before your pet leaves China.
The trip back asks for 5 steps: electronic microchip, rabies vaccination certificate, rabies antibody test report (pets from non-designated countries) and official clinical inspection within 14 days before arrival and more.
Where this comes from
Official sources
- Information sheet: importing dogs and cats to Israel, and veterinary certificate (Israeli Veterinary Services, requirements effective 1 May 2010; Hebrew and English, published by Thailand's Department of Livestock Development, file of 28 September 2016)
- Annex B (notification on pet arrival) and Annex C (pet owner declaration), Israeli Veterinary Services forms published by USDA APHIS
- Restriction on the entry of pets to Israel: letter of the Chief Import and Export Veterinary Officer, 4 June 2020 (valid until further notice), published by USDA APHIS
- Pet travel from the United States to Israel (USDA APHIS, last modified 30 July 2025)
- Guidance information for exporting U.S. origin pet dogs and cats to the State of Israel (USDA APHIS, December 2020)
- Veterinary Health Certificate for Export of Pet Dogs and Cats from the United States of America to the State of Israel (USDA APHIS, file of 3 September 2021)
- Export of dogs and cats from the United Kingdom to Israel: notes for guidance 4058NFG (APHA, revised 19 January 2024)
- How to get a pet's health certificate for overseas travel (Shanghai Municipal People's Government, source: Shanghai Customs, 9 September 2025)
- How do I get an animal health certificate for my pet? (Shanghai government Q&A, source: Shanghai Customs, 23 September 2026)
- Customs and quarantine requirements for pets entering or leaving China via Pudong airport (Shanghai government Q&A, source: Shanghai Customs, 18 August 2026)
Last checked against the official pages: 2026-10-13.
Questions owners ask
Does my dog or cat need a rabies blood test to go from China to Israel?
Yes: A vet takes a blood sample more than 30 days after the first rabies vaccination, and a laboratory approved by WOAH (formerly OIE) must find at least 0.5 IU/ml.
Do I need an import permit to bring my dog or cat into Israel?
We couldn't find this in our summary of the rules, but that summary is short and still under review. Ask the official authority before you rely on it.
Will my dog or cat be quarantined in Israel?
We couldn't find this in our summary of the rules, but that summary is short and still under review. Ask the official authority before you rely on it.
How early should I start preparing my pet for China to Israel?
With nothing done yet, start at least 5 weeks ahead for a dog. The main steps: ISO microchip, before the rabies vaccination, rabies vaccination at least 30 days before arrival and most recent rabies shot no more than a year before arrival and 6 more.
Every rule here is quoted from the official page and checked word for word; not legal advice. How we verify · Report a mistake
Read next
Turn this into dates for your pet
Where from, where to, when. You get every step with its deadline and the official page it comes from.