Pet travel route
Dog or cat from Northern Ireland (UK) to the Dominican Republic
Possible. With nothing done yet, start at least 4 weeks ahead. The main steps: rabies vaccination (inactivated vaccine) from 90 days old, at least 30 days before departure, rabies vaccination within the 12 months before departure and vet examination within 72 hours before departure and 3 more.
Rules checked up to 12 October 2026From 3 official pages
In short
- On this route: parasite treatment before travel and official stamp on the certificate.
- No rabies blood test, import permit or quarantine on this route for a pet that meets the rules.
- Coming back to Northern Ireland (UK)? 3 steps have to happen before your pet leaves.
Limited official guidance. The authority for entering the Dominican Republic publishes little for this route. Everything it does say is here, with its wording. DIGEGA's page lists what the health certificate must state, but it doesn't say what happens when your pet arrives (inspection, fees), whether a pet travelling as cargo or without its owner needs anything more, or which vaccinations other than rabies are expected. Ask DIGEGA (809-535-9689) before you travel if any of these apply to you.
At a glance
The rules on this route are the same for dogs and cats.
How early to start
4 weeks
if your pet has no microchip or rabies vaccination yet
Set by: Rabies vaccination (inactivated vaccine) from 90 days old, at least 30 days before departure (at least 30 days before the departure date)
2 days
if it is already microchipped and vaccinated
Set by: Apply for the export health certificate in DAERA's DECS (apply no earlier than 10 days before export; 'at latest 2 days before' is DAERA's advice)
The least time the official waiting periods allow. Vet, lab and paperwork appointments come on top.
On this route
- No rabies blood test
- No import permit
- No quarantine
- Parasite treatment before travel
- Official stamp on the certificate
Rule-change alertsChecked daily
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Rule change for pets travelling from Northern Ireland (UK) to the Dominican Republic
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Northern Ireland (UK) → Dominican Republic
What your pet needs
In the order you do them. Each step says whether Northern Ireland (UK) (leaving) or the Dominican Republic (entering) asks for it.
Get ready
VaccinationEntering the Dominican Republic
Rabies vaccination (inactivated vaccine) from 90 days old, at least 30 days before departure
Your pet is vaccinated against rabies with an inactivated-virus vaccine, given at least 90 days after birth. After a first vaccination, wait 30 days before travelling: the vaccination must be at least 30 days before the departure date.
Details and the official words
“La vacuna debe ser de virus inactivado y administrada no más de 12 meses ni menos de 30 días antes de la fecha de salida.”
“Los cachorros deben haber recibido la vacuna contra la rabia al menos 90 días después del nacimiento (3 meses o 12 semanas) y esperar 30 días después de la vacunación antes de viajar.”
VaccinationEntering the Dominican Republic
Rabies vaccination within the 12 months before departure
The rabies vaccination on the certificate must be no more than 12 months before the departure date, even if your pet's vaccine is valid for longer. If your pet's last shot will be older, give a booster before you travel. An adult dog with a history of rabies vaccination and boosters doesn't need to wait 30 days after the booster; a cat does.
Details and the official words
Add the date of your pet's most recent rabies shot to check this.
DIGEGA's exemption from the 30-day wait names adult dogs only, so we apply the 30 days to every cat's vaccination.
“La vacuna debe ser de virus inactivado y administrada no más de 12 meses ni menos de 30 días antes de la fecha de salida.”
“Los perros adultos con antecedentes de vacunación contra la rabia y dosis de refuerzo no necesitan esperar 30 días después de la vacunación.”
In the days before you travel
Vet examEntering the Dominican Republic
Vet examination within 72 hours before departure
A vet examines your pet within the 72 hours before the departure date and finds it free of infectious or contagious diseases. By then it must already have been treated against internal and external parasites.
Details and the official words
“El animal fue examinado dentro de las 72 horas previas a la fecha de salida. Se determinó que no padecía enfermedades infecciosas o contagiosas y que había recibido tratamiento contra parásitos externos e internos.”
TreatmentEntering the Dominican Republic
Internal and external parasite treatment before the vet examination
Your pet is treated against internal and external parasites before the vet examines it. The certificate names the dewormers with their manufacturer and active ingredients. DIGEGA gives no time window: ask your vet.
Details and the official words
“El animal fue examinado dentro de las 72 horas previas a la fecha de salida. Se determinó que no padecía enfermedades infecciosas o contagiosas y que había recibido tratamiento contra parásitos externos e internos.”
“El certificado debe especificar: las vacunas administradas y el control de parásitos internos y externos (los desparasitantes deben especificar el fabricante y los principios activos).”
PaperworkNorthern Ireland (UK) and the Dominican Republic
Vet's health certificate, endorsed by an official vet at the port of embarkation
A vet issues and signs a health certificate after the examination, and an official vet at the port of embarkation endorses and stamps it. It gives the name and address in the Dominican Republic of the person accompanying the pet, the pet's full identification (name, breed, sex, colour, date of birth, microchip and/or tattoo), the vaccinations given and the parasite treatments. Attach the vaccination record with the vaccine labels (batch number, manufacture and expiry dates).
Details and the official words
DIGEGA's page places the official endorsement at the port of embarkation. In many countries the official vet endorses certificates before you go to the airport (in the US, USDA APHIS): ask your country's official veterinary service how it endorses a certificate for the Dominican Republic.
Export health certificate from your authorised private vet practice: The authorised private vet practice (aPVP) you chose in DECS issues the final certificate. Its dates follow the destination's rules for the certificate.
“Los animales deben ir acompañados de un certificado sanitario expedido y firmado por un veterinario. Este certificado debe ser refrendado y sellado por un veterinario oficial en el puerto de embarque.”
“El certificado debe contener el nombre y la dirección de la persona que acompaña al animal en la República Dominicana y la identificación completa del animal (nombre, raza, sexo, color, fecha de nacimiento, microchip y/o tatuaje).”
“Debe ir acompañado de un registro de vacunación con las etiquetas de las vacunas, incluyendo el número de lote, la fecha de fabricación y la fecha de caducidad.”
“You will also be asked to select your chosen authorised private veterinary practice (aPVP) from a drop down menu within the application, who will be responsible for issuing the final EHC”
Official stampLeaving Northern Ireland (UK)
Apply for the export health certificate in DAERA's DECS
For a non-EU destination you usually need an export health certificate (EHC). You apply yourself in the DAERA Export Certification System (DECS), filling in the certificate for your destination and choosing an authorised private vet practice (aPVP). Apply no earlier than 10 days before export; DAERA advises applying at the latest 2 days before.
Details and the official words
“An Export Health Certificate (EHC) is usually required if the final destination of the animals is a non-EU country, whether the export is commercial or non-commercial.”
“EHC applications for the export of pets to Third Country destinations are made by the pet owner using the DAERA Export Certification system (DECS).”
“NOTE: The earliest you can apply is 10 days before the planned date of export. However, we also advise applying at latest 2 days before planned date of export.”
Good to know
- Check that an export health certificate exists for your destination on DEFRA's 'Find an export health certificate'; if there is none, email DAERA (Daeratradeexports@daera-ni.gov.uk). Its notes for guidance say whether you also need an import permit or approval from the destination, which you get before applying.
Money
What it costs
Government fees exactly as the official pages state them, and what vets and labs in Northern Ireland (UK) 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
Vet examinationyour vet · for: vet examination within 72 hours before departure45–63 GBP
the United Kingdom: 4 published prices
- Highfields Vets (Derby): Vet consultation (prices from 20 October 2025)45 GBP · per consultation · read 2026-10-13
- Donaldsons Vets: Vet consultation (prices stated as correct as of January 2026)53.20 GBP · per consultation · read 2026-10-13
- The Animal Health Centre (Shrewsbury): Standard vet consultation (15 to 30 minutes)55 GBP · per consultation · read 2026-10-13
- Langford Vet Practice: Vet clinic consultation for dogs, cats or rabbits63 GBP · per consultation · read 2026-10-13
Parasite treatmentyour vet · for: internal and external parasite treatment before the vet examination5–30 GBP
the United Kingdom: 2 published prices
- The Travelling Vet for Travelling Pets (Kirin): Tapeworm treatment given during certificate completion (on top of the certificate price)5–25 GBP · per dog, weight dependent · read 2026-10-13
- Export Vets (Bodmin, Cornwall): Tapeworm treatment appointment with an Official Veterinarian (the same price table lists the tapeworm tablet itself as 'POA')30 GBP · per appointment · read 2026-10-13
Rabies vaccinationyour vet · for: rabies vaccination (inactivated vaccine) from 90 days old, at least 30 days before departure, rabies vaccination within the 12 months before departure62.50–140 GBP
the United Kingdom: 4 published prices
- Station House Vets: Rabies vaccination62.50 GBP · per pet · read 2026-10-13
- The Animal Health Centre (Shrewsbury): Rabies vaccination including a health check consultation and a rabies vaccination certificate for AHC use79.50 GBP · per pet · read 2026-10-13
- Petersfield Integrated Vets (Integrated Veterinary Medicine): Rabies vaccination (price list dated 10 September 2026)112 GBP · per pet · read 2026-10-13
- Bay Vet Group: Rabies vaccination for overseas travel (price list last updated 1/5/2026)140 GBP · per pet · read 2026-10-13
Health certificate (vet’s fee)your vet · for: vet's health certificate, endorsed by an official vet at the port of embarkation99–315 GBP
the United Kingdom: 8 published prices
- Export Vets (Bodmin, Cornwall): Animal Health Certificate for one pet (two pets £149; urgent AHC within 2 working days £180)99 GBP · 1 pet · read 2026-10-13
- Two Rivers Veterinary Practice: Animal Health Certificate for the EU (additional pet £48.00)156 GBP · per certificate · read 2026-10-13
- The Travelling Vet for Travelling Pets (Kirin): Animal Health Certificate for EU travel with one telephone advice consult and one home visit (mobile vet); £40 per additional animal on the same AHC180 GBP · first animal (additional animals £40, up to 4) · read 2026-10-13
- Donaldsons Vets: Animal Health Certificate (AHC) for a registered client; additional pet supplement £68.11; non-registered clients £262.63186.92 GBP · per certificate (registered client) · read 2026-10-13
- Station House Vets: Animal Health Certificate (AHC) for a single pet (multiple-pet prices on request)195 GBP · single pet · read 2026-10-13
- The Animal Health Centre (Shrewsbury): Animal Health Certificate (AHC) for the first pet, including a travel consultation; £115 for each additional pet215 GBP · first pet (additional pet £115) · read 2026-10-13
- Station House Vets: Export Health Certificate (EHC) for travel outside the EU; the page says the price varies by destination country315 GBP · per certificate · read 2026-10-13
- Langford Vet Practice: Issuing an Animal Health Certificate315 GBP · per certificate · read 2026-10-13
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
If you need them Not official figures
Travel cratea pet shop or the airline73.99 GBP
- Pets Corner: Ferplast Atlas 30 pet carrier (plastic travel carrier; the page says it meets IATA international standards for air travel; no dimensions or pet weight given on the page)73.99 GBP · read 2026-10-13
Airline fees aren’t included: check your airline’s pet page.
Round trip
Coming back to Northern Ireland (UK)
Do before your pet leaves Northern Ireland (UK) (dogs)
- Microchip
- Rabies vaccination
- Rabies antibody blood test, then a 3-month wait
Their timing rules put them before the outbound trip, for a three-month stay.
The trip back asks for 7 steps: microchip, rabies vaccination, rabies antibody blood test, then a 3-month wait and animal health certificate and more.
Do before your pet leaves Northern Ireland (UK) (cats)
- Microchip
- Rabies vaccination
- Rabies antibody blood test, then a 3-month wait
Their timing rules put them before the outbound trip, for a three-month stay.
The trip back asks for 6 steps: microchip, rabies vaccination, rabies antibody blood test, then a 3-month wait and animal health certificate and more.
Every step from the Dominican Republic to Northern Ireland (UK)
Nearby routes
Other routes
Where this comes from
Official sources
- Permisología para la Importación / Exportación de Perros y Gatos (DIGEGA)
- Pets Exports
- Travelling with Pets
Last checked against the official pages: 2026-10-12.
Questions owners ask
Does my dog or cat need a rabies blood test to go from Northern Ireland (UK) to the Dominican Republic?
No. The official rules we have verified for this route don't ask for a rabies blood test.
Do I need an import permit to bring my dog or cat into the Dominican Republic?
No. The official rules we have verified for this route don't ask for an import permit.
Will my dog or cat be quarantined in the Dominican Republic?
Not on the routes we have verified: the official rules list no quarantine for a pet that meets the requirements.
How early should I start preparing my pet for Northern Ireland (UK) to the Dominican Republic?
With nothing done yet, start at least 4 weeks ahead. The main steps: rabies vaccination (inactivated vaccine) from 90 days old, at least 30 days before departure, rabies vaccination within the 12 months before departure and vet examination within 72 hours before departure and 3 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.