Pet travel route
Dog or cat from Poland to Israel: official requirements
Possible. With nothing done yet, start at least 5 weeks ahead for a dog. The main steps: ISO microchip (134.2 kHz), before the rabies vaccination, rabies vaccination from 3 months old, at least 30 days before arrival and most recent rabies shot no more than a year before arrival and 5 more.
Rules checked up to 13 October 2026From 11 official pages
In short
- Dogs and cats differ on this route: choose Dog or Cat to see just yours.
- Israel puts Poland in the group “Country not on Israel’s rabies-free list”, which decides part of the rules.
- On this route: rabies blood test needed, tell the authority in advance and arrive at a set entry point.
- No import permit or quarantine on this route for a pet that meets the rules.
- Coming back to Poland? 2 steps have to happen before your pet leaves.
Limited official guidance. The authority for leaving Poland publishes little for this route. Everything it does say is here, with its wording. The national page only says the destination decides and lists per-country certificates. The timing below comes from the Warsaw county veterinary inspectorate's own page; other counties may differ, so ask yours.
At a glance
How early to start (dogs)
5 weeks
if your pet has no microchip or rabies vaccination yet
Set by: Request flight approval at least 2 working days before you leave (two working days before you leave; the 2 extra days are ours, not an official figure, because two working days can span Israel's Friday-Saturday weekend)
4 days
if it is already microchipped and vaccinated
Set by: Request flight approval at least 2 working days before you leave (two working days before you leave; the 2 extra days are ours, not an official figure, because two working days can span Israel's Friday-Saturday weekend)
The least time the official waiting periods allow. Vet, lab and paperwork appointments come on top.
On this route (dogs)
- Rabies blood test needed
- No import permit
- No quarantine
- Tell the authority in advance
- Arrive at a set entry point
How early to start (cats)
5 weeks
if your pet has no microchip or rabies vaccination yet
Set by: Request flight approval at least 2 working days before you leave (two working days before you leave; the 2 extra days are ours, not an official figure, because two working days can span Israel's Friday-Saturday weekend)
4 days
if it is already microchipped and vaccinated
Set by: Request flight approval at least 2 working days before you leave (two working days before you leave; the 2 extra days are ours, not an official figure, because two working days can span Israel's Friday-Saturday weekend)
The least time the official waiting periods allow. Vet, lab and paperwork appointments come on top.
On this route (cats)
- Rabies blood test needed
- No import permit
- No quarantine
- Tell the authority in advance
- Arrive at a set entry point
Which rules apply to you
Israel puts Poland in the group “Country not on Israel’s rabies-free list”. See every group
Official name: Not listed: rabies vaccination at least 30 days before arrival, rabies blood test, from 4 months old
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Poland → Israel
What your pet needs
In the order you do them. Each step says whether Poland (leaving) or Israel (entering) asks for it.
Dogs
Get ready
Age ruleEntering Israel
At least 4 months old on arrival (3 months from rabies-free countries)
Your dog or cat must be over 4 months old on the day it arrives in Israel. Pets on Israel's rabies-free route (born and kept in, or more than a year in, Australia, Cyprus, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Sweden or the UK) may come from 3 months old.
Details and the official words
“מעל גיל 4 חודשים ביום ההגעה לישראל חוץ מאלו המבקשים להגיע ממדינות נקיות מכלבת (ראה מטה).”
“ניתן לייבא מעל גיל 3 חודשים.”
“Dogs and cats shall be no less than 4 months of age upon arrival in Israel.”
IdentificationEntering Israel
ISO microchip (134.2 kHz), before the rabies vaccination
Your pet needs a microchip that transmits at 134.2 kHz and can be read by a reader meeting ISO 11784 and Annex A of ISO 11785. It must be implanted before the rabies vaccination and the blood test.
Details and the official words
“מסומן באמצעות סימון תת-עורי בשבב אלקטרוני: שמשדר בתדר 134.2 קילוהרץ.”
“שבב זה יוחדר לבעל החיים לפני חיסון הכלבת ובדיקת הדם.”
“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 and of Annex A of ISO Standard 11785.”
“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.”
VaccinationEntering Israel
Rabies vaccination from 3 months old, at least 30 days before arrival
Your pet must be vaccinated against rabies at 3 months old or older, and a first vaccination must be at least 30 days before arrival. A pet that has had more than one rabies vaccination needs no 30-day wait after a booster.
Details and the official words
“חוסן כנגד מחלת הכלבת בגיל 3 חודשים ומעלה לא יותר משנה ולא פחות מ-30 ימים לפני ההגעה לישראל.”
“אם בעל החיים חוסן יותר מפעם אחת כנגד מחלת הכלבת אין צורך בהמתנה של 30 יום אך לא יותר משנה או לפי הוראות היצרן.”
“All dogs/cats require a veterinary confirmation that 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.”
VaccinationEntering Israel
Most recent rabies shot no more than a year before arrival
Israel's model certificate 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 30-day wait applies).
The official wording is ambiguous. Confirm this point with the authority.
Details and the official words
Israel's service page says, for a pet vaccinated more than once, 'not more than a year or according to the manufacturer's instructions', so a 3-year vaccine may be accepted for longer: ask the Veterinary Services. 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.
Add the date of your pet's most recent rabies shot to check this.
“All dogs/cats require a veterinary confirmation that they have been vaccinated against rabies no more than one year and no less than 30 days prior to their arrival in Israel”
“אם בעל החיים חוסן יותר מפעם אחת כנגד מחלת הכלבת אין צורך בהמתנה של 30 יום אך לא יותר משנה או לפי הוראות היצרן.”
“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 first vaccination
A vet takes a blood sample more than 30 days after the first rabies vaccination, and a laboratory approved by WOAH or the EU must find at least 0.5 IU/ml. The result stays valid for your pet's life as long as its rabies vaccinations continue without a gap, following the vaccine maker's instructions. There is no wait after the test, but the laboratory report goes with your request for flight approval, so leave time for the laboratory.
Details and the official words
A pet microchipped before its first rabies vaccination and vaccinated more than once after 3 months old may have the sample taken 14 days after its latest rabies vaccination, as long as more than 30 days have passed since the first one. Don't take the sample within 14 days after a booster.
If this is missed: Only in exceptional cases can the blood test be done in Israel, in an approved quarantine, and the pet then needs an import licence and must meet all its conditions.
“tested in an EU or WOAH-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 30 days after the primary rabies vaccination”
“or in case of an animal which was vaccinated more than once after the age of 3 months and being tagged by a microchip prior to the primary vaccination the sample can be taken 14 days after rabies vaccination as long as more than 30 days passed from the primary vaccination against rabies.”
“בדיקת הדם תקפה לכל חיי בעל החיים אם נשמר הרצף החיסוני על פי הנחיות היצרן.”
“במקרים חריגים בהם לא נעשתה בדיקת דם לנוגדני כלבת תיבחן אפשרות לביצועה בישראל בתנאי הסגר בהסגר המאושר על ידי השירותים הווטרינריים – אך במקרה זה בעל החיים חייב ברישיון יבוא ועמידה בכל תנאיו.”
“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 Poland
Medical-veterinary declaration from a vet at any clinic (valid 48 hours)
A vet at any clinic issues a medical-veterinary declaration that is valid for 48 hours. The county veterinarian bases the health certificate on it, together with proof of your pet's current rabies vaccination (in the passport or health booklet).
Details and the official words
“na podstawie ważnego 48 godzin orzeczenia lekarsko – weterynaryjnego wystawionego przez lekarza weterynarii w dowolnej lecznicy oraz dowodu aktualnego szczepienia przeciwko wściekliźnie (w paszporcie lub książeczce zdrowia)”
PaperworkPoland and Israel
Israel's veterinary certificate (Annex A), valid for 10 days
Your pet travels with Israel's 'Veterinary certificate for domestic dogs and cats entering Israel' (Annex A), issued no more than 10 days before arrival. An official veterinarian signs it, or a vet authorised by your country's veterinary authority signs it and that authority endorses it. 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
Health certificate issued by your county veterinarian (Powiatowy Lekarz Weterynarii): The county veterinarian issues the health certificate for companion animals taken out to non-EU countries. The certificate is valid for 15 days.
If this is missed: Pets that don't meet the requirements in full are sent back, quarantined or destroyed, as the Director decides, at the owner's cost.
“VETERINARY CERTIFICATE FOR DOMESTIC DOGS AND CATS ENTERING ISRAEL”
“The certificate is valid for 10 days”
“OFFICIAL VETERINARIAN OR VETERINARIAN AUTHORISED BY THE COMPETENT AUTHORITY (* ) (in the latter case, the competent authority must endorse the certificate)”
“At the time of examination it did not exhibit any symptoms of contagious or infectious diseases”
“תעודת הבריאות צריכה להיות מונפקת במהלך 10 ימים לפני מועד היבוא.”
“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.”
“Powiatowy Lekarz Weterynarii wystawia świadectwa zdrowia dla zwierząt towarzyszących wywożonych do krajów trzecich”
“Świadectwo wystawione przez Powiatowego Lekarza Weterynarii jest ważne 15 dni.”
PaperworkEntering Israel
Owner's declaration (Annex B): your pet for at least 90 days
Sign Israel's owner declaration (Annex B): your pet travels with the person responsible for it, it isn't for trade, and it has been in your possession for at least 90 days before you bring it to Israel. It goes with your request for flight approval. A pet you've had for less than 90 days can't use the no-licence route.
Details and the official words
“Pet Owner Declaration”
“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.”
“הכלב או החתול היה ברשותו הפיזית של הבעלים שעל הטיסה לפחות ב-90 הימים שלפני הטיסה לישראל.”
NoticeEntering Israel
Request flight approval at least 2 working days before you leave
At least two working days before you leave for Israel, send the Veterinary Services the owner declaration and arrival notice (Annexes B and C), the health certificate and the rabies blood-test report: for Ben Gurion Airport through the online form, for the ports of Ashdod, Haifa and Eilat by email to the port's veterinary office. The service is free. Your pet may only board once you have the written flight approval from the Veterinary Services at the port of arrival.
Details and the official words
If this is missed: Your pet may not board without the written flight approval.
“בעלי חיות מחמד שעומדים בדרישות לפטור מרישיון יבוא יעבירו, לפחות 2 ימי עבודה לפני היציאה ממדינת המוצא, את הטופס ואת המסמכים הנדרשים באופן הבא:”
“הצהרת בעלים והודעה על הגעת בעל חיים”
“דוח מעבדה של בדיקת דם לנוגדני כלבת כמפורט בתנאי הבריאות”
“השירות ניתן ללא עלות.”
“ניתן להעלות את בעלי החיים על הטיסה, רק לאחר קבלת אישור בכתב מהשירות הווטרינרי בנמל הייבוא בישראל (אישור הטסה).”
“Notification on Pet Arrival”
“e-mail: vs-airport@moag.gov.il”
Travel day and arrival
RouteEntering Israel
Arrive at Ben Gurion Airport or the ports of Haifa, Ashdod or Eilat
Pets can only be brought into Israel through Ben Gurion Airport or the seaports of Haifa, Ashdod and Eilat.
Details and the official words
“נמלי הים חיפה, אשדוד ואילת; נמל התעופה בן-גוריון”
“לא ניתן לייבא דרך נמלים אחרים.”
Good to know
- The no-licence route is only for owners over 18 who fly on the same plane as their pet.
- Dogs of dangerous breeds, and crosses of them that look and behave like them, need an import licence and can't use the no-licence route: American Staffordshire Terrier (Amstaff), Bull Terrier, Dogo Argentino, Japanese Tosa, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Pit Bull Terrier, Fila Brasileiro and Rottweiler. Breeding lines based on them (such as the American Bully and Shorty Bull) count as dangerous dogs too, and a Miniature Bull Terrier also needs an import licence. The licence for a dangerous dog has further conditions (owner over 18, dog neutered, owned for at least 18 months).
- Israel does not let in pets whose tail or ears were docked, or that were tattooed or coloured for looks: they are sent back. A tattoo for pedigree or neutering marks is allowed. A dog or cat of a naturally short-tailed breed needs the vet's declaration (Annex D) with tail X-rays or a genetic test, sent with the request for flight approval (French Bulldogs, English Bulldogs and Boston Terriers with screw tails don't need it).
- Pets on the no-licence route arrive through the passenger terminal. Go through the red channel, declare your pet to customs and show the flight approval.
- If the Veterinary Services' requirements aren't fully met, the pet is sent back, put in quarantine or destroyed, as the Director of the Veterinary Services decides, and you pay all the costs (return, quarantine, tests, vaccinations and treatment). Keep your documents to hand: you must show them at the inspection.
- Within five working days of your dog arriving in Israel, apply to the local authority where you will live for a dog licence (Dog Supervision Law, 2002).
- The rules for bringing a pet into a non-EU country are set by that country. GIW lists links and extra material for the most visited ones. Plan your return too.
- Some countries (the Warsaw inspectorate names Australia, Japan and South Africa) require health certificates on their own models and a pre-export certificate. If the destination has its own certificate, show it to your county vet with a sworn Polish translation.
- Planning to bring your pet back to the EU? After a short stay in a non-EU country you can skip the 3-month wait after the rabies blood test, but only if, before you leave the EU, your pet was vaccinated against rabies, passed a successful titer test, and your vet recorded both in its EU pet passport. So do the blood test before you go.
Cats
Get ready
Age ruleEntering Israel
At least 4 months old on arrival (3 months from rabies-free countries)
Your dog or cat must be over 4 months old on the day it arrives in Israel. Pets on Israel's rabies-free route (born and kept in, or more than a year in, Australia, Cyprus, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Sweden or the UK) may come from 3 months old.
Details and the official words
“מעל גיל 4 חודשים ביום ההגעה לישראל חוץ מאלו המבקשים להגיע ממדינות נקיות מכלבת (ראה מטה).”
“ניתן לייבא מעל גיל 3 חודשים.”
“Dogs and cats shall be no less than 4 months of age upon arrival in Israel.”
IdentificationEntering Israel
ISO microchip (134.2 kHz), before the rabies vaccination
Your pet needs a microchip that transmits at 134.2 kHz and can be read by a reader meeting ISO 11784 and Annex A of ISO 11785. It must be implanted before the rabies vaccination and the blood test.
Details and the official words
“מסומן באמצעות סימון תת-עורי בשבב אלקטרוני: שמשדר בתדר 134.2 קילוהרץ.”
“שבב זה יוחדר לבעל החיים לפני חיסון הכלבת ובדיקת הדם.”
“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 and of Annex A of ISO Standard 11785.”
“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.”
VaccinationEntering Israel
Rabies vaccination from 3 months old, at least 30 days before arrival
Your pet must be vaccinated against rabies at 3 months old or older, and a first vaccination must be at least 30 days before arrival. A pet that has had more than one rabies vaccination needs no 30-day wait after a booster.
Details and the official words
“חוסן כנגד מחלת הכלבת בגיל 3 חודשים ומעלה לא יותר משנה ולא פחות מ-30 ימים לפני ההגעה לישראל.”
“אם בעל החיים חוסן יותר מפעם אחת כנגד מחלת הכלבת אין צורך בהמתנה של 30 יום אך לא יותר משנה או לפי הוראות היצרן.”
“All dogs/cats require a veterinary confirmation that 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.”
VaccinationEntering Israel
Most recent rabies shot no more than a year before arrival
Israel's model certificate 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 30-day wait applies).
The official wording is ambiguous. Confirm this point with the authority.
Details and the official words
Israel's service page says, for a pet vaccinated more than once, 'not more than a year or according to the manufacturer's instructions', so a 3-year vaccine may be accepted for longer: ask the Veterinary Services. 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.
Add the date of your pet's most recent rabies shot to check this.
“All dogs/cats require a veterinary confirmation that they have been vaccinated against rabies no more than one year and no less than 30 days prior to their arrival in Israel”
“אם בעל החיים חוסן יותר מפעם אחת כנגד מחלת הכלבת אין צורך בהמתנה של 30 יום אך לא יותר משנה או לפי הוראות היצרן.”
“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 first vaccination
A vet takes a blood sample more than 30 days after the first rabies vaccination, and a laboratory approved by WOAH or the EU must find at least 0.5 IU/ml. The result stays valid for your pet's life as long as its rabies vaccinations continue without a gap, following the vaccine maker's instructions. There is no wait after the test, but the laboratory report goes with your request for flight approval, so leave time for the laboratory.
Details and the official words
A pet microchipped before its first rabies vaccination and vaccinated more than once after 3 months old may have the sample taken 14 days after its latest rabies vaccination, as long as more than 30 days have passed since the first one. Don't take the sample within 14 days after a booster.
If this is missed: Only in exceptional cases can the blood test be done in Israel, in an approved quarantine, and the pet then needs an import licence and must meet all its conditions.
“tested in an EU or WOAH-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 30 days after the primary rabies vaccination”
“or in case of an animal which was vaccinated more than once after the age of 3 months and being tagged by a microchip prior to the primary vaccination the sample can be taken 14 days after rabies vaccination as long as more than 30 days passed from the primary vaccination against rabies.”
“בדיקת הדם תקפה לכל חיי בעל החיים אם נשמר הרצף החיסוני על פי הנחיות היצרן.”
“במקרים חריגים בהם לא נעשתה בדיקת דם לנוגדני כלבת תיבחן אפשרות לביצועה בישראל בתנאי הסגר בהסגר המאושר על ידי השירותים הווטרינריים – אך במקרה זה בעל החיים חייב ברישיון יבוא ועמידה בכל תנאיו.”
“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 Poland
Medical-veterinary declaration from a vet at any clinic (valid 48 hours)
A vet at any clinic issues a medical-veterinary declaration that is valid for 48 hours. The county veterinarian bases the health certificate on it, together with proof of your pet's current rabies vaccination (in the passport or health booklet).
Details and the official words
“na podstawie ważnego 48 godzin orzeczenia lekarsko – weterynaryjnego wystawionego przez lekarza weterynarii w dowolnej lecznicy oraz dowodu aktualnego szczepienia przeciwko wściekliźnie (w paszporcie lub książeczce zdrowia)”
PaperworkPoland and Israel
Israel's veterinary certificate (Annex A), valid for 10 days
Your pet travels with Israel's 'Veterinary certificate for domestic dogs and cats entering Israel' (Annex A), issued no more than 10 days before arrival. An official veterinarian signs it, or a vet authorised by your country's veterinary authority signs it and that authority endorses it. 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
Health certificate issued by your county veterinarian (Powiatowy Lekarz Weterynarii): The county veterinarian issues the health certificate for companion animals taken out to non-EU countries. The certificate is valid for 15 days.
If this is missed: Pets that don't meet the requirements in full are sent back, quarantined or destroyed, as the Director decides, at the owner's cost.
“VETERINARY CERTIFICATE FOR DOMESTIC DOGS AND CATS ENTERING ISRAEL”
“The certificate is valid for 10 days”
“OFFICIAL VETERINARIAN OR VETERINARIAN AUTHORISED BY THE COMPETENT AUTHORITY (* ) (in the latter case, the competent authority must endorse the certificate)”
“At the time of examination it did not exhibit any symptoms of contagious or infectious diseases”
“תעודת הבריאות צריכה להיות מונפקת במהלך 10 ימים לפני מועד היבוא.”
“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.”
“Powiatowy Lekarz Weterynarii wystawia świadectwa zdrowia dla zwierząt towarzyszących wywożonych do krajów trzecich”
“Świadectwo wystawione przez Powiatowego Lekarza Weterynarii jest ważne 15 dni.”
PaperworkEntering Israel
Owner's declaration (Annex B): your pet for at least 90 days
Sign Israel's owner declaration (Annex B): your pet travels with the person responsible for it, it isn't for trade, and it has been in your possession for at least 90 days before you bring it to Israel. It goes with your request for flight approval. A pet you've had for less than 90 days can't use the no-licence route.
Details and the official words
“Pet Owner Declaration”
“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.”
“הכלב או החתול היה ברשותו הפיזית של הבעלים שעל הטיסה לפחות ב-90 הימים שלפני הטיסה לישראל.”
NoticeEntering Israel
Request flight approval at least 2 working days before you leave
At least two working days before you leave for Israel, send the Veterinary Services the owner declaration and arrival notice (Annexes B and C), the health certificate and the rabies blood-test report: for Ben Gurion Airport through the online form, for the ports of Ashdod, Haifa and Eilat by email to the port's veterinary office. The service is free. Your pet may only board once you have the written flight approval from the Veterinary Services at the port of arrival.
Details and the official words
If this is missed: Your pet may not board without the written flight approval.
“בעלי חיות מחמד שעומדים בדרישות לפטור מרישיון יבוא יעבירו, לפחות 2 ימי עבודה לפני היציאה ממדינת המוצא, את הטופס ואת המסמכים הנדרשים באופן הבא:”
“הצהרת בעלים והודעה על הגעת בעל חיים”
“דוח מעבדה של בדיקת דם לנוגדני כלבת כמפורט בתנאי הבריאות”
“השירות ניתן ללא עלות.”
“ניתן להעלות את בעלי החיים על הטיסה, רק לאחר קבלת אישור בכתב מהשירות הווטרינרי בנמל הייבוא בישראל (אישור הטסה).”
“Notification on Pet Arrival”
“e-mail: vs-airport@moag.gov.il”
Travel day and arrival
RouteEntering Israel
Arrive at Ben Gurion Airport or the ports of Haifa, Ashdod or Eilat
Pets can only be brought into Israel through Ben Gurion Airport or the seaports of Haifa, Ashdod and Eilat.
Details and the official words
“נמלי הים חיפה, אשדוד ואילת; נמל התעופה בן-גוריון”
“לא ניתן לייבא דרך נמלים אחרים.”
Good to know
- The no-licence route is only for owners over 18 who fly on the same plane as their pet.
- Wild cats (Bengal, Savannah), crosses with wild cats and their offspring can't be imported without written permission from Israel's Nature and Parks Authority, and then only with an import licence (not the no-licence route).
- Israel does not let in pets whose tail or ears were docked, or that were tattooed or coloured for looks: they are sent back. A tattoo for pedigree or neutering marks is allowed. A dog or cat of a naturally short-tailed breed needs the vet's declaration (Annex D) with tail X-rays or a genetic test, sent with the request for flight approval (French Bulldogs, English Bulldogs and Boston Terriers with screw tails don't need it).
- Pets on the no-licence route arrive through the passenger terminal. Go through the red channel, declare your pet to customs and show the flight approval.
- If the Veterinary Services' requirements aren't fully met, the pet is sent back, put in quarantine or destroyed, as the Director of the Veterinary Services decides, and you pay all the costs (return, quarantine, tests, vaccinations and treatment). Keep your documents to hand: you must show them at the inspection.
- The rules for bringing a pet into a non-EU country are set by that country. GIW lists links and extra material for the most visited ones. Plan your return too.
- Some countries (the Warsaw inspectorate names Australia, Japan and South Africa) require health certificates on their own models and a pre-export certificate. If the destination has its own certificate, show it to your county vet with a sworn Polish translation.
- Planning to bring your pet back to the EU? After a short stay in a non-EU country you can skip the 3-month wait after the rabies blood test, but only if, before you leave the EU, your pet was vaccinated against rabies, passed a successful titer test, and your vet recorded both in its EU pet passport. So do the blood test before you go.
Money
What it costs
Government fees exactly as the official pages state them, and what vets and labs in Poland publish for the steps above. The two are never added together.
Government fees on this route
Veterinary Inspection check for export (up to one hour)Leaving Poland133.42 PLN
Longer checks cost PLN 16.68 more per started 15 minutes; more at night, on Saturdays and on public holidays.
“Kontrola zwierząt przeznaczonych do wywozu, przemieszczania lub Opłata w zł przemieszczania w celach niehandlowych albo umieszczenia na rynku krajowym: 1) innych niż świnie: a) trwająca niedłużej niż godzinę, 133,42”
Rozporządzenie Ministra Rolnictwa i Rozwoju Wsi z dnia 27 marca 2026 r. w sprawie stawek opłat za czynności wykonywane przez Inspekcję Weterynaryjną, Dz. U. 2026 poz. 472 · as of 2026-04-08
Government fees in total: 133.42 PLN (each currency separately)
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 first 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 Poland: 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 Poland
Do before your pet leaves Poland
- Microchip
- Rabies vaccination
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 (titer) and EU animal health certificate and more.
Nearby routes
Other routes
Where this comes from
Official sources
- תהליך יבוא כלבים וחתולים לישראל (Process for importing dogs and cats into Israel), Veterinary Services service page on gov.il, last updated 19 Feb 2025; read from Common Crawl's copy captured 15 Mar 2025 (CC-MAIN-2025-13)
- Annex A: Veterinary certificate for domestic dogs and cats entering Israel (Veterinary Services, procedure moag-pro-061; gov.il file of 15 Sep 2026)
- Annex B (pet owner declaration) and Annex C (notification on pet arrival) (Veterinary Services, procedure moag-pro-061; gov.il file of 15 Sep 2026)
- Annex D: Declaration regarding non-mutilation (Veterinary Services, procedure moag-pro-061; gov.il file of 15 Sep 2026)
- 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)
- Podróż ze zwierzętami towarzyszącymi z Polski poza UE - zasady (GIW)
- Wywóz zwierząt towarzyszących do krajów trzecich (Powiatowy Inspektorat Weterynarii w Warszawie)
- EU rules on travelling with pets and other animals in the EU (Your Europe)
- Rozporządzenie Ministra Rolnictwa i Rozwoju Wsi z dnia 27 marca 2026 r. w sprawie stawek opłat za czynności wykonywane przez Inspekcję Weterynaryjną, Dz. U. 2026 poz. 472
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 Poland to Israel?
Yes: A vet takes a blood sample more than 30 days after the first rabies vaccination, and a laboratory approved by WOAH or the EU must find at least 0.5 IU/ml.
Do I need an import permit to bring my dog or cat into Israel?
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 Israel?
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 Poland to Israel?
With nothing done yet, start at least 5 weeks ahead for a dog. The main steps: ISO microchip (134.2 kHz), before the rabies vaccination, rabies vaccination from 3 months old, at least 30 days before arrival and most recent rabies shot no more than a year before arrival and 5 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.