Moving a cat or dog out of Kenya can cost anywhere between Sh65,000 and Sh2 million, depending on where it is going, how big it is and how the airline decides to carry it.
Dr Dennis Maube, a veterinary surgeon at Small Five Vet Clinic, puts the range at $500 (about Sh64,780) to $15,000 (about Sh1.9 million).
“Cats are cheaper than dogs because of the volume they occupy,” he says.
For dogs, the bill climbs with size. The airline also decides whether the animal travels as cargo, excess baggage or, in some cases, in the cabin, depending on its rules and the route.
The bill covers far more than a plane ticket. Vet checks, paperwork, a crate, airfreight and charges at the other end all add up, and much of it is hard to price until you know the route.
“The process of pet relocation is quite complex. It involves different parties, including the veterinary side, customs, the receiving country agents and the airline,” he says.
“You will need a valid vaccination card or pet passport, a health certificate and the relevant import and export permits. The vaccinations must be given by a vet registered with the Kenya Veterinary Board.”
Vaccinations and wait period
Timelines often depend on the destination. A pet going to Uganda can sometimes be cleared the next day, but other routes take far longer.
“Some destinations can take seven months to one year,” Dr Maube says, citing Australia, where the process is longer because Kenya is classed as a high-risk rabies country. European destinations take more than three months and up to seven.
Many countries require a rabies titration test, which measures antibody levels, followed by a waiting period. Depending on the country, pets may also need tests or vaccinations for distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis and Ehrlichia.
Dr Japheth Nyangari Mairo, director and veterinarian at Queens Veterinary Clinic in Nairobi, advises starting the tests four to six months before travel, and earlier for destinations with rabies testing and waiting periods. The process also depends on why the pet is travelling, whether that is permanent relocation, medical treatment or service work.
“For the UK and many European destinations, the pet may need to complete a mandatory three-month waiting period after the rabies blood sample is collected,” he says.
Before anything else, Dr Mairo says, check the destination’s import rules, including breed restrictions. Then the vet looks at the pet’s species, breed, age, health and vaccination history.
The first hard requirement is an ISO-compliant microchip, then vaccinations. “Administer rabies vaccination in the correct sequence after microchipping,” Dr Mairo says.
Routine vaccinations are seldom the costly part, he says, but they must be valid and properly recorded. Some countries also want parasite treatment within a set window before arrival.
For a cat or small dog leaving Nairobi, Dr Mairo estimates about Sh200,000 for the UAE, Sh250,000 to Sh350,000 for the European Union, Sh400,000 or more for the UK and Sh350,000 or more for the US. “These figures are indicative and not fixed quotations,” he says.
The final bill also depends on crate size, airline, route, travel season and charges at the destination. Age, health and breed restrictions can shift it too.
Size matters most with big dogs, because airlines may charge by the volume of the crate rather than the animal’s weight.
“The pet may be relatively light, but if it requires a large crate, the airline can charge based on the crate’s volumetric weight rather than the pet’s actual weight,” Dr Mairo says.
Some costs are easy to predict: the vet consultation and health check, microchip, vaccinations, titre testing, veterinary certificates and Kenyan government export papers. Others are not, including the crate, airline freight or excess baggage, cargo and airport charges, customs clearance, permits, overnight boarding and destination inspection and delivery.
“The airline, crate and destination-handling costs are usually the most variable components,” Dr Mairo says.
A pet flying as accompanied baggage can cost differently from one travelling as manifest cargo, and connecting flights can add charges and transit requirements. Seasonal freight rates, and whether an airline takes pets on a particular aircraft, can move the price as well.
You will need a rabies vaccination certificate, vaccination and veterinary records, a fitness-to-fly certificate, Kenyan export documents and, where required, an import permit from the destination country. You may also need parasite-treatment records, your passport, flight and air-waybill details, customs documents and, if the pet travels separately from you, an authorisation letter.
“Names, dates, microchip numbers and treatment details must match across every document. Even small inconsistencies can cause problems,” Dr Mairo says.
Dr Maube notes that a fitness-to-fly assessment is essential before the pet travels, as existing heart problems or medication can affect whether an animal can fly at all.
Dr Dennis Maube, veterinary vurgeon at Small Five Vet Clinic, with dogs during the interview at the clinic in Nairobi on September 16.
Photo credit: Wilfred Nyangaresi | Nation Media Group
Failing to meet an import requirement can mean denied boarding, delayed clearance, extra tests, quarantine, or the pet being sent back to Kenya at the owner’s expense.
The titre test is a common trap, and it adds both cost and preparation time. “If the result does not meet the destination country’s required antibody level, the pet may need to be revaccinated and tested again. This can increase the cost and delay travel,” Dr Mairo says.
Dr Mairo lists other mistakes including: buying an undersized or non-compliant crate, assuming every aircraft takes pets, missing blood-test or parasite-treatment deadlines, and submitting documents with mismatched details. Each can lead to repeat tests, reissued paperwork, changed flights and extra boarding fees. One problem tends to trigger the next: a missed deadline can mean a changed flight, and a changed flight can mean more nights of boarding.
Dr Mairo advises keeping a contingency of 15 to 25 percent above your expected cost. It can cover repeat exams or blood tests, a newly found medical condition, changes in freight rates, cancelled flights, extra boarding, a replacement crate, customs storage, quarantine or emergency vet care.
“An initial figure may not necessarily include the crate, airline freight, government documentation, customs clearance or destination delivery,” DrMairo says.
A professional pet mover can review destination rules, arrange vet visits and lab tests, apply for permits, source the right crate, book the airline and coordinate airport clearance. That takes a lot of coordination off your hands, though it is another cost to weigh against doing the work yourself.
If you use one, Dr Maube says to check that it is certified by bodies such as the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association (IPATA) or GEM, a global association of animal relocation specialists.
Doing some of it yourself is possible. “Owners may handle some veterinary appointments, purchase the crate or apply for certain permits themselves,” Dr Mairo says. The hard part, he adds, is juggling the different requirements and deadlines without experience.
Whichever route you take; it is important to budget for the destination end too. Dr Maube says owners should plan for clearance and an agent in the receiving country, since, in his case, Small Five Vet Clinic’s role ends when the pet’s flight lands.
