Exporting Dogs and Cats to Israel

2 March 2010

domaniec.isr

Ref: AE-IL 09L

1. Statutory authority

Pursuant to section 60 of the Animal Products Act 1999:

(i) I notify the following overseas market access requirements, entitled dogs and cats to Israel

(ii) Revoke OMAR B DOMANIEC.ISR 08.10.09.

This notice takes effect from date of signing.

Dated at Wellington on this 28^th day of April 2010.

Signed: Matthew Stone BVSc MACVSc MVS (Epidemiology)
Group Manager
Animal Imports and Exports
Border Standards Directorate
MAF Biosecurity New Zealand
(pursuant to delegated authority)

2. Israel Requirements

Dogs and cats exported from New Zealand to Israel must comply with the import requirements of Israel listed in this notice as follows:

2.1 An Import Permit (if applicable - refer to Notes) is required to export dogs and cats to Israel.

2.2 An Official Veterinarian authorised by the New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry must certify, after due enquiry, the following:

2.2.1 No case of rabies has ever occurred in New Zealand.

2.2.2 A microchip is implanted in the animal (number, location, and date of implant) - refer to Notes.

2.2.3 The animal(s) has been vaccinated against rabies no more than one year and no less than 30 days prior to their arrival in Israel with the exception of arrivals from Oceania*, Great Britain, Japan, and Cyprus; such animals, if there were not vaccinated, must be vaccinated against rabies within 5 days of their arrival in Israel. Manufacturer and name of vaccine, batch number, vaccination date, validity to be recorded on the export certificate.

2.2.4 The animal(s) has been examined and found to be fit and healthy to travel, and free from contagious and infectious disease at the time of export.

2.3 The owner of the animal(s) must declare that:

2.3.1 The animal(s) has been accompanied during movement by a person that is responsible for the animal(s).

2.3.2 The animal(s) is not intended for commercial purposes.

2.3.3 The animal(s) has been in his/her possession for at least 90 days prior to export.

*Oceania includes New Zealand.

3. Definitions

For the purposes of this document:

Any term or expression that is defined in the Animal Products Act 1999 and used, but not defined in this document, has the same meaning as in this Act.

Explanatory note

This OMAR is based on the export certificate for dogs and cats to Israel dated 2 March 2010.

Additional Information on OMAR Notification: DOMANIEC.ISR – 02.03.10

1. The notes to this OMAR were updated in February 2012 to clarify that the name and address on the export certificate must match that on the Import Permit.
2. This OMAR comes into effect from 1 May 2010 and replaces the previous one dated 8 October 2009. It has been updated with new import requirements provided by the Chief Import and Export Veterinary Officer, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Israel, on 26 February 2010. The certificate was approved by the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on 16 March 2010.
3. According to the Animal Disease Ordinance (Animal Imports), (5734 – 1974), the importation of dogs and cats to Israel requires an Import Licence issued by the Director of the Veterinary Services in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (hereafter, the Director). Refer to clause below for ‘accompanied’ animals.
4. The name and address in part I. OWNER/RESPONSIBLE PERSON ACCOMPANYING THE ANIMAL of the export certificate must match that on the Import Permit.
5. For an animal(s) that is exported as part of the accompanied baggage of its owner (a limit of two animals); it is exempt from having to obtain an import license from the Director, provided the animal(s) is accompanied by a health certificate issued by a government veterinarian in the country of origin within 10 days prior to their date of import, that testifies that the animal(s) was examined and found to be healthy and free of contagious diseases, and meets the provisions of clause 6 below. The certificate should be accompanied by a declaration by the owner that the animal(s) has been in their possession at least 90 days prior to being brought to Israel, Annex B of the Export Certificate. The import of a dog(s) or cat(s) as accompanied baggage also requires provision of details as indicated in clause 8 below.
6. All animals must be imported through the following ports of entry: Ben Gurion Airport, Haifa seaport, Ashdod seaport and Eilat seaport.
7. The dog(s)/cat(s) shall be no less than 4 months of age upon arrival in Israel, with the exception of arrivals from countries listed in point ² below from which the pet can be imported at 3 months of age.
8. Under the Regulations for the Control of Dogs (Imports of Dangerous Dogs), 5765 – 2004, it is prohibited to import a dog belonging to a dangerous breed¹, as well as a dog that is the result of a cross with a dangerous breed and that exhibits behaviour patterns and physical traits similar to those of a dangerous breed. Excluding exceptional instances, the dog must be accompanied by a licence from the director as set out in the said regulation.
9. All dogs and cats must be identified 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. It is important to note that such an electronic microchip does not conform with the Israeli legal requirement for identification.
10. The importer/owner is required to transmit by fax to the offices of the Veterinary Services at the port of entry³ a notification according to the Export Certificate form, Annex A, and the photocopy of the completed veterinary certificate accompanying the shipment. The fax must be sent at least 24 hours prior to arrival of the animal(s) in Israel. The shipment is not to be released until this has been authorised by the Veterinary Services at the port of entry.
11. Dogs and cats that are healthy on arrival and accompanied by the required documentation, will not require a period of quarantine in Israel.
12. In the event that the demands of the Veterinary Services have not been met in full, the cat(s)/dog(s) will be returned to their country of origin, destroyed or transferred to a quarantine facility at the discretion of the Director and according to the conditions he/she dictates.
13. The importer/owner will be charged for all the costs incurred due to the return of the animals to their country of origin, their destruction and/or their transfer to and stay in quarantine, including examinations, diagnoses, vaccinations, and special treatments if ordered by the Government Veterinarian.
14. The valid version of the import conditions is the one published in the Israeli Veterinary Services and Animal Health website in Hebrew.

¹ The dangerous breeds are: American Staffordshire Bull Terrier (Amstaff), Bull Terrier, Argentinean Dogo, Japanese Tosa, Staffordshire Bull Terrier (English Staff), Pit Bull Terrier, Brazilian Fila and Rottweiler.

² With the exception of arrivals from Oceania*, Great Britain, Japan, and Cyprus; such dogs if they were not vaccinated, must be vaccinated against rabies within 5 days of their arrival in Israel.

³ Ben Gurion Airport Fax: + 972-3-9772033, Haifa: + 972-4-8622455, Ashdod: + 972-8-8565673 and Eilat: + 972-8-6323054.

* Oceania includes New Zealand.

Section 61A of the Animal Products Act Amendments Act 2005 states that ‘The Crown is not liable, and nor is the Director-General or any employees of the Ministry liable, for an loss arising through the refusal or failure of the relevant authority of an overseas market to admit export animal material or animal product to that market’.