Pet travel companies report deluge of enquiries from Gulf

• Residents research evacuation options
• Phone lines overwhelmed with calls
• MoCCAE: no emergency procedures

Frantic about Fido? Troubled about Tiddles? GCC residents are lining up options to evacuate their pets as the Iran conflict intensifies and specialist pet travel agents are reporting a surge in enquiries. 

The volume of calls from prospective clients has soared between 200 and 500 percent since before the conflict began, three companies separately told AGBI. 

The companies offer services ranging from navigating the paperwork and logistics of pet travel on behalf of clients, to facilitating private jet charter and commercial flight bookings. 

Middle Eastern airspace has not opened up sufficiently for them to complete bookings so they are compiling requests and awaiting updates. 

“We are seeing very high demand from people wanting information about getting their pets out,” said Kate Lindley, relocations manager at Dubai-based Paw Pals.  

“Some are waiting for their pets to get out before arranging travel for themselves, and others want to leave as soon as possible and send pets later.” 

Karyna Ponomarova, founder of UAE-based Furry Group, said the company is receiving a “surge” of requests – around 15 calls per hour – from people wanting to leave “immediately” and has had to close phone lines temporarily and ask for emails instead. 

“The situation is extremely delicate and there is little we can do right now to accommodate their requests,” Ponomarova said. “We are doing our best to advise on what they can do now so they are ready to travel when possible.”

The demand appears to be precautionary, she said. “Many pet owners are reaching out to better understand their options and prepare contingency plans.” 

Only a small number of customers are looking to depart on private jets – most are exploring commercial options or road shuttle transport to Oman or Saudi Arabia to catch flights from there, she said. The company is also helping a small number of stranded tourists who travelled to the UAE with their pets for a holiday.  

“Our advice is to stay calm and stay inside the UAE until things settle down and airspace restrictions ease. That may also signal greater stability, which could reduce the current sense of urgency,” she said

Emirates was trying to restore its flight schedule with a targeted 100 flights on Thursday and Friday and government repatriation flights are starting to operate, but millions of flight seats have been cancelled since the war began.

Pet relocations are inherently complex due to country-specific requirements such as vaccinations, health certificates, export and import permits and other red tape, according to Marisa Hoskins, founder of pet travel agent Paws Abroad. 

The UAE’s animal regulator, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MoCCAE), shared a note with her on Thursday and seen by AGBI which said there are “currently no exceptional or emergency procedures in place outside the approved regulatory framework”. 

Hoskins urged governments to ease requirements for people escaping conflict. 

“This situation is highlighting how tricky pet travel is and also how emotional. People see their pets as family members and are not prepared to travel without them,” she said. 

AGBI has contacted the MoCCAE for further comment.