Sometimes you don’t realise there’s a hole in your heart until your eyes meet the eyes of the cute fluffy being of the missing piece. It’s a tale as old as time here in Morocco where many lost souls have found a deep connection with a free spirited street animal. They are born into uncertainty but full of so much love & affection it’s hard not to.
So you found your bestie, what happens next?

Key Steps to Adopt a Dog OR CAT in Morocco

1. Find a reputable shelter or adoption organisation
   Local organisations that can help faciiltate an adoption are Beldis from Morocco & Morrocan Animal Aid
   They help to arrange an initial assesment for you. Owning a pet is a lot of responsibility & it’s important this will be the right fit for you both.
2. Medical care & vaccinations in Morocco (2 – 3 months)
   There are basic vaccinations that are required for viral diseases, distemper, parvovirus etc. Rabies vaccination is also essential.
   You must arrange for all the initial vaccines & then with follow up boosters usually around a month later
   There is an additional antibody test required 1 month followinfg vaccines to ensure they are cleared for travel
   Also you need to microchip the dog (ISO standard if possible)
3. Health checks & preparing travel documentation
   Blood tests / rabies titer (antibody) in some cases. The waiting period after vaccination may also apply
   Health certificate issued by a vet. The shelter/charity usually helps with this if the dog is going overseas.
4. Quarantine / waiting periods
   If you are taking them out of Morroco you may need to wait a period after vaccination or after antibody test before the dog is eligible to travel.
   There are options for this to be at the shelter or with a local foster home. Depending on country the quarantine could be at the final destination.
5. Transport arrangements
   Find a flight that will accept pets, check airline rules for crates, weight, etc.
   Ensure all paperwork matches airline, country of origin and destination.
   Hopefully you are able to stay around for the adpotion process & bring tham home on the flight yourself.
   However there are options for sourcing a flight volunteer if not.

Key Steps / Requirements to Leave Morocco with the Dog (International Export)

When exporting a pet, in addition to the adoption & domestic health/vaccine side, you’ll need to meet export and import rules.
Here are the general steps:

1. Check import requirements of the destination country
   Each country has its own rules for what is needed (vaccinations, rabies titer, quarantine, which breeds etc.)
   PLEASE NOTE Sometimes the country may disallow certain breeds
2. Export health certificate from Morocco
   You need a certificate from an official vet certifying that the dog is in good health & meets vaccination requirements etc.
   It may need to be issued within a certain timeframe before departure (often a few days).
3. Microchip (ISO standard)
   The dog should be microchipped with a chip that is readable by universal readers (often ISO 11784/11785).
4. Rabies vaccination & possibly a rabies titer test (antibody test)
   Must vaccinate often after vaccination, to wait a certain number of days before travel or having sufficient antibody levels.
5. Other vaccinations or parasite treatments
   Deworming, treating for external/internal parasites may be necessary.
6. Official export permit / veterinary inspection
   Depending on Morocco’s regulations and the destination country, there may be a requirement for customs or agricultural / animal health department approval.
7. Comply with airline/crate requirements
   The dog must travel in an airline-approved crate. Comply with airline rules about pet weight, travel in cabin vs cargo, etc.
8. Departure controls
   At the airport, you may need to present all health and export documents, proof of vaccinations etc.
   Sometimes an inspection by animal health services at the airport.

Important Things to Double Check / Issues That Can Cause Delays

• Timing of vaccinations: If the rabies vaccination is recent, there may be a wait period before travel is allowed.
• Validity of health certificates: Certificates often need to be issued within a narrow time window before travel (e.g. a few days). If too old, you’ll need a new one.
• Laboratory approvals: For rabies titer tests, only certain labs may be accepted by destination countries.
• Breed restrictions: Some countries ban or restrict certain dog breeds.
• Transit rules: If flights transit through other countries, you may need to satisfy their rules too.
• Costs: Veterinary costs, paperwork, air transport, crate costs, sometimes quarantines.