Senegal requires an import permit from its Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock for every pet dog and cat, so that is the first thing to start. Nala and I have waited on stranger paperwork than this, and the permit is the one that decides whether the trip happens. Let's go: permit first, certificate second, flight last.

Pet import to Senegal is overseen by Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock. Confirmed against an official source so far: a rabies vaccination, a health certificate and an import permit. Anything else — commonly a microchip, rabies vaccination and health certificate — is not yet confirmed for Senegal against an official source, so it's flagged in the table below rather than assumed.

How Senegal handles your pet

Each fact comes straight from the operator’s published policy. Tap the to read the exact wording; the opens the source page.

Health & documents

Import permit · Required Yesverified 2026-07-16
Import permit · Issuing authorityMinistry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestockverified 2026-07-16
Import permit · Documents required to obtain
  • Country of origin
  • Type of pet (species & breed)
  • Pet owner's first and last name
  • Address of the premises of origin (i.e., the owner's home address)
verified 2026-07-16
Health certificate · Required Yesverified 2026-07-16
Health certificate · Endorsed byOfficial veterinarian of the country of exportverified 2026-10-17
Health certificate · Validity days21 daysverified 2026-10-17
Health certificate · Government endorsed Noverified 2026-10-17
Rabies vaccination · Required Yesverified 2026-07-16
Rabies vaccination · Waiting period after vaccination21 daysverified 2026-07-16
Rabies vaccination · Max vaccine age at travel12 monthsverified 2026-10-17

Other rules

Pets accepted Acceptedverified 2026-10-17

Timing chain

Day -21 rabies vaccine deadline · Day -21 health certificate issued · Day 0 arrive at customs

The health certificate for Senegal should be issued within 21 days of travel. Book the vet visit for the final three weeks before departure, and no earlier. A certificate issued outside that window sits outside the stated rule. Write the departure date and the 21-day line on the same calendar page.
The import conditions on file for Senegal name three documents: an import permit, a health certificate and a rabies vaccination certificate. They name no breed list, so Pawgo records no breed restrictions for Senegal. The airline's own breed rules are a separate question, so ask the carrier directly before booking the flight.

We did not previously hold a confirmed validity days for Senegal; it is now 21, confirmed from the official source.

The timing costs more than the paperwork: a certificate issued more than 21 days before travel falls outside the stated rule. Count back 21 days from the flight and give the vet that date as the earliest issue date. Keep a day of slack before departure, so a delayed appointment does not push the date out.
Three documents, one permit that takes the longest, and a 21-day certificate window: that is Senegal. Build your personalized plan on Pawgo and every deadline gets counted back from your actual flight. A plan takes a few minutes, and it turns a pile of ministry requirements into a dated list you can follow.
Get YOUR personalized plan for Senegal →

Glossary

ISO chip
ISO 11784/11785 — the universal microchip standard.
FAVN
Fluorescent Antibody Virus Neutralization — a rabies serology test required by rabies-free destinations.
Brachycephalic
Snub-nosed breeds (French Bulldogs, Pugs, Persians, Himalayans) with restricted airline acceptance due to heat-stress risk.
AVIH
Animal Vehicle In Hold — IATA's term for cargo pet shipment, with fees that vary by carrier and route.

What changed recently

We did not previously hold a confirmed a requirement for Senegal; it is now 21, confirmed from the official source.