Pets in Fiji

Pet ownership in Fiji commonly involves dogs and cats. Before taking an animal, plan for secure housing, water, food, exercise, parasite control, vaccinations, veterinary care, identification, desexing and the cost of emergencies. SPCA Fiji Islands provides adoption, rescue, outreach and subsidised veterinary services; adopted animals are generally examined, vaccinated, dewormed, treated for fleas and desexed before adoption. Shelter capacity is limited, so an organisation may not be able to accept an animal immediately or guarantee a particular outcome after surrender. The Protection of Animals Act 1954 prohibits cruel ill-treatment. Owners must provide sufficient food, drinking water and shelter. A dog kept chained or confined needs appropriate daily exercise, and unnecessarily short or heavy chains, wire or barbed wire should not be used. Abandonment that exposes an animal to suffering can lead to prosecution. The stated maximum penalty under section 3 is FJD 100, six months' imprisonment, or both, and a court may remove ownership. Secure containment, a collar and leash, routine veterinary care and desexing reduce common welfare and stray-animal risks. The Dogs Act 1968 applies specific duties to dogs. A dog older than six months must be licensed through the relevant licensing authority or licensing officer. The application records the owner and dog and requires a fee; the licence normally runs until 31 December and is not transferable. The registration label must remain on the dog's collar. A dog outside between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. is prima facie treated as a stray, meaning the circumstances support that legal presumption unless shown otherwise. A Magistrate can order the destruction of a dangerous dog or require controlled keeping. Older fee schedules show amounts such as FJD 5 for a male or sterilised female dog and FJD 10 for an unsterilised female dog, but these figures should be checked before payment because their current status is not confirmed. Veterinary access includes Animal Health Clinics and government veterinary services through the Ministry of Agriculture's Animal Health and Production Division. SPCA's clinic in Suva offers basic and subsidised care, including vaccinations, deworming and desexing, while SPCA outreach and CLAW programmes provide community wellness services. Private veterinarians are more available in urban centres. Costs, appointment access and treatment options vary by island and provider, and Fiji does not have one confirmed nationwide pet-cost schedule. Importing a dog or cat requires an import permit from the Biosecurity Authority of Fiji, known as BAF, before departure. The permit is fee-based, normally valid for no more than six months and subject to the animal's country of origin. The shipment generally needs the original permit, a health certificate, veterinary certificates, laboratory results, vaccination records and an ISO-compatible microchip. The animal must be at least four months old. Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Japanese Tosa and pit bull terriers or their crosses are prohibited, and serval or serval-cross cats are prohibited. Dogs and cats must travel by air as manifested cargo in an airline-approved crate. Post Entry Quarantine, or PEQ, is required at the approved entry process through Nadi or Nausori International Airport and Koronivia. Home quarantine is not allowed. Group A animals require at least seven days of quarantine, while Group B animals require at least 30 days. Group B also requires a rabies vaccination at least 30 days before export and a rabies antibody test, such as RNATT or FAVN, taken 180 to 365 days before export with a result of at least 0.5 IU/ml. BAF should be contacted and the quarantine place booked about six to eight weeks before travel. Missing documents or conditions can lead to extra tests, extended quarantine, re-export or euthanasia at the importer's expense. Guide and service dogs may receive an exception only after BAF verifies the disability-related task; emotional-support and comfort animals do not receive the same treatment. Animals arriving by yacht or another vessel generally must remain on board and may not land or enter Fiji as imported pets. A BAF entry permit, microchip and rabies and antibody-test evidence are required, and a refundable bond of FJD 1,500 may apply. A 2024 notice allows cruises of up to three months under stated conditions. Other pet species are not permitted through the yacht pathway. Transit is restricted to Nadi International Airport and generally may not exceed 12 hours or the period set by BAF. Pet food and rawhide are regulated animal products, so their import permit and declaration requirements should be checked separately. If keeping an animal is no longer possible, contact SPCA Fiji Islands or another rescue provider before bringing the animal to a shelter. There is no confirmed private national return entitlement, and shelter intake depends on capacity. A finder of a stray animal does not have to keep it permanently but should provide short-term safety and water and contact a veterinarian or rescue service. Abandonment is unlawful. For severe suffering or an irreversible illness, a veterinarian may need to discuss humane euthanasia. Requests to import species other than dogs or cats have no established general pathway and are assessed case by case through an import risk analysis by BAF.