Pets in Seychelles

Pet ownership in Seychelles is regulated through several authorities and practical systems rather than one nationwide pet act, register or shelter network covering every companion animal. The Animal Welfare Unit handles welfare concerns, stray animals and some surrendered dogs and cats. The Ministry of Fisheries, Agriculture and Blue Economy, National Biosecurity Services (NBS), Border Control and Support Division, District Administration and licensed veterinary surgeons each handle different parts of ownership, welfare, import and travel. The Seychelles Licensing Authority regulates licensed veterinary practice. Services and costs are concentrated particularly on Mahé, so access can vary between islands. Dogs have the clearest formal requirements. Under the Control and Protection of Dogs Act 2018, in force since 1 April 2021, a dog older than three months must be registered with the Competent Authority or the relevant District Administrator. Registration lasts two years and provides a unique identification record, certificate and registration tag. The dog must also be microchipped from three months of age unless a veterinarian certifies that microchipping would create a welfare risk. Changes of ownership and other required information must be reported under the Act. Registration costs SCR 50 for a sterilised dog and SCR 500 for a dog that is not sterilised; an imported dog is charged SCR 100 for each month of stay, a replacement tag costs SCR 100, and service dogs are charged SCR 0. Current fees should be confirmed before applying. A dog must remain under control and receive sufficient food, water, shelter, grooming, medical care and exercise. In public places, the owner must use a leash and maintain control, and the owner must follow dog prohibition signs. Dogs must not cause a nuisance, endanger or injure people, damage property or harm livestock or protected wildlife. The Competent Authority may limit the number of dogs kept in a household, and kennel standards apply under the regulations. The Dog Control Officer can inspect where welfare concerns arise and can arrange food, water, shelter or medical assistance. An inspection of a dwelling under the Dog Act requires a warrant, police accompaniment or the consent of an adult resident. The 2021 regulations restrict the American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Dogo Argentino, Japanese Tosa, Fila Brasileiro and Pit Bull varieties. Importing or breeding these restricted breeds is prohibited. Existing restricted dogs must be sterilised and cannot be advertised or transferred to another owner. In public, they require a muzzle, leash and control, as well as the required red identification. A dog that attacks or shows threatening behaviour can be declared dangerous. The owner receives advance notice and can appeal within seven days; an appeal decision typically follows within fourteen days. Missing dogs, attacks and ownership details must be reported within the applicable twenty-four-hour period. Animal welfare rules apply to all covered companion animals. Cruel treatment includes beating, injury, starvation, neglect, harmful medication, painful transport, unsuitable confinement, excessively short or heavy tethering, lack of exercise, food, water, shelter or medical treatment, dog fighting and goading. Ear cropping, tail docking and debarking are permitted only when a licensed veterinarian performs them for a welfare or medical reason. Depending on the offence, penalties can reach SCR 50,000, with a possible five-year prohibition on keeping animals; some other welfare offences carry penalties of up to SCR 30,000. For acquisition, official welfare material identifies licensed breeders, the Government Dog Pound and shelters or NGOs such as SSPCA and Pet Haven as possible sources for dogs and cats. A breeder needs a dog breeder licence and must provide suitable housing, food, water, exercise, socialisation, health management and veterinary arrangements. A breeder must also follow age-appropriate vaccination requirements, provide an adoption or purchase agreement and accept a return obligation where required. Selling a puppy or kitten younger than eight weeks is prohibited. The Animal Welfare Unit supports registration, microchipping and sterilisation and handles some surrendered dogs and cats. Veterinary care should come from a licensed veterinary practice. The Small Animal Clinic lists core opening hours of 08:00 to 16:00, while after-hours arrangements may differ. Veterinary practices keep medical records, report notifiable diseases to Veterinary Services and control certain medicines. Canine heartworm is endemic in Seychelles and spreads through mosquitoes; preventive treatment is available through veterinary clinics. Owners of chronically ill animals should discuss treatment, medication supplies and additional costs with Veterinary Services before travel or import, because import is strongly discouraged for chronically ill animals and regular medication may require prior clearance. Importing a dog or cat requires a Veterinary Import Permit from the Chief Officer of Biosecurity and Border Control and an additional import permit from the Ministry of Finance. The animal must be at least sixteen weeks old. The application identifies the microchip, species, breed, sex, age and name. Required vaccinations must be administered at least two weeks before departure: rabies and the specified core vaccinations for cats, and rabies, distemper, parvovirus, infectious canine hepatitis and leptospirosis for dogs. The permit normally takes about seven working days to issue and is valid for one month from the planned arrival. Documents must be in English or French and include the original veterinary certificate from the exporting country. Animals arriving from a rabies-affected country need a valid inactivated rabies vaccination from three months of age, a booster between thirty days and twelve months before export, a rabies antibody neutralisation test above 0.5 IU and blood taken at least thirty days after vaccination. Travel must then take place at least three months after the blood sample. Dogs also require tests for Brucella canis, Trypanosoma evansi, Babesia gibsoni, Leishmania and Ehrlichia canis unless the exporting country has officially confirmed freedom from the relevant disease. All imported animals undergo at least fourteen days of post-arrival quarantine at the facility on Mahé. The importer should book early, submit the indemnity form, confirm arrival twenty-four hours before landing and reconfirm quarantine two weeks before arrival. The animal normally travels as manifest cargo in an IATA-compliant container, preferably on a direct flight without contact with other animals, and a Veterinary Officer takes responsibility for airport transport. The official quarantine information gives a fee of SCR 1,000 for two weeks, including the permit, collection and transport, and kennelling. An additional kennel costs SCR 500 for two weeks, and an extension costs SCR 500 per week or SCR 100 per day. Treatment, veterinary bills, customs and Air Seychelles handling are separate. A 2024 import leaflet conflicts with the 2021 dog regulations on breed restrictions. The stricter current legal rule should be followed, and NBS should confirm the breed in writing before shipment. Other live animals require an animal-specific written import application. The stated preparation period is at least four months from a rabies-infected country and four weeks from a rabies-free country. CITES species require a certified CITES permit, and live animals may also require post-arrival quarantine. Seychelles has no general pet-import rule established for every bird, reptile or small mammal, so the owner should obtain the conditions directly from NBS or Veterinary Services before shipping. Movement between islands is also subject to biosecurity controls because animals can spread disease and invasive species can damage biodiversity. Restricted or controlled animals must not be moved between islands without the required approval. A specific inter-island pet procedure is not clearly published, so the owner should ask NBS or Veterinary Services before booking transport. A dog may not be abandoned or released without sufficient legal justification or authorisation. Lawful alternatives include a proper transfer to another owner or surrender to an animal shelter, together with notification to the Competent Authority or District Administrator. The Government Dog Pound receives stray and surrendered dogs and provides food, water, cleaning and medical care. It normally keeps an animal for up to seven working days. A stray dog is scanned for a microchip, held for a four-working-day claim period and may then receive up to three further working days for adoption or rescue, subject to the statutory process. Sick, elderly or injured dogs may face same-day euthanasia. Adoption generally includes owner searches, registration and microchipping; stray dogs aged three to six months are sterilised before adoption. The Animal Welfare Unit documents cat surrenders, but no equally detailed national cat-rehoming procedure has been published. Welfare complaints, stray-dog reports and dog nuisance complaints can be submitted to the Animal Welfare Unit. The Dog Control Officer can investigate welfare concerns and secure an animal where necessary. Depending on the offence, violating dog-control regulations can lead to a fine of up to SCR 50,000 or imprisonment for up to two years. Owners should keep registration, microchip, vaccination, veterinary and import documents together because these records support control, treatment, travel and lawful transfer.