The Cayman Islands Department of Agriculture will introduce revised import conditions for dogs and cats from 1 October.
The changes are intended to clarify the requirements for international pet travel while maintaining measures aimed at protecting animal health and biosecurity.
One change concerns dogs that are prohibited from entering the Cayman Islands for the first time under the Animals (Prohibited Dogs) Regulations (2026 Revision).
The revised conditions specify pit bull terriers and their breed types, Dogo Argentinos and their breed types, Fila Brasileiros and their breed types, Japanese tosas and their breed types, as well as any breed whose breeding lineage was primarily for dog fighting.
The department will also remove the requirement for a fluorescent antibody virus neutralising test, or FAVN, for dogs and cats arriving from locations classified as having no rabies risk, including the United Kingdom.
Rabies requirements will continue to vary according to the rabies-risk classification of the country or territory from which an animal originates.
Those classifications determine the health checks and documentation required for animals entering the Cayman Islands.
The revised conditions will also allow the department to accept digital signatures on official health certificates issued by USDA-accredited veterinarians.
Director of Agriculture Wilbur Welcome said in a press release on 31 August that the changes were designed to update the import system while retaining existing safeguards.
“These revisions represent an important step in modernising our import requirements for dogs and cats while maintaining the robust biosecurity safeguards that protect our animal population and the wider community,” he said.
“We want to make the process clearer and more efficient for responsible pet owners and our international partners, without compromising the standards necessary to protect the Cayman Islands.”
Owners will still need an import permit, microchip identification, rabies vaccination and veterinary health documentation for dogs and cats entering Cayman.
The department said owners should review the requirements that apply to their animal and its country or territory of origin before making travel arrangements.
The revised conditions also incorporate updated regional risk classifications and related pet travel requirements.
The department said it will continue to receive technical feedback from veterinarians, trade partners and other stakeholders as it finalises the revised document.
The department held a virtual question-and-answer session on 24 September to discuss the new requirements with pet owners, veterinarians, airlines, importers and other stakeholders.
