Traveling and Living with pets in Kuwait
There are no enforced regulations in Kuwait regarding pets. The pet shots in Kuwait and especially those at the Friday Market often sell rare or wild animals because of this lack of regulation. Cruelty issues are also seldom brought to attention.
Kuwait has 3 major veterinary hospitals and a 4th is expected to open in the near future. These facilities are ideal places for shopping for pet supplies, accessories, and treats. The same may also be purchased at the Sultan Center Supermarkets.
Two of the aforementioned veterinary hospitals are located in the Friday Market region right across from the pet shops and bird souk. These are the Al Rai Vet Clinic and theAl DohamaVeterinaryHospital. Neither institution employs any type of appointment system unless it is a case of surgery. However, both of them are quite busy and it is recommended that a visit be carried out early in the morning.
Al Dohama is open from 8-1pm and 4-8pm everyday except Friday. Al Rai is open from 9am-9pm except on Friday.
Generally speaking these facilities are not going to be pleasant to anyone used to western standards. However, the local surgeons have a good reputation for performing routine procedures like neutering and spaying at economical prices. Al Dohama is also reputed to have greater expertise in exporting pets from Kuwait and the various International quarantine procedures.
If you wish to avail western level of vet care then you will have to approach the InternationalVeterinaryHospital though the charges for routine procedures are very high at this hospital. The IVH is open from 10am-8pm everyday except Friday. The high prices are expected to become reasonable when the new facility opens in 2007.
The new facility is named RoyalAnimalHospital and it promises a very high standard of vet care, pet boarding, grooming, and dog training classes. RAH will also be the first vet hospital in that country to provide emergency call-out veterinary service.
There are no quarantine requirements when traveling to Kuwait with pets though you must obtain an import permit from PAAAFR before your animal is permitted to enter through pet travel. Pet transport is something to consider before moving forward.
Many Kuwaitis keep pets but they are not treated as family members. Dog owners will typically not allow dogs inside their home. If you are planning to rent then make it clear so that the landlord can give permission for pets. It is important to make certain about pet permissions before signing any agreement.
Before purchasing any pets in Kuwait make sure to have them thoroughly examined by a qualified vet.