For the purpose of implementing the provisions of this Decree by Law, the following terms and expressions shall have the meanings assigned to each of them, unless the context otherwise requires:
State: The United Arab Emirates.
Ministry: The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment.
Minister: The Minister of Climate Change and Environment.
Competent Authority: The competent local authority in each Emirate of the State.
Veterinary Quarantine Center: Any facility or building under the supervision of, or accredited by, the Ministry in which animals are isolated for the purpose of verifying the absence of direct or indirect contact with other animals, to ensure that no pathogenic agents are transmitted outside the facility during the period in which the animals remain under health surveillance, and, where necessary, for testing or treatment. This shall include veterinary quarantine offices at ports of entry.
Live Animal: All animal species, including mammals, birds, reptiles, aquatic organisms, and terrestrial organisms, whether intended for breeding, slaughter, ornamentation, competitions, scientific purposes, or otherwise.
Animal Products: Products derived from animals, whether intended for human consumption or for productive or scientific purposes, which may cause the transmission of infectious and epidemic animal diseases, including red and white meat, raw or unprocessed fish meat, hatching eggs, semen, ova, embryos, and animal gelatin.
Animal By-Products: Inedible parts of animals, including dung, fresh and dried blood, horns, hooves, bones, hair, wool, fur, hides, skins, feathers, animal manure, shells, animal remains, fish fins and bones, and bone meal.
Animal Feed: Food materials used for feeding animals, whether manufactured, unmanufactured, or semi-manufactured, which may include in their composition meat, poultry, fish, and their products, derivatives, by-products, and others.
Non-Medical Animal Tools and Equipment: Tools and equipment determined by the Ministry to be subject to its regulatory procedures, including tools manufactured using Animal Products and Animal By-Products in their manufacture, as well as animal care and welfare tools such as saddles, harnesses, grooming tools, coverings, bedding, and accessories accompanying animals.
Animal Samples: Samples taken from animals for diagnostic and laboratory examination purposes.
Animal Consignment: Any Live Animal, Animal Products, Animal By-Products, Animal Feed, Animal Samples, or Non-Medical Animal Tools and Equipment imported into the State, exported therefrom, or transiting through its territory.
Supervising Veterinarian: The veterinarian appointed by the Ministry.
Border Port:  All ports approved within the State by the Ministry through which Animal Consignments pass.
Importer or Exporter: Any natural or legal person importing or exporting an Animal Consignment.
Veterinary Quarantine Procedures: The veterinary health measures and procedures required to be implemented on Animal Consignments.
Disease: Any infectious or epidemic disease affecting animals and capable of affecting humans, having the ability to cause infection and spread, and having economic and social impact, including emerging, re-emerging, and transboundary diseases and those listed by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH).
Veterinary Health Certificate: A paper or electronic document issued by the Competent Authority responsible for implementing veterinary quarantine in the exporting country, including the detailed conditions and procedures applied to the Animal Consignment, in accordance with the provisions of this Law, its Executive Regulations, and the requirements of the importing country.
Permit: The authorization issued by the Ministry for the import, export, or transit of Animal Consignments.

This Law aims to regulate Veterinary Quarantine Procedures on Animal Consignments and to protect the State from animal Diseases.

The provisions of this Law shall apply to all Animal Consignments imported into the State, exported therefrom, or transiting through its territory.

1. In the event of the emergence of any Disease or risks in any country that constitute a health threat upon the import or transit of Animal Consignments, the Ministry shall adopt the necessary precautionary measures, including the prohibition of importation from a specific country or region.
2. The Executive Regulations of this Law shall determine the Veterinary Quarantine Procedures and the precautionary measures required to be taken in respect of Animal Consignments imported into the State, exported therefrom, or transiting through its territory.

The Ministry shall have the following competences:
1. To permit the export or transit of consignments of locally originating animals from an area subject to internal quarantine to outside the State.
2. To refuse the return of a transiting Animal Consignment through the State’s territory where its entry has been rejected by the importing country.
3. To designate a temporary location as a quarantine facility in emergency situations or where it is not feasible to quarantine Live Animals in approved Veterinary Quarantine Centers, in accordance with the Executive Regulations of this Law.

Any person wishing to import, export, or transit an Animal Consignment through the State’s territory shall submit, in advance, an application to the Ministry for the required Permits or Veterinary Health Certificates, in accordance with the controls and procedures specified in the Executive Regulations of this Law.

1. The importation of Animal consignments shall be prohibited except through approved Border Ports within the State.
2. The Ministry may determine the Border Ports through which the importation of Animal Consignments is permitted, and the types of Animal consignments allowed to enter through each Border Port.

1. The importation of Animal consignments shall be prohibited except through approved Border Ports within the State.
2. The Ministry may determine the Border Ports through which the importation of Animal Consignments is permitted, and the types of Animal consignments allowed to enter through each Border Port.

1. For the importation of Animal Consignments consisting of Live Animals, their products, Animal By-Products, and Animal Feed, it shall be required that such consignments originate from countries or regions free from Diseases as determined by the Ministry.
2. By way of exception to clause (1) of this Article, Live Animals, their products, Animal By-Products, and Animal Feed may be imported from a country in which an animal Disease has emerged, provided that the health controls and procedures determined by the Ministry are complied with, based on a risk assessment of the exporting country or country of origin, so as to ensure the safety of the imported Animal Consignment.
3. The Executive Regulations of this Law shall determine the health requirements necessary for the importation of Animal Consignments, the health certificates and documents that must accompany them, and the procedures to be followed where such requirements are not fulfilled.

The carrier of an Animal Consignment shall comply with the specifications and requirements necessary for the transport of Animal Consignments, as determined by the Ministry or the Competent Authority, as the case may be, while observing the relevant legislation.

Where an Animal Consignment arrives in the State within a means of transport that is contaminated, in violation of transport requirements, or capable of causing harm to personnel at Border Ports, the Ministry may order the disinfection of the means of transport and the application of Veterinary Quarantine Procedures to the Animal Consignment, or may refuse it and order its re-export, in accordance with the guidelines issued thereby.

The Ministry shall evaluate the level of veterinary services and animal control procedures applied in the exporting State or State of origin to ensure the implementation of biosecurity procedures, in accordance with the Executive Regulations of this Law.

The Supervising Veterinarian at the Border Port may prevent the entry of an Animal Consignment into the State if it is found to be infected with any Disease, in accordance with the procedures specified in the Executive Regulations of this Law.

The Supervising Veterinarian shall be obligated to:
1. Examine the incoming Animal Consignment and verify its compliance with the import conditions, including the documents accompanying the Animal Consignment, and conduct the visual and laboratory examinations specified in the Executive Regulations of this Law.
2. Examine Animal Consignments prepared for export in accordance with the procedures followed in the State, verify their conformity and compliance with the conditions of the importing State, and issue the Veterinary Health Certificate therefor where required.

The owner or possessor of the Animal Consignment, or its Importer or Exporter, shall be obligated to:
1. Comply with the requirements governing the import, export, and transit of the Animal Consignment.
2. Bear all costs related to Veterinary Quarantine Procedures and provide the labor, feed, and sufficient water necessary for the care of the animals during their accommodation, in accordance with the instructions of the Supervising Veterinarian, as well as any other costs related to the Animal Consignment and the care of the animals.
3. Bear all costs in the event it is decided to destroy an Animal Consignment that does not satisfy the import requirements stipulated in the Executive Regulations of this Law, and no compensation shall be payable in respect thereof.
4. Implement the procedures determined by the Ministry in the event of the destruction, treatment, or confiscation of the Animal Consignment that does not satisfy the import requirements.
5. Any other obligations specified in the Executive Regulations of this Law.

The carcasses of dead animals, live animals infected with or carrying an epidemic Disease, as well as their products or Animal By-Products, shall be disposed of safely in accordance with the procedures specified in the Executive Regulations of this Law, and the owners of such animals shall not be entitled to any compensation.

Any person aggrieved by resolutions issued in implementation of the provisions of this Law may submit a grievance to the Ministry in accordance with the controls and procedures determined by a decision issued by the Minister.

Where an Animal Consignment is rejected, the Ministry shall notify the authorities specified in the Executive Regulations of this Law.

The application of the penalties stipulated in this Law shall not prejudice any more severe penalty prescribed by any other law.

1. Without prejudice to any more severe penalty prescribed by any other law, any person who imports Animal Consignments through other than the approved Border Ports in the State shall be punished by imprisonment for a term of not less than one year and a fine of not less than (AED 100,000) one hundred thousand dirhams and not exceeding (AED 1,000,000) one million dirhams, or by either of these two penalties. In all cases, the seized items shall be confiscated.
2. The penalty shall be doubled in the event of recidivism.

Any person who fails to comply with the conditions for the import of Live Animals, their products, Animal By-Products, and Animal Feed, or with the specifications and requirements necessary for the transport of Animal Consignments, shall be punished by a fine of not less than (AED 50,000) fifty thousand dirhams and not exceeding (AED 500,000) five hundred thousand dirhams.

The owner or Importer who refrains from implementing the procedures determined by the Ministry in respect of an Animal Consignment that does not satisfy the import requirements shall be punished by a fine of not less than (AED 30,000) thirty thousand dirhams and not exceeding (AED 100,000) one hundred thousand dirhams.

The administrative violations and penalties for acts committed in contravention of the provisions of this Law and its Executive Regulations, as well as the mechanism for grievance thereagainst, shall be determined by a resolution issued by the Cabinet upon the proposal of the Minister.

The employees designated by a decision of the Minister of Justice in agreement with the Minister shall have the capacity of judicial officers to establish violations of the provisions of this Law, its Executive Regulations, and the resolutions issued in implementation thereof.

The fees prescribed for the implementation of the provisions of this Law shall be determined by a resolution issued by the Cabinet, upon the presentation of the Minister and the proposal of the Minister of Finance.

The Ministry may, after the approval of the Cabinet, delegate certain of its competences to any federal or local government authority. The Ministry may also assign certain of its tasks and services to any other governmental or private entity after the approval of the Cabinet.

The Cabinet shall issue the Executive Regulations of this Law within (6) six months from the date of its entry into force.

1. Federal Law No. (6) of 1979 Regarding Veterinary Quarantine is hereby repealed, as well as any provision that contradicts or conflicts with the provisions of this Law.
2. The regulations and resolutions issued in implementation of Federal Law No. (6) of 1979 Regarding Veterinary Quarantine shall remain in force until the regulations and resolutions necessary for the implementation of the provisions of this Law are issued, insofar as they do not contradict its provisions.

This Law shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall enter into force on the day following the date of its publication.