KOCHI: Pet lovers can now rejoice as the first pet to be imported via Kochi airport will fly in from Brussels, Belgium, on November 28, opening the doors for those who do not want to leave their pets behind while travelling back home or permanently relocating to Kerala.
“A senior citizen named Devika is taking along her pet dog, fulfilling a long-standing wish. She has continuously written to us, seeking a nod to import her pet dog. However, we didn’t have the facility till recently. She will finally see her dream come true on November 28,” a senior CIAL (Cochin International Airport Ltd) official said.
The dedicated Animal Quarantine and Certification Service (AQCS), aimed at preventing the introduction of exotic diseases, a mandatory step in facilitating the import of pets, was inaugurated at the airport on October 10. Until recently, pets could only be imported through six major entry points in India - Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
“Earlier, Keralites had to bring their pets through Chennai airport, which caused inconvenience to the passengers, as they had to again travel by road to the state. The new facility will reduce the cost and effort of importing animals to Kerala, offering a more convenient option. We’ll soon update the rules and guidelines for pet import on our website,” the officer said.
Those wishing to import their pets must initiate the import authorisation application process at least two months before the travel dates, and the same explains the month-long wait for the first pet’s arrival in Kochi.
“The pet dog will be kept in a quarantine facility for a minimum of 15 days. If it does not show any sign of illness during this period, it will be released to its owner,” he added.
The establishment of the pet import quarantine facility at the airport was made possible through the efforts of Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying George Kurian.
He received numerous requests from Malayalees settled abroad to introduce the facility at the Kochi airport.
A particularly compelling plea came from a youngster settled overseas, who shared that his aged mother, who had been living with him for the last ten years, was reluctant to return to Kerala without her pet kitten, with whom she shared a special bond. The family wanted to fly directly to Kochi with the cat, but the nearest AQCS facility was only in Chennai, which forced them to travel there first.
On his next visit to the Kochi airport, the minister took up the matter with the airport authorities, which led to a presentation on the AQCS project. Immediately, he took it up at the ministry level.
Additionally, the facility to export pets abroad through the Kochi airport was launched in July, with a Lhasa Apso puppy named Luka making history as the first pet to fly from Kochi to Dubai via Doha.
The pet cargo was handled by Qatar Airways.
The CIAL has established several facilities including a 24-hour air-conditioned pet station, a dedicated cargo section, a veterinary doctor on call, a customs clearance centre and a facilitation centre for travellers accompanying pets for export and import.Previously, CIAL had authorization only for domestic pet arrivals and departures. Now, with the clearance, pets can be imported or exported as cargo in specially prepared cages on flights.