KOCHI: A one-year-old mixed-breed feline on Thursday became the first pet to be imported through Cochin International Airport. The female cat, ‘Eva’, landed at Nedumbaserry airport at 10:17am on Air India flight AI 954 from Doha.
The new Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS) facility at the airport permits those who do not want to leave their pets behind when travelling back home or permanently relocating to Kerala to tag the animals along.
“CIAL provided excellent service. The customs and immigration procedures were hassle-free, and the entire process was well-coordinated. I’m grateful for the smooth handling of my beloved pet’s arrival,” said K A Ramachandran, from Chelakkara, Thrissur.
The pet-export service was introduced at CIAL in July. With the approval of AQCS, under the central animal husbandry department, CIAL is currently the only airport in Kerala offering pet import-export services.
The dedicated AQCS facility, aimed at preventing the introduction of exotic diseases, was inaugurated at the airport on October 10. Until recently, pets could only be imported through six entry points in India – Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad.
Till now, Keralites had to import their pets through Chennai airport. “This caused inconvenience to passengers who had to travel further by road to the state. The new facility will reduce the cost and effort of importing animals to Kerala, offering a more convenient option,” an airport official said.
Those wishing to import their pets must initiate the authorisation application process at least two months before the travel date. 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, sources said.
The facility to export pets through 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.
For detailed information on the process, visit https://aqcsindia.gov.in.