Your dog or cat to Saba: 21 days after the jab, an examination within ten days, and Winair as the last leg

Yes, your dog or cat may come to Saba, and the requirements are the same as for Bonaire: a valid health certificate from an official or accredited vet and a rabies vaccination given at least 21 days before departure, on an animal at least fifteen weeks old. A titre test appears nowhere in the BES requirements. What makes Saba different is on the island vet's page: the chip must come before the jab, a dog also needs a distemper vaccination, a clinical examination may be at most ten days old, and legalisation by the NVWA is, according to the Public Entity, not needed. The trap is in the last leg: Winair's aircraft from Sint Maarten takes only a few animals, and without confirmation 48 hours in advance your dog stays on the ground.

What exactly does Saba require?

The basis is the Small Animals Import Decree BES, which applies to all three islands: no import without a health certificate, for dogs and cats a valid proof of rabies vaccination, and in case of a shortfall immediate quarantine at the carrier's expense. Dogs and cats from a country on the mainland of South and Central America, except Suriname, are not allowed in, unless you settle permanently and have had the animal for four months or longer. Customs Caribbean Netherlands translates that into 21 days and fifteen weeks.

The Public Entity Saba puts its own list next to it on its page, for dog, cat and ferret: rabies, the first time at least a month before departure and only from twelve weeks; for dogs also a vaccination against distemper, between thirty days and a year before the trip; a compulsory chip, placed before the rabies vaccination; an EU pet passport; a health certificate with a clinical examination at most ten days before departure, noted in the passport; and, literally, legalisation of the travel documents by the NVWA is not necessary. Parvo and hepatitis are recommended, and preventive treatment against heartworm strongly advised.

Step	Deadline or requirement
Chip	before the rabies vaccination, otherwise the jab is not valid
Rabies vaccination	at least 21 days before departure; only from 12 weeks
Minimum age on arrival	15 weeks
Distemper (dogs only)	between 30 days and 1 year before the trip
Clinical examination by the vet	at most 10 days before departure, in the EU pet passport
Legalisation by the NVWA	not needed according to the Public Entity Saba
Winair: notification	at least 48 hours in advance, with confirmation
Winair: in the cabin	up to 6 kg including carrier, $ 40 per animal per flight
Winair: in the hold	up to 32 kg including kennel, $ 60, one animal per passenger
Island vet's health certificate for leaving Saba	$ 25 first animal, $ 15 each additional, valid 14 days
Customs exemption	pets fall under the removal goods exemption

How does the Dutch side work?

The NVWA describes the route for every destination outside the EU: chip, valid rabies vaccination and EU pet passport at your own vet, and then the Export Assistant, where you see per country whether a binding certificate with instructions is ready. If there is none, you e-mail dpp@nvwa.nl with species, destination, stopovers, departure date and purpose of the trip; the NVWA tries to reply within two working days. If something does need legalising after all, that happens in Utrecht, at an appointment you request at least fourteen working days in advance. Because Saba itself says that legalisation is not needed, the sensible order is: first the Export Assistant, then Saba's page, and in doubt the NVWA. Do not forget the stopover: you land on Sint Maarten, and that is another country in the Kingdom.

Count backwards, with Winair in it. Departure date minus 21 days is the last day for the rabies jab, minus ten days the earliest day for the clinical examination, and minus 48 hours the latest notification to Winair. A puppy younger than fifteen weeks does not enter the island, however the flight is booked.

The last leg: the small aircraft

Winair carries only small pets, and the number in cabin and hold depends on the space in the aircraft; you book the animal directly with the reservations department, at least 48 hours in advance, and only a confirmation counts. In the cabin an animal of at most six kilos including carrier is allowed, for $ 40 per flight; in the hold at most 32 kilos including kennel, for $ 60, one animal per passenger. On Saba itself the airport asks that your dog stays in its carrier in the terminal and is on a leash outside. At customs the animal counts as removal goods under the exemption for your household goods. Whoever wants to return with the animal later heeds what the NVWA says: a rabies vaccination entered in the passport outside the EU does not count for the return trip, and the island vet issues its own certificate for leaving Saba that is valid for fourteen days. How the pet clock falls next to the container and the car is in the step-by-step plan on /saba.

In Vertrekklaar this is phase 3 of 5 of the journey, step 3.3: the same steps, but for your situation — in your order, tickable, and with the deadlines watched. See the whole journey to Saba or go straight to step 3.3 in the open plan.