Chile requires microchip or tattoo July 27

Chile’s agricultural authority said this week that dogs and cats entering the country from abroad will need permanent identification starting July 27. The Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero, or SAG, said the new rule applies to pets arriving from overseas and requires an individual, permanent identifier through either a microchip or a tattoo. The agency said the measure is part of updated zoosanitary entry requirements and warned that failure to meet them could block an animal’s entry into Chile. ### Which animals are covered by the new Chile rule? SAG said the requirement covers dogs and cats entering Chile from abroad, including animals that leave the country and later return. The agency’s pet-entry guidance also covers ferrets under Chile’s broader companion-animal import regime, but the new identification announcement specifically referred to dogs and cats. (sag.gob.cl) The SAG entry page says the import process applies to traditional companion animals that travel with their owner or transporter, or are sent through a pet transport or moving service. The same guidance says the rule does not apply to other kinds of companion animals such as birds, rodents or reptiles. ### What exactly has to be on the animal? (sag.gob.cl) The July 7 SAG notice said pets must have “individual and permanent” identification by microchip or tattoo. The agency said the identification number must appear on the Certificado Zoosanitario de Importación, or CZI, which is issued by the health authority in the country of origin. (sag.gob.cl) SAG said that number must match the number recorded in the microchip or tattoo so border officials can verify the animal’s identity and traceability. The agency said the purpose is to strengthen traceability and protect animal health and public health in Chile. ### Is this only for first-time entry, or also for pets coming back to Chile? (sag.gob.cl) SAG said the updated rules also change the process for animals that depart Chile and later re-enter. From July 27, the Certificado Zoosanitario de Exportación, or CZE, issued by SAG will remain valid for re-entry for up to 60 days, provided the pet’s rabies vaccination remains current and the animal has permanent identification by microchip or tattoo. (sag.gob.cl) The agency’s entry guidance still distinguishes between shorter and longer trips abroad. SAG says travelers returning with a certificate issued by SAG that is less than 21 days old can use that certificate plus proof of rabies vaccination, while longer absences require a certificate from the health authority in the country of origin or, for EU-origin animals, an EU pet passport. (sag.gob.cl) ### What other documents still matter besides the microchip or tattoo? SAG said permanent identification is being added to existing entry requirements rather than replacing them. The agency said animals must still have a clinical examination performed by a veterinarian within 10 days before the import certificate is issued, current rabies vaccination, and proof of internal and external parasite treatment administered between 5 and 30 days before the certificate is issued. (sag.gob.cl) For first rabies doses, SAG said the shot must have been given at least 21 days before entry into Chile. The agency also said all of those details must be recorded on the import certificate, and that pets arriving from European Union countries may continue using the EU pet passport as a valid document. ### Where should travelers check before they fly? (sag.gob.cl) SAG says people traveling abroad with a dog or cat should review requirements in advance because destination-country rules vary and Chile’s own re-entry process now includes the permanent-ID condition. The agency’s export certificate page says travelers need a CZE to leave Chile with a dog or cat, and that the document certifies compliance with the destination country’s health requirements. (sag.gob.cl) The July 27 start date appears in SAG’s July 7 notice, and the agency directs travelers to its pet-entry and pet-export pages for the current checklists. The export certificate page also lists a fee of 0.41 UTM for one pet and 0.22 UTM for each additional pet. (sag.gob.cl 1) (sag.gob.cl 2)