Several countries around the world prohibit or restrict the entry and ownership of certain dog breeds. These countries have breed-specific legislation to protect people and animals from dog attacks. This legislation assumes all dogs of certain aggressive and strong breeds are dangerous and, therefore, restricts the ownership of these breeds.

The Philippines does not have breed-specific legislation; all dog breeds are welcome in the country as long as the pet import regulations are met satisfactorily. If you are travelling to the Philippines with a strong or dangerous breed, here’s all you need to know about banned pet breeds in the Philippines.

What is breed-specific legislation?

Historically, many dog breeds were bred for their strong jaws and aggressive nature. These breeds are used as guard dogs and are capable of inflicting severe harm to people and other animals. Breed-specific legislation aims to curb dog attacks by restricting the ownership of these breeds. Many countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Germany and others, have banned the import of dangerous dog breeds such as Pit Bulls, Cane Corso, Tosa Inu and other similar strong breeds.

The law is based on the assumption that all dogs of these breeds are dangerous and pose a threat. Their strong jaws can cause extreme damage, and attacks by dogs of these breeds can be severe.

Banned breeds in the Philippines

The Philippines does not ban any dog or cat breed from entering the country if your pet satisfies all pet import conditions. Your pet must be vaccinated, microchipped and have the necessary paperwork to be allowed to enter the country.

However, if you are travelling with a strong or dangerous dog breed to the Philippines, here are your pet parent responsibilities in the country:

• Ensure your pet is up-to-date with the vaccinations.
• Always have your dog on a leash when you are out in public. Aggressive dogs have to be muzzled in public places.
• If your dog attacks another dog or a human, assist the victim immediately and make sure they get the required medical attention. As a pet parent, you must shoulder all medical expenses.
• Report the incident to the concerned official – health workers, police officer, or government vet – within 24 hours of the incident. The dog will be placed under observation by a veterinarian.

If you are flying to the Philippines with your pet on Philippine Airlines, it is important to note that the airline has an embargo on brachycephalic or snub-nosed breeds. Brachycephalic breeds are more susceptible to over-heating during air transport because of their shortened snouts. Philippines Airlines will not fly your pet if they are one of the following breeds:

• Affenpinscher
• Boerboel
• Boston Terrier
• Boxer
• Brussels Griffon
• Bulldog
• Bullmastiff
• Cane Corso
• Cavalier King Charles
• Chihuahua (apple headed)
• Chow Chow
• Dogue de Bordeaux
• English Toy
• French Bulldog
• Griffon Bruxellois
• Japanese Chin
• King Charles Spaniel
• Lhasa Apso
• Mastiff 
• Pekingese
• Pug
• Rottweiler
• Shar Pei
• Shih Tzu
• Staffordshire Bull Terrier
• Tibetan Spaniel
• Tosa
• Valley Bulldog
• Yorkshire Terrier

International pet transport to the Philippines

Travelling with your dog or cat to an international destination is not always straightforward. Numerous pet import laws govern such a move, and every regulation must be followed for your pet to gain entry into the destination country. Pet transport rules often change, especially during the global covid-19 pandemic. An experienced pet transport company can help you with your pet travel needs and ensure you and your pet have a fantastic pet travel experience.

Petraveller is an Australian pet transport company with an unprecedented 100 per cent country entry success rate. Petraveller has a zero-harm policy and provides the most caring and comprehensive pet travel service. If you are travelling with your pet to the Philippines, reach out to Petraveller for more information on pet import rules and a free pet travel quote.