Pets in Central African Republic

Dogs are widely kept as guards and companions, but the available evidence is local rather than nationwide. A preliminary January 2026 study in Bouar found a dog in nearly every family, about one dog per five inhabitants and approximately 15,000 dogs among 82,000 inhabitants. Many dogs roam because households lack secure fencing, so responsible care includes reliable control, clean drinking water, suitable food, shade, protection from parasites and heat, and veterinary checks. Feeding often depends on what is locally available, and private prices for food, medicines, consultations and sterilisation are not reliably published. The national system for pet management remains fragmented. The Ministère de l'Élevage et de la Santé Animale, or MESA, is responsible for veterinary services, animal-health surveillance and vaccination campaigns. Its veterinary clinic in Bangui is documented, as is the private Nouvelle Vision Vet clinic in Bangui. The Ordre National des Vétérinaires en Centrafrique is the professional organisation for veterinarians, while the Laboratoire Central Vétérinaire and the Institut Pasteur de Bangui provide diagnostic or reference support when disease is suspected. Access outside larger urban areas can be difficult because of infrastructure, security and limited vaccine availability. Boarding, grooming, insurance and a complete national list of clinics or emergency services are not reliably documented. Rabies is a high-priority risk. In 2025, reports recorded 2,156 dog bites and five human deaths. A WHO and public-health situation report recorded four affected health districts as of 31 May 2025, while 1,935 new dog bites were reported in 32 districts during weeks 1 to 39 of 2025. In Bouar, only about 13% of dogs were vaccinated in the preliminary evidence. Campaigns supported by FAO and MESA vaccinated more than 44,000 animals across several activities in 2025 and 2026, and 800 animals were vaccinated after a suspected case report. Such campaigns may be free, but they are local and time-limited; they do not establish permanent nationwide availability. A supply of 70,000 doses was at risk of expiring at the end of January 2026. After a bite or scratch, wash the wound immediately with soap and clean water and seek medical care from the Ministry of Health without delay. Do not touch or feed an unknown animal. Keep a household pet under close control and prevent contact with local animals. Publicly available national rules for observation or veterinary follow-up after an incident are limited, so medical and veterinary instructions must be obtained for the specific case. Rabies post-exposure vaccination may be available only in larger urban or suburban facilities. Law No. 65-61 of 1965 covers livestock, animal health, the import and distribution of veterinary medicines and sanitary quality control. The CEMAC Regulation No. 09/17-UEAC-CEBEVIRHA-CM-31/2017 provides a regional framework for animal health and sanitary safety. There is no reliable evidence of a specific nationwide pet-welfare code, compulsory pet register, general licensing or sterilisation duty, standardised shelter rules, municipal pet bylaws or published national penalty tariffs. Wild animals must not be treated as ordinary pets: capture, keeping or export may require authorisation from the Ministère des Eaux, Forêts, Chasse et Pêche and compliance with CITES rules. Pets can enter the Central African Republic internationally only through Bangui M'Poko Airport. For dogs, cats and ferrets, the available entry guidance requires a rabies vaccination at least 14 days before entry and no more than six months old, plus a French-language veterinary health certificate confirming that the animal is free from disease. Dogs, cats and ferrets are also described as needing to come from a rabies-free district. A microchip is not stated as compulsory, but reliable identification is recommended. Embassy, customs and airline requirements should be confirmed before travel because the available guidance is not itself legally binding and transit or destination countries may impose separate rules. There is no reliably documented nationwide surrender, refuge or rehoming pathway. If an owner can no longer keep an animal, the practical alternatives are a carefully verified private transfer, a referral through MESA or a veterinarian, or a trusted local network. A shelter should not be assumed to exist in a particular city without current confirmation.