Pets in Côte d’Ivoire

Private pet keeping mainly includes dogs and cats, but also other animals kept in the household or as companion animals. Article 139 of the Veterinary Public Health Code (Code de la Santé Publique Vétérinaire) requires owners to provide suitable food, care and housing and to take natural, physiological and behavioural needs into account. Acts or omissions that cause suffering are prohibited. For dogs and cats, Article 141 requires identification and registration nationwide; the exact procedures are governed by a decree still to be specified. A MIRAH pilot project on 25 October 2024 in Abidjan and Songon implanted microchips in dogs and cats and recorded stray dogs. This does not establish nationwide implementation of identification. Anyone keeping several animals generally needs a pet-keeping permit (permis de détention) from MIRAH. The number, validity and application procedures for this document depend on the relevant decree, which was not found in the available materials. Violations may be punished by 60 days to 3 months of imprisonment and/or a fine of 100,000 to 1,500,000 FCFA. Prohibited acts include fighting training, harmful performances, transport that causes suffering, painful procedures without anaesthesia, cruelty and mistreatment. Serious animal cruelty may be punished by 15 days to 6 months of imprisonment and/or a fine of 100,000 to 1,000,000 FCFA. Mistreatment or emergencies should be reported without delay to the known veterinary services. A sworn officer may conduct inspections and seize or have animals confiscated. The Veterinary Services Directorate (DSV) coordinates animal health, zoonoses, prophylaxis, vaccinations, private and public veterinarians, rabies centres (centres antirabiques), kennels and border controls. Private clinics require ministerial authorization. Fees are based on an authorized tariff agreed with the National Order of Veterinarians (Ordre national des Vétérinaires), but specific nationwide prices are not publicly documented. Rabies vaccinations may be free during campaigns limited in time and location; for 2026, campaigns were announced in Minignan from 27 July to 31 August and from 5 May in Bouaké, Béoumi, Botro and Sakassou. This does not establish permanently free care throughout the country. When acquiring an animal, organizations such as CPA-CI offer a process involving a form, an eligibility assessment, a meeting and subsequent formalities. Examples given were 75,000 FCFA for a dog and 65,000 FCFA for a cat, each including the first vaccination and sterilization. If an animal is still too young, CPA-CI may require a deposit of 200,000 FCFA until sterilization. The FADACI network connects, among others, breeders, trainers, dog groomers, pet shops and riding centres; a nationwide public directory and standardized adoption procedure have not been documented. For entry or transit by land, rail, sea or air, border veterinary services check the international veterinary health certificate (certificat sanitaire vétérinaire international). The animal must be healthy. Missing documents or illness may result in refusal of entry, quarantine or killing or destruction at the owner’s expense. Depending on the procedure, a zoosanitary pass (laissez-passer zoosanitaire), a Prior Import Authorization (Autorisation Préalable d’Importation) and use of an approved checkpoint may also be required. For personal dogs and cats from the United States, the DSV lists an import permit, a rabies certificate and an APHIS health certificate issued no more than ten days before travel. After the first rabies vaccination or a late booster, a waiting period of at least 21 days applies. Airlines and other carriers may impose additional rules. When changing residence, an older customs rule for non-commercial dogs and cats may apply if the animal has been kept for at least six months; documentation and a declaration remain required and should be confirmed before booking. Export requires an approved border crossing, an official examination and an international veterinary health certificate; the exporter bears the costs. A nationwide regulated public procedure for relinquishing an owner’s pet has not been documented. Under Article 153, a sworn officer may care for an abandoned animal and transfer it to an animal shelter (refuge), an animal service (service animalier), an animal pound (fourrière) or an animal-protection organization. If the owner is unknown or cannot be found, the animal may be confiscated seven days after seizure; under statutory conditions, it may be returned after 14 days without prosecution. Practical points of contact include CPA-CI and the Annie Foundation, which provides shelter, care and adoption services in Abidjan, although its regional reach is limited. The forestry service is responsible for abandoned wild animals; that case does not fall within private pet keeping.