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Bringing A Dog To Grenada: Steps for Stress Free Travel

ByJill Bockenstette

Wondering about bringing a dog to Grenada without hassle? Grenada is one of the easier Caribbean islands for pet entry, but understanding the paperwork and timing can still feel overwhelming. 

As someone who’s navigated international pet travel sailing down the Caribbean islands, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know to ensure your furry friend can enjoy Grenada as much as you do.

When we brought our dog, Mangaux, into Grenada in June 2024, we were able to secure his import permit well in advance. 

This guide will cover vaccinations, international health certificates, and the exact forms and contacts you’ll need to make sure your pet’s trip is as stress-free as possible.

I also provide helpful information on the veterinarians in Grenada, as well as where to buy dog food, pet supplies and recommended gear for your pet while in Grenada.

Mangaux is laying on the sand under a tree with big green leaves. Magazine Beach in Grenada is behind him with its turquoise blue waters.
Mangaux relaxing after a walk at Magazine Beach

Quick Checklist for Bringing a Dog to Grenada:

The following will be needed when traveling with a dog to Grenada. I will go into each of these requirements in further detail.

  • Rabies Vaccination within last 12 months
  • DHLPP Vaccination within last 12 months
  • Health Certificate
  • Pet Import Permit

Grenada Vaccination Requirements

Grenada entry requirements request the following vaccinations for your dog:

  1. Rabies Vaccination: Required within the last twelve (12) months prior to arrival
  2. DHLPP Vaccination: Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parvovirus, and Parainfluenza is required within the last twelve (12) months prior to arrival

Documentation of vaccinations will be required to be submitted with your pet import permit application. Additional information can also be found on Grenada’s instructions for a pet permit.

Rabies Titer Test Requirements

There is no requirement for a Rabies Titer Test to bring a dog to Grenada. However, I recommend having this test completed if you plan to travel with your pet to other Caribbean islands, such as St. Lucia.

Microchip Requirements

There are no microchip requirements to bring a dog to Grenada.

Treatment for Parasites Requirements

There is no requirement for documentation of treatment for parasites in order to bring a dog into Grenada. However, I would strongly encourage maintaining heartworm, flea, tick and parasite treatments as parasites in dogs tend to be more common in tropical regions.

Health Certificate

A health certificate issued by a veterinarian within two (2) weeks prior to arrival into Grenada is required.

Prior to our arrival in Grenada, Mangaux was last checked into St. Lucia. We obtained his health certificate from the Office of the Chief Veterinary Officer in St. Lucia in May 2024, seventeen (17) days before we got to Grenada. 

Just like when bringing our dog to the Bahamas, we had no issues with the date of the health certificate being outside the required timeframe.

Bringing a dog to Grenada is worth it when we see our dog Mangaux is sitting on the sand at the beach in Grenada with a big smile and his tongue hanging out of his mouth.
Mangaux is enjoying Grand Anse Beach after getting cleared into Grenada!

Pet Import Permit

A pet import permit is required prior to your arrival when bringing a dog to Grenada. 

I recommend submitting Grenada’s pet import application approximately 2-3 weeks before your anticipated arrival. 

Grenada Ministry of Agriculture requests the following information be filled out on the pet import permit application:

  1. Name
  2. Breed
  3. Sex
  4. Age
  5. Weight
  6. Quantity
  7. Color
  8. Markings

They also request that you submit:

  1. Documentation of your dog’s rabies vaccination, 
  2. Documentation of your dog’s DHLPP vaccinations, and 
  3. A copy of the health certificate issued by a Veterinarian within the last two (2) weeks

The issued pet import permit shall be presented at the time of your arrival and the Government Veterinary Officer is notified prior to your arrival.

While the instructions say to fax in the information, we emailed the required documentation about three (3) weeks ahead of our arrival to: grenadalivestock@gmail.com. 

We also notified them via email the day before our arrival, and the morning of our arrival at Tyrell Bay where we cleared in. They thanked us via email for the notification and wished us safe travels!

We had friends who traveled to Grenada just before we did (we both cleared into Tyrell Bay on Carriacou) and they had the Veterinarian request to meet them at the dock to meet their dog. We have found that experiences have varied amongst cruisers checking in with their dogs, but we have not heard of any horror stories bringing a dog into Grenada.

Additional contact information for Grenada Ministry of Agriculture is: 

Veterinary & Livestock Division

Ministry of Agriculture & Lands

(473) 440-3083 / (473) 440-2708

grenadalivestock@gmail.com

Banned Breeds

Grenada does not have a list posted of banned breeds of dogs.

Availability of Dog Food

Having left the United States for the Caribbean in December 2023, and after one stock up at PetSmart in Puerto Rico, we finally ran out of dog food for Mangaux in Grenada. Luckily, there are several grocery stores in Grenada that carry dog food, treats, and other pet supplies:

  • Ram’s Supermarket & Cash & Carry
  • Real Value IGA Supermarket
  • CK’s SuperValu Food Depot
  • Ace Hardware

Sailing with a dog can have its challenges, as we couldn’t find the exact dog food we were feeding Mangaux. 

We found Purina One Lamb & Rice at three different grocery stores that is the most similar to his previous brand. Below is what we paid for his dog food in 2024:

StoreDog FoodPrice in XCDPrice in USD
IGAPurina Lamb & Rice (8 lbs)$100$37
Ram’sPurina Lamb & Rice (16.6 lbs)$178.50$66.11
CK’s SuperValuPurina Lamb & Rice (31 lbs)$263.80$97.61

Note:

The large bag of dog food we bought at CK’s was full of warehouse beetles! Ugh! We had to throw the entire bag away and get rid of the beetles on the boat. Not a fun experience! From then on, we have stuck to buying Mangaux’s dog food from IGA or Ram’s.

Ace Hardware doesn’t carry the Purina Lamb & Rice that we are feeding Mangaux, but they do have several brands of large bags of food that are great quantities for larger dogs.

Large bags of dog food ranging from 14 to 48 pounds sit on a pallet in Ace Hardware. Dog Food is easy to find in Grenada, but it may not be the exact food your dog was eating prior to your arrival.
Large bags of dog food at Ace Hardware

Veterinarians in Grenada

There are two great veterinary clinics on the island, St. George’s University Small Animal Clinic and Vets on the Go, and Mangaux has visited with both of them.

  1. St. George’s University Small Animal Clinic
    • True Blue, Grenada
    • Appointments and Walk-ins:
      • Hours: Monday – Friday 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM; Saturday & Sunday: Closed
      • +1 (473) 435-2900
    • Emergencies:
      • Open 24 Hours
      • After Hours Emergency: +1 (473) 409-0215
  2. Vets on the Go
    • They come to you!
    • Hours: Monday – Friday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
    • +1 (473) 537-6960
    • vetsonthego@outlook.com
SGU Small Animal Clinic is a one story peach-colored building that sits near the campus of St. George's University (SGU).
SGU Small Animal Clinic

Our Experience with the Veterinarians

Mangaux was due for his annual vaccinations in mid-July so we took a taxi to the SGU Small Animal Clinic. 

School was out for summer, so they had less experienced staff in the office. I coached them on everything I needed as they were not familiar with the requirements for traveling the Caribbean islands with dogs. This was not a big deal, as I understand this is a school and they are there to learn. 

While spending the summer in Grenada, Mangaux came down with a gastrointestinal infection. I called Vets on the Go, and they come directly to you! They met us in the parking lot at the Grenada Yacht Club. They are very professional, and take a holistic approach when possible.

Unfortunately, Mangaux was still sick after the first round of antibiotics and required blood work. 

We took him back to SGU small animal clinic, and worked with Dr. Ashiq Hussain Bhat who was great with Mangaux, ran several tests on him, and gave him two more antibiotics and some probiotics that did the trick. 

Mangaux is back in action and loved the attention from all the vets on the island!

Mangaux is trying out his new orange life jacket as he goes for a dinghy ride with Scott. Mangaux is sitting on a blue and green towel at the bow of the dinghy and is very happy.
Mangaux loves dinghy rides! When he gets his life jacket put on, that means he knows a dinghy ride is coming up!

Favorite Dog Gear

With Mangaux feeling much better, he was ready for his adventures on Grenada. Beaches and walks for exploring! We found several great areas for Mangaux at the anchorages we stayed at.

Here are a few must haves when bringing a dog to Grenada, things we use regularly with Mangaux on the boat and while out exploring:

I Hope your Dog Loves Grenada as Much as Mangaux Does!

While there are definitely extra steps to follow, like keeping up with your dog’s vaccination paperwork, getting health certificates and planning ahead to get pet import permits, getting to Grenada with Mangaux was worth the extra work. 

Seeing Mangaux playing on the beautiful beaches with other Grenada animals and enjoying Grenada as much as we do makes us smile.

While Mangaux is a bit too old now for hashing with the Grenada Hash House Harriers, your dog can enjoy hashing on the trails with you and exploring the beautiful island of Grenada.

Also, it gets easier! Once you go through the steps the first time, it becomes much less intimidating going through the process in the future. 

Check out the articles below for more information about sailing with your dog and exploring many things to do in Grenada.

Read More Posts about Sailing with a Dog

Read More Posts about Grenada

Jill Bockenstette has been sailing for over 11 years and has lived aboard her 1998 Hunter 450 Passage, Pelagia, full-time for more than 4 years. She has logged over 7,000 nautical miles across Mobile Bay, the Gulf of Mexico, the east coast of the United States, the Bahamas, Bermuda, and the Caribbean, where she is currently exploring the vibrant waters. Jill enjoys sharing her passion for sailing and the lessons learned from her salty, adventurous lifestyle on the water.