Pets in Galápagos

Good to Know

• Do not plan to bring your dog or cat to the Galápagos — unlike most nomad destinations, this is one of the very few places where pet import is essentially off the table for tourists and most long-stay visitors, due to the islands' unique, predator-free ecosystem.
• If you already live with pets on the mainland (Quito, Guayaquil, Cuenca) and want to visit or work from Galápagos for a while, the realistic plan is to leave your pet on the mainland or with a sitter.
• Dogs and cats do live locally with island residents, so this is not a pet-free society — but there's an active conservation push toward leashing and sterilizing pets to limit harm to native species, so don't expect off-leash dog culture in nature areas.
• Ecuador uses the US Dollar, so there's no currency conversion to worry about for local pet-care spending.
• Puerto Ayora's veterinary care is largely run by international animal-welfare charities (Darwin Animal Doctors, Galápagos Animal Doctors) rather than typical private for-profit vet hospitals — great for cost and community mission, but hours are limited (siesta schedule) and services may prioritize sterilization/vaccination campaigns over routine boutique care.
• Don't be misled by the name "Playa de los Perros" — it's not actually a dog beach; it's named for iguanas nicknamed "sea dogs," and it's a boat-access snorkeling spot.
• Galápagos National Park rules restrict dogs from most trails and protected beaches (including Tortuga Bay) because free-roaming dogs are considered a threat to native wildlife like land iguanas — plan on keeping dog walks to town streets rather than nature areas.
• If you're bringing a pet to the Galápagos, be aware the islands have strict biosecurity/quarantine rules for animals entering from mainland Ecuador — check with the Galápagos Biosecurity Agency (ABG) well before travel.