Good to know
Good to Know
- Ecuador's official currency is the US Dollar, so there is no currency conversion needed for any pet-related fees or vet costs here.
- Quito sits at roughly 2,850m altitude — some guides note pets can show temporary altitude-adjustment symptoms (lethargy, reduced appetite) during the first week after arrival.
- There is no mandatory quarantine for dogs/cats entering Ecuador, and no import permit is needed if your pet flies in the cabin or arrives by land — the permit only applies to air-cargo entry.
- Genuinely dog-friendly restaurants and cafés in central Quito are still limited in number, so it's worth checking ahead rather than assuming a spot will allow pets on the patio.
- Stray/free-roaming dogs are common on Quito's streets in most neighborhoods; keep your own pet leashed and current on rabies/parasite prevention.
- If you own a Pitbull-type breed, confirm current entry rules directly with AGROCALIDAD before traveling — sources disagree on whether this breed is restricted.
- Ecuador's official currency is the US dollar, so there's no exchange-rate guesswork for budgeting pet care in Quito — prices you see quoted are already in USD.
- A municipal animal welfare ordinance requires leashes in all public spaces (parks, sidewalks, plazas) and makes owners legally responsible for picking up after their pets — enforcement and fines exist, so carrying waste bags is genuinely expected, not just polite.
- Pet-friendly malls and restaurants often restrict pets to certain areas (e.g. terraces or gardens rather than main indoor dining rooms or food courts), so it's worth checking a venue's specific pet policy before showing up rather than assuming full access.
- English-speaking veterinary care exists in Quito but is concentrated at a handful of larger, expat-oriented clinics — worth confirming language capability directly with a clinic before an emergency arises.
Dog Friendly Spaces
Parque La Carolina
- Type
- large urban park
- Notes
- Located right in Quito's central business district, this large park functions as the city's main recreational green space and includes a dedicated dog park along with a cycling path and walking paths.
Parque Itchimbía
- Type
- urban park / viewpoint
- Notes
- A large hillside park overlooking the historic center, popular for walking and picnicking with dogs; wide walking paths cut through the trees alongside a smooth bike path.
Café Mosaico
- Type
- pet-friendly restaurant/café
- Notes
- Sits just below Parque Itchimbía with panoramic city views; the restaurant's own resident dogs greet visitors' pets on arrival.
Malike Coffee
- Type
- dedicated pet café
- Notes
- Described as Quito's first café built specifically around a menu for dogs and cats, with a smaller selection of items for human customers, located on Calle Bélgica near Av. 6 de Diciembre.
Jürgen Café
- Type
- pet-friendly café/breakfast spot
- Notes
- A breakfast café with multiple central locations (including La Coruña and El Bosque) that welcomes pets.
Chios Burger
- Type
- pet-friendly restaurant
- Notes
- Burger restaurant with a pet-specific menu and water offered to dogs, with locations including Av. Portugal.
Quicentro Shopping
- Type
- pet-friendly shopping mall
- Notes
- One of the first Quito malls to adopt clear pet-friendly policies, allowing leashed pets to enter and providing cleanup stations, though access to the main food court is restricted.
Trusted Vets And Animal Hospitals
American Veterinary Clinic
- Notes
- One of the clinics repeatedly named in local directories of Quito veterinary practices; part of a broader group of clinics serving the capital.
Dogtor's Cat Veterinary Clinic
- Notes
- Cat-focused clinic listed among Quito's established veterinary practices.
Medipet
- Notes
- General small-animal veterinary clinic listed among Quito's established veterinary practices.
Animal Solutions
- Notes
- General small-animal veterinary clinic listed among Quito's established veterinary practices.
Hospital Veterinario Lucky
- Notes
- Full veterinary hospital (not just outpatient clinic) listed for Quito, useful for after-hours or more serious cases.
Care For Pets Clínica Veterinaria
- Notes
- General small-animal veterinary clinic listed among Quito's established veterinary practices.
Acceptance And Travel Requirements
Social Acceptance
- Summary
- Quito's relationship with pets is mixed: there is a growing urban pet-owning culture (dog parks, a couple of dedicated pet-friendly cafés, pet-friendly hotels) alongside a large, visible free-roaming dog population that is treated by local authorities as a public-health and animal-welfare issue rather than a matter of general social hostility toward pets.
- Public Dog Parks
- A fenced, purpose-built dog park exists in the Cumbayá valley (a nomad-popular residential area near Quito) with obstacles, a small pool, and seating for owners.
- Pet Friendly Venues
- Dedicated dog-friendly dining in Quito is limited but exists — for example, a café near Parque Ichimbía has an enclosed area for dogs on arrival and offers a dog menu, and BringFido lists a small number of restaurants (fewer than five) in the city that allow dogs at outdoor tables. There is also a fenced dog park in the Cumbayá area with agility features and a wading pool, and the city's cable car (Teleférico) permits pets for an additional ticket fee despite signage suggesting otherwise.
- Stray Dog Context
- Quito has a well-documented free-roaming/stray dog population problem driven by pet abandonment. A University San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) demographic study found roughly one stray dog for every 22 residents citywide, with denser concentrations in some southern parishes, and Quito's Metropolitan District runs an animal-fauna regulation office (Urbanimal) under a 2011 municipal ordinance (Ordinance 048) governing possession, protection, and control of urban fauna. This means nomads should expect to see stray dogs regularly in most neighborhoods, keep their own pet leashed, and stay current on vaccinations.
Pet Travel Requirements
- Microchip
- Ecuador does not legally mandate a microchip for entry, but it is strongly recommended (and required by most airlines) for identification. Where used, it should be an ISO 11784/11785-compliant 15-digit chip, implanted before the rabies vaccination so the vaccine record links to the chip number.
- Quarantine
- There is no mandatory quarantine period for dogs and cats entering Ecuador, provided paperwork is complete and in order at the AGROCALIDAD inspection on arrival.
- Entry Points
- Pets may enter via Mariscal Sucre International Airport in Quito (as well as Guayaquil's and Esmeraldas' airports), or by land at the Rumichaca international bridge crossing (Carchi) and other listed land borders.
- Import Permit
- An import permit is not required if a dog or cat is entering Ecuador by land or in the cabin of an aircraft; a permit is only issued for pets entering as air cargo, after inspection, and a fee applies for that cargo inspection service.
- Breed Restrictions
- Sources disagree here: one pet-travel reference states Pitbull breeds are not permitted entry into Ecuador, while several other current guides state Ecuador has no national breed-specific import legislation. Owners of restricted-type breeds should verify directly with AGROCALIDAD (agrocalidad.gob.ec) before traveling.
- Health Certificate
- An international veterinary health certificate, issued and signed by an accredited veterinarian within 10 days of travel, is required. Pets must also have been treated for internal and external parasites within roughly 15–21 days of arrival.
- Other Vaccinations
- Dogs typically also need current vaccination against distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus and parainfluenza; cats need feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus and panleukopenia coverage, recorded on the international/USDA-endorsed health certificate.
- Rabies Vaccination
- All dogs and cats over three months old must have a current rabies vaccination before entry. Sources vary on the exact waiting period cited — commonly 21 days, though some guides state 30 days (with 14 days cited specifically for a pet's very first-ever rabies shot) — so travelers should confirm the current window directly with AGROCALIDAD before booking travel. Puppies/kittens under 3 months are generally exempt, and rabies vaccination should not be given before 3 months of age.
- Regulatory Authority
- AGROCALIDAD — Agencia de Regulación y Control Fito y Zoosanitario, Ecuador's agricultural/animal health authority, oversees pet import rules and conducts the arrival inspection.
Estimated Costs
- Agrocalidad Import Permit Fee
- $30
- USDA Endorsement Fee For US Departures
- $38
- Total Estimated Documentation And Airline Fees Per Pet
- $350
English Speaking Care
English-speaking veterinary staff can be found in Quito, though it is concentrated in the larger, more expat/tourist-facing clinics rather than being universal. Many veterinary clinics and hospitals in Quito, Guayaquil, and other popular tourist destinations have English-speaking staff members and offer services in English. There are also several international veterinary clinics in Ecuador that cater to expats and tourists, staffed by licensed veterinarians from the United States, Europe, and other countries.
Typical Pet Care Costs
- Vaccination
- $20
- Spay Or Neuter
- $60
- Routine Consultation
- $15
- Currency Note
- Ecuador's official national currency is the US dollar, so local and USD figures are identical — there is no exchange-rate conversion involved for pet care spending in Quito.
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
This section has no cited sources.
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Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.