Travelling With Your Pet To Europe
Are you traveling to Europe with your pet? Planning your trip in advance is key to avoid problems when entering a country.Although there are various diseases that pet dogs, cats and ferrets can carry, rabies is the most serious one. The World Organization for Animal Health classifies countries as rabies-free, rabies-controlled or high-risk. If you are traveling to the EU it is a good idea to check the classification of the country your pet is leaving and you need to follow the travelling rules of the country that you are entering.
You need to have certain paperwork filled ahead of time whenever you are travelling with your pet internationally. This usually includes proof of rabies vaccines and a health certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian. However, the exact requisites depend on the countries you are traveling to and from. The EU has different rules for pets travelling within the EU and from listed countries, and pets travelling from unlisted countries outside the EU.
Traveling With Your Pet Within The EU And From Listed Countries
The following requisites are needed if you and your pet (dog, cat or ferret) are traveling within two EU countries or if you are entering the EU from a listed country, such as the United States. Click here to see a full list of “Listed Countries”.
1. Microchip. Your pet must have a microchip before he/she gets a rabies shot.
2. Rabies vaccine. Your pet must get a rabies shot 21 days before your travel date; the vaccination day being day 0.
3. Pet passport. A pet passport or official veterinary certificate is a document that lists the different treatments your pet has had in order to meet the pet travel rules. If you do not have a EU pet passport you need a health certificate filled out by a veterinarian and a declaration confirming that you aren’t going to sell or transfer the ownership of your pet.
4. Deworming. Pet dogs need a tapeworm treatment no less than 24 hours and no more than 5 days before entering the EU.
5. Approved transportation route. Pets can only enter the EU through certain routes. Major airlines are listed as “approved routes” but you can check the full list of approved routes here.
Traveling With Your Pet To The EU From An Unlisted Country
1. Microchip. Your pet must have a microchip before he/she gets a rabies shot.
2. Rabies vaccine. Your pet must get a rabies shot.
3. Blood tests.Your pet needs a blood test to confirm that the rabies shot was effective. These tests measure the amount of rabies antibodies produced after the vaccine on your pet’s blood. The test should be done at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination.Your pet must wait 3 months from the date the blood sample was taken before you can travel with your pet.
6. Health certificate. You need a health certificate filled out by a veterinarian and a declaration confirming that you aren’t going to sell or transfer the ownership of your pet.
7. Deworming. Pet dogs need a tapeworm treatment no less than 24 hours and no more than 5 days before entering the EU.
8. Approved transportation route. Pets can only enter the EU through certain routes. Major airlines are listed as “approved routes” but you can check the full list of approved routes here.
If you have any questions regarding your international pet travel requirements you should contact the authorities of the country that you intend to enter. Each country has certain rules pertaining animal travel and you must follow them in order to prevent your pet from being in quarantine or not being able to travel.
The EU traveling rules mentioned above were found on the UK government website and they apply for pet travel to any EU country.
And you can find more info here if you want to travel with your pet in United States and here if you want to read some essential tips for travelling with dogs. And if you have a cat, there is an article about “How to travel with your cat.”