Everything You Need to Know About Travelling with Your Pets in Europe

EU citizens are not the only ones who enjoy freedom of movement within the European Union. EU rules make it easy for you to travel to any of the 27 EU countries, plus Norway and Northern Ireland, with your pet. The rules also apply to travelling to the EU from a country or territory outside the EU. 

If you're travelling to the EU this summer with your four-legged friend, just make sure their EU Pet Passport is up-to-date. 

The EU pet passport contains a description and details of your pet, including a microchip or tattoo code, as well as a record of rabies vaccination and contact details of the vet who issued the passport. 

You can get an EU pet passport for your dog, cat or ferret at any authorised veterinarian. 

The most important requirement, which also applies to pets travelling to the EU from a non-EU country, is that your pet is up-to-date with rabies vaccination. And, if you are travelling to a country that does not have the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis (i.e. Finland, Ireland, Malta, Norway and Northern Ireland), it is important that your pet is treated for this tapeworm. 

But there are a few exceptions. 

From 2021, EU pet passports issued to UK residents are no longer valid for travelling with pets from the UK to an EU country or Northern Ireland. 

The EU pet passport is only valid for cats, dogs and ferrets. If your pet is a bird, reptile, rodent or rabbit, you should check the national regulations of the country you plan to visit to find out about entry requirements. 

If you are travelling with your pet from a non-EU country, the document you must present is an "EU health certificate". Similar to the EU pet passport, the EU veterinary certificate contains information about your pet's health status, identity and rabies vaccination. It should be obtained from an official public veterinarian in your country no later than 10 days before your pet arrives in the EU. You must also attach a written statement to your pet's EU veterinary certificate stating that the relocation is for non-commercial reasons. 

You can even travel with up to five pets, but if there are more than five (dogs, cats or ferrets), you must provide proof that they are participating in competitions, exhibitions or sporting events and are over 6 months old. 

If you do not plan to accompany your pet when travelling, you must give written permission to another person to accompany your pet for you. However, you must be reunited with your pet within 5 days of your relocation.