EU Pet Travel Rules for Smooth Vacations Across Europe

Photo source: European Union

It’s not just EU citizens who enjoy freedom of movement within the European Union. Thanks to the adoption of harmonized EU rules on travelling with pets, your cats, dogs, and indeed, ferrets, also enjoy this right too. Travelers travelling this summer around the EU with their four-legged friend, simply have to make sure their EU pet passport is up to date.

An EU pet passport contains a description and details of their pet, including its microchip or tattoo code, as well as its rabies vaccination record and contact details of the vet who issued the passport. Travelers can get an EU pet passport for their dog, cat or ferret from any authorized vet.

The most important requirement, which also applies to pets travelling to the EU from a non-EU country, is that their pet’s vaccination against rabies is up to date. And, in case they are travelling to a country that is free from the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis (i.e. Finland, Ireland, Malta, Norway and Northern Ireland), it’s important that their pet has had a treatment against this tapeworm.

There are a few exceptions to note.

Since 2021, EU pet passports issued to residents of Great Britain are no longer valid for travel with pets from Great Britain to an EU country or Northern Ireland.

Also worth remembering is that an EU pet passport is only valid for cats, dogs and ferrets. If a pet is a bird, reptile, rodent or rabbit, travelers are advised to check the national rules of the country they are planning to visit for information on the entry conditions.

If travelers are travelling with their pet from a non-EU country into the EU, the document they must show is an “EU animal health certificate”. Similar to an EU pet passport, the EU animal health certificate contains details of their pet’s health, identity and vaccination against rabies. The certificate should be obtained from an official State vet in their country not more than 10 days before their pet arrives in the EU. Travelers should also attach a written declaration to your pet’s EU animal health certificate stating that its relocation is for non-commercial reasons.

Passengers can travel with up to five pets, but if there are more than five pets (dogs, cats or ferrets) they must provide proof that they are taking part in a competition, exhibition or sporting event and they are more than 6 months old.

And if they are not planning on accompanying their pet on its travels, they must give written permission to another person to accompany their pet for them. They must, however, be reunited with their pet within 5 days of its relocation.

For more information:

Travelling with pets and other animals in the EU

Movement of pets

National rules on travelling with other pets