Planning to transport your pet to Europe? Starting today in December, 2014, the Pet Travel Scheme rules, which address the import of pets into the European Union, have changed. The reason for the change is to stem the import of improperly bred and non-vaccinated “designer puppies” entering territories such as the United Kingdom where the demand is significant. The import of these puppies from Poland and Romania through ground and ferry transport has alarmed officials in the UK and endangers their status as a rabies-free country. Unfortunately, all pet owners transporting pets to or within the EU will be affected by these rules.
Puppies must be vaccinated for rabies no sooner than 3 months of age. Their owner, or a legal representative, must travel within 5 days of their pet. The owner must sign a declaration that their pet’s transport is not for the purpose of re-homing or sale. Pets who are traveling without their owners will travel as commercial transport and be subject to import taxes. They must be examined within 48 hours of transport, originate from a licensed establishment in a rabies-free or rabies-controlled country, and enter via an approved Border Inspection Post after giving 24 hours notification of entry.
If you are traveling to Europe with your pet or within 5 days of your pet’s transport, then commercial rules do not apply and the requirements remain the same. Pet Import Rules for EU Countries
Just a warning about the company “passport for pet” a diversion of Air supply Shipping Agents. I have just lost my deposit to them in a fraudulent way. They offered a service they couldn’t keep, and now refuse to give my deposit back. They are cheats and crooks. I believe they knew what they were doing! Keep away from them, just be warned not to use “passport for pets” ever!!
Eva – it is very difficult to predict enforcement of the rules of pet import. Some countries allow unapproved pets to transit the country and I would assume that this will be the case in your trip. What we would suggest is that you contact a Border Inspection Post along your route and inquire. You can find a list of them here: http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/bips/bips_contact_en.htm
Susan
Hello!
The trip takes place through these European countries: Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and finally Estonia.
Eva – Any puppy traveling through the EU must be microchipped and travel with an EU pet passport. If your puppy is less than 12 weeks of age, you cannot have it vaccinated for rabies as it is too young. There are several EU countries that will allow you to enter with an unvaccinated puppy, but not all of them permit it. What countries are you passing through?
Jason
Hello!
I intend to buy a puppy from Hungary. I must travel through six EU countries with the puppy. I plan to travel by car. What are the rules for transit.
Thank you.
Rena – most all airlines will take hamsters as either checked baggage (which you arrange through reservations) or as air cargo (which you arrange through an airline’s cargo department) In both cases, your hamsters should travel on the same plane as you. We are not familiar with any airline that will allow them to travel in the cabin. Not sure what your destination is in Spain, but Iberia and Norwegian fly non-stop to Madrid from London as does Japan Airways. Ask if they will permit your hamsters as checked baggage (or in-cabin if you want to give it a try)
Susan
Hello. My Son’s family is moving from UK to Spain. The children have 2 pet hamsters they dearly would love to take. Can you advise of any airline that is going to Spain and would take them? What requirements would there be? like vaccination, quarantene etc. And what would the cost of the transport be?
Thank you very much for your help
Rena
Greta – thank you for your comments. We appreciate your support.
Susan
Thank you so much susan! yes pretty long process, but those are the rules.. :/
thank you again for yr infos and the great help u are giving everybody with this website!!
Greta – we cannot recommend that you not follow the rules as your pet will be returned to Zanzibar. There are quarantine facilities in London, but it is very expensive. It used to be that puppies from EU Member States or rabies-controlled countries could enter the EU with the rabies statement, but not anymore. The regulations have changed and the EU has gotten stricter. Pets from high-rabies countries have always required a titer test. It used to be 6 months ahead of entry; now it is 3 months. We wish we could give you better news, but we cannot advise differently than to follow the rules.
Susan
Thank you Susan for yr precious info! How hard is to import such a little innocent creature :/ and is there any other way i dont have to wait for so long? I read somewhere there are exceptions, like if the vet declares that the cat has no rabia, and that its mother had no rabia too and he didnt have any contact with other animals with rabia…then u can ship him younger than 3 months. Of course, its not valid for a found cat unless the vet lies…ooops.
Not sure though if it can be valid for a cat from tanzania though..
Thanks!!!
Greta – in order to import your kitty from Zanzibar, you must travel with it into the EU. Zanzibar is considered a high-rabies country by the EU, so the process is as follows: microchip, then vaccination for rabies no sooner than 12 weeks, wait 30 days, have your vet do a blood titer test, send sample to an approved lab. Assuming acceptable results, your pet can enter the EU 3 calendar months after the day the blood was drawn for the titer test with an Annex IV form completed within 10 days of travel. You can find details for entering every EU country here: http://www.pettravel.com/passportnew.cfm Thanks for your comments; we appreciate them.
Susan
You can find an airline that will fly your pet out of the UK in the cabin, but not on the return flight…
Margherita – it is not a regulation of DEFRA for pets to arrive as air cargo; it is the requirement of the airlines. The reason for this is that the Animal Reception Center needs notification of your pet?s arrival and it is easier to get them that info if your pet travels as air cargo as opposed to in-cabin or checked baggage. Additionally, a licensed agent must collect your pet and take it to the Animal Reception Center where you will pick it up. This process has been in place for years and the airlines don?t seem to want to change it.
Susan
Lucy – your pet’s transport would qualify for non-commercial movement as long as you are traveling with or within 5 days of your pet. If your Mum’s vet will not issue a new passport in your name (which would be preferred), then have your Mum issue you Power of Attorney to represent her during the transport. The registered name on the chip does not matter; you can change that at any time. Your pup will also need a tapeworm treatment between one and five days of entering Ireland.
Jason
Hi there! When i was travelling in zanzibar last month i found a little abandoned and sick kitten and i took care of him. He traveled with me all over the island…time to leave and i found an animal association where they could keep him-but in a cage…i wanna bring him to europe (italy or uk or spain…i can pick him up anywhere), but he is still too young…so what will happen when he will have 3 months- same as the procedure for the cat in india? i guess tanzania is high risk of rabia too…
If i do all the processing, can i send him via cargo? Anybody knows any airline? I looked for some that do the same route~but none of them is willing…
Any ideas? 😛
Thanks!! Great website btw 🙂
I forgot… I mainly travel to Italy or France from the UK and back! Thanks again!
Hello,
I am about to take a small dog and I have just realised that the UK has different regulations to those of the other UK countries. I travel a lot and I was sure I could take her with me sometimes for my trips in and out the UK.
I am reading that no airline allows pets in cabin, which concerns me a lot. Is that right? I checked the website of the UK government and they do not seem to have requirements incompatible with dogs in cabin.
Thank you,
Margherita
hi, my mother lives in the Czech Republic and has a dog that she is no longer able to look after. I am originally from the Czech Rep too, but have lived in Ireland (the Republic, NOT the United Kingdom) for a long time. I want to take my mum’s dog with me to Ireland since she cannot look after it. I would travel with the dog so it would be accompanied.
Does that qualify as commercial or non-commercial movement? I am assuming i would need to change the ownership of the dog in the Czech Republic from my mum to myself before I travel? But can I do that if i am not resident there? Also how is ownership of the dog determined: By the name of the person attached to the dog’s chip, or by the name of the owner on the dog’s passport? The dog is chipped, vaccinated and has a passport. But the name registered with the chip and the name on the passport is my mum’s name.
If I don’t qualify for non-commercial movement, how does it work with the ‘registered premises’ requirement? What would be the registered premises in my case? I would just be taking the dog from my mum and taking it with me to Ireland, so would ‘registered premises’ be my mum’s apartment? Or would I have to go through some sort of an organisation or a pet transport company?
many thanks
Hi Annie – the EU considers India to be a high-rabies country. The process is specific: 1. microchip your pet 2. vaccinate for rabies (in that order) 3. wait 30 days 4. have your vet administer a blood titer test to be processed at an approved laboratory 5. assuming acceptable results, your cat can enter the UK 3 calendar months after the day the blood was drawn for the test. Your cat will need to accompany you and your vet must complete an Annex IV form within 10 days of entry. You can find details here with links to forms and instructions if you need them: http://www.pettravel.com/immigration/UnitedKingdom.cfm The US is very pet friendly regarding cats. Your documentation for the UK will be fine to enter the country.
Phil