It’s not just EU citizens who enjoy freedom of movement within the European Union. Thanks to the adoption of harmonised EU rules on travelling with pets, your cats, dogs and even ferrets can benefit from this right too. If you’re travelling around the EU with your four-legged friend this summer, just make sure their pet passport is up-to-date, advises the European Commission.
An EU pet passport contains a description and details of your pet, including their microchip or tattoo code, as well as details of their rabies vaccination and contact details of the veterinarian who issued the passport. You can obtain a European pet passport for your dog, cat or ferret from 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’s rabies vaccination is up-to-date. And if you are travelling to a country that is free of the Echinococcus multilocularis tapeworm (i.e. Finland, Ireland, Malta, Norway and Northern Ireland), it is important that your pet has been treated for this tapeworm.
There are a few exceptions to note. From 2021, EU pet passports issued to UK residents are no longer valid for travelling with pets from the UK to an EU country or Northern Ireland. It is also worth remembering that 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 rules of the country you are planning to visit for information on entry requirements.
If you are travelling with your pet from a non-EU country to the EU, the document you need to present is an “EU health certificate”. Like the EU pet passport, the EU animal health certificate contains information on the health, identity and rabies vaccination of your pet. It must be obtained from an official state veterinarian in your country no later than 10 days before your pet arrives in the EU. You must also attach a written declaration to your pet’s health certificate stating that the movement is for non-commercial purposes. You can 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 a competition, exhibition or sporting event and that they are over 6 months old. And if you do not plan to accompany your pet during the journey, you must give written permission for another person to accompany your pet on your behalf. However, you must reunite with your pet within 5 days of its movement.
Illustrative photo: pexels-yakup-yi-gi-t-2157870561-35238871
