When traveling with pets to or from abroad, it is advisable to take some considerations into account, since animals, like people, must be properly documented, following general rules for international travel and the specific rules established by the airlines and the policies of each country.
In fact, the necessary standards and documentation to travel with your pet vary depending on whether the trip is within the European Union or, on the contrary, the trip is made to a destination in a country that is not part of the EU.
Traveling to Spain from an EU country
As indicated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, to introduce A pet dog, cat or ferret in Spain must:
- Be identified with a microchip, or tattoo (if this was done before 07/03/2011) and as long as it remains legible.
- Be vaccinated against rabies with a vaccine valid at the time of travel and included in the passport.
- Have a European passport for the movement of pets.
They are not mandatory for trips from other states of the European Union to Spain. the documentation of:
- Serological test
- Tick treatment
- Treatment against Echinococcus
- Other vaccinations
- Clinical examination
- Legalization
No exceptions are grantednor is the entry into Spain of dogs, cats and ferrets under 15 weeks old and, therefore, not vaccinated with a valid rabies vaccine authorized, since:
- The minimum age to vaccinate animals will be 12 weeks.
- For the vaccine to be valid, at least 21 days must pass from inoculation.
Traveling from Spain to an EU country
To travel to other countries of the European Union from Spain, Your pet must:
- Be identified with a microchip, or tattoo (if this was done before 07/03/2011) and as long as it remains legible.
- Be vaccinated against rabies with a valid vaccine at the time of travel.
- Have a European passport for the movement of pets.
Additionally, if you are going to Ireland, Northern Ireland, Malta, Norway or Finland you will need to treat your dog for E. multilocularis. between 24 and 120 hours before arriving in the country.
Traveling to a non-EU country
To travel to a third country with a pet, much more specific specifications will have to be taken into account, since the requirements required are different in each country, so it will be necessary to consult the embassy or consulate of the destination countryas well as on the website of the ministry of said country.
In addition, specific information by country can be found on the Ministry’s website. on export of pets from CEXGAN. In it, you can fill out the fields in the ‘Companion Animal Search’ tool, entering the type of pet and the destination country to obtain information.
Likewise, you should know that to obtain the export certificate for your pet, the veterinarian must request it through the CEXGAN application.
Returning to Spain from a non-EU country
To return to Spain from a country that does not belong to the EU, you will have to do so through one of the Authorized Entry Points and declare to the Tax receipt of the Civil Guard who travels with a pet, presenting its documentation.
If you are going to travel to one of the third countries included in Annex II of Regulation (EU) 577/2013, to return, your pet must comply with what is indicated in section I. However, if you are going to travel to a country not listed in Annex II (country at risk of rabies), must meet the requirements of section I, and also:
- You must perform a serological test against rabies on your pet at an authorized laboratory before traveling.
- The result of this test will be reflected by your veterinarian in the passport, and must be equal to or greater than 0.5 IU/ml.
As for the serological test against rabiesat least 30 days after vaccination against rabies (in the case of first vaccination), a blood sample must be taken from the animal to verify that the level of post-vaccination antibodies is sufficient, that is, equal to or greater than 0.5 IU/ml.
You can consult the list of authorized laboratories here and, in addition, you should know that the entry of the animal will only be authorized after 3 months from the date of extraction of the blood sample. Therefore, the minimum age of an animal that comes from a country with a risk of rabies will be 7 months:
- The minimum age to vaccinate animals will be 12 weeks.
- The blood sample for the antibody test will be taken at the earliest 30 days after inoculation.
- It must take 3 months from when the blood sample was taken until the animal can enter the EU.
In the event that the animal moves from a country of the European Union to a third country and then returns, this three-month period will not apply. if the evaluation is carried out with a favorable result before said animal leave the territory of the European Union. This information will be collected in the animal’s passport. If the vaccination protocol is maintained, the serological test will be valid throughout the life of the animal.
Bringing a pet from a non-EU country
To bring a pet from a third country, you must enter with your pet through one of the designated traveler entry points, and declare to the Tax receipt of the Civil Guard that you travel with a pet, presenting its documentation.
In cases where a European passport is not available for the movement of pets, The animals must be accompanied by:
- A zoosanitary certificate, which must be signed by an official veterinarian of the third country, and presented at least in Spanish.
- A declaration, both in accordance with EU models.
- The certified copy (see frequently asked questions) of the identification and vaccination data of the animal/animals.
Additionally, your pet must:
- Be identified with a microchip, or tattoo (if this was done before 07/03/2011)
- Be vaccinated against rabies with a valid vaccine at the time of travel.
- If you come from a country not listed in Annex II of Regulation (EU) 577/2013, you must have undergone a serological test against rabies (see section 4) in an authorized laboratory.
#pet #bring
