When Gator and I decided to travel long-term, leaving our dog Merci behind was out of the question. Our first destination was to Spain in the European Union. When Merci was younger she flew in-cabin with me but had never flown internationally or in cargo. Working out the logistics of flying a dog transcontinental can be stressful, and the information can be confusing. It took a lot of research and planning but it was completely worth it to have Merci traveling with us. Here is a guide for requirements for getting your dog into the EU.
REQUIREMENTS
When we decided that we were traveling to Spain, I took Merci to the veterinarian for her annual checkup about 4 months in advance. We started conversations early to ensure we had enough time to meet all of the requirements. When traveling from the United States, the best place to start is the United States Department of Agriculture – Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) website. While there are many websites that give a good idea of requirements, it is always best to get the official response from the relevant government agency in your country of residence. Another good resource for finding requirements is emailing the embassy of the country you are planning on traveling to.
The official details for traveling with a dog to the EU are outlined on the European Commission website.
Requirements are:
- Microchip
- Rabies Vaccination
- International Health Certificate
- Rabies Antibody Titration Test*
*If you are traveling from a country that is classified as free of rabies or a low-risk, a titer test is not required. The list of these countries can be found here on the European Commission website. If your country is not on this list, a titer test is required.
(Note: this article does not include the additional requirements of treatment for tapeworm and titer test for Finland, Ireland, Malta, United Kingdom, or Norway)
MICROCHIP
The microchip should be a 15-digit ISO (International Standards Organization) microchip. This is typically the world standard. The microchip’s unique number is used on all of the paperwork for travel to help identify your dog. Merci has a HomeAgain microchip.
If your dog was implanted with a microchip is NOT an ISO-compliant microchip there are two options:
- You can travel with a universal microchip reader that can read your dog’s microchip.
- Your dog can have an ISO-compliant microchip implanted, and both microchip numbers and implant dates need to be listed on the health certificate.
Note: The EU does allow a pet to be identified with a tattoo if the animal was tattooed before July 3, 2011, and the tattoo is clearly legible.
RABIES VACCINATION
A rabies vaccine is the single most common international travel requirement. These are the three specifications:
- The vaccine cannot be dated before the microchip insertion
- The vaccine must be given at least 21 days before travel
- The dog must be at least 12 weeks old
It’s important to note that the EU requires that the microchip is inserted before, or at the same time as their rabies vaccination. If it is not the vaccination is considered invalid and will have to be re-administered. We carry Merci’s rabies certification that is signed by the veterinarian with us at all times. We do this to ensure we have proof of vaccination in case the local authorities ask.
INTERNATIONAL HEALTH CERTIFICATE
This was the most difficult of the three requirements. An international health certificate is an official document that has a record of your dog’s microchip number, rabies vaccination details, other relevant vaccinations. It also states that the dog is in good enough health for international travel and free of infectious diseases. The health certificate must be completed and issued by a licensed veterinarian and then endorsed by the government agency responsible for the import and export of animals. From the United States, the veterinarian must be USDA Accredited, and the health certificate must be endorsed by the USDA APHIS Veterinary Services.
The part where this gets tricky is the timing. The dog must arrive in an EU country within 10 days of the certificate being issued. For Merci, we had an appointment with her veterinarian on Tuesday and the paperwork was overnighted to the USDA to be endorsed. The USDA then overnighted back to the veterinarian, and we picked it up on Friday. The whole process to get the health certificate took about 4 days. A health certificate is valid for 4 months of travel within the EU. If you plan to stay longer than 4 months, you will need to visit a veterinarian in the EU to be issued another health certificate or an EU Pet Passport.
RABIES ANTIBODY TITRATION TEST
A rabies antibody titration test (titer test) is a blood test that checks antibody levels to confirm whether or not your dog has developed immunity to rabies. A blood sample must be collected by a veterinarian and sent to an EU approved laboratory. The list of laboratories can be found here on the European Commission website.
The blood sample must be collected a minimum of 30 days after the rabies vaccination and must be a minimum of 3 months before traveling to the EU. The test needs to have an antibody level equal to or greater than 0.5 IU/ml to be approved. The antibodies are most prevalent the closer you administer the titer test to the vaccination. For the best chance of success, plan your titer test as close to the 30-day mark as you can. If your dog does not reach the required antibody level, the rabies vaccination must be re-administered. Then you must wait a minimum of 30 days to have another blood sample
AIRLINE REQUIREMENTS
Requirements vary between airlines, so it is best to inquire with the individual carrier you will be traveling with. The airline will expect you to have the proper documentation for international travel with your dog. They will check over the rabies vaccination certificate and the health certificate before boarding.
It is also mandatory, with all airline companies, to make a reservation for your dog 24 hours prior to your departure. We always add Merci to our reservation as soon as we have booked our tickets. I also follow up 48 hours before our flight, to ensure that the reservation is still correct.
There are specific airports that must be used when flying a dog into the EU. The list can be found on the European Commission website.
CARRIER REQUIREMENTS
If a dog and its carrier’s combined weight are less than 20lbs/8kg, then the dog can fly with you in-cabin. The in-cabin carrier requirements are:
- The dog must be able to stand up, turn around and lie down in a natural position in their carrier
- The carrier must be able to fit underneath the seat
Merci is 31lbs/14kg and is too big to fly in-cabin, so she flies in her kennel in the cargo hold. Airlines follow
- The crate must be large enough for your dog to stand, turn around, and lie down comfortably.
- The container must be clean, leak-proof
- Absorbent bedding must be provided
- The container must be well constructed and be able to withstand other freight damaging it or causing the structure to buckle or bend.
- Separate food and water containers must be provided, either fixed inside the container or attached to it so that they are accessible.
- The container must be adequately ventilated on at least three sides, with the majority of the ventilation being provided on the upper half of the container.
Photo by IATA Pet Container Requirements
The IATA gives guidelines on measuring your dog to help you select the
A = length of
B = height from ground to elbow joint
A+1⁄2 B = length of container
C = width across shoulders or widest point
Cx2 = width of container
D = height of animal in
Minimum internal container dimensions:
A + ½ B = Length
C x 2 = Width
D = Height
For more details on the crate requirements, see the IATA container information.
Merci’s travel crate
After a bit of research, we went with the Petmate Sky Kennel Portable Dog Crate. Merci uses the Intermediate size because of her pointed ears the crate needed to be a bit taller. I like this crate because it meets all of the IATA standards, and is approved by all airlines. Merci has been crate trained from a young age, so she enjoys being in her kennel. Even when she’s not flying she enjoys sleeping in it.
All of the red tape associated with international travel with a dog can be a bit overwhelming. Hopefully, these tips and guidelines can help relieve some of the stress. If you have any further questions, you can email us at contactus@gatorandnuthin.com. We answer every email personally, and we would love to help. It makes us excited to see other travelers bringing their little loved ones along with them!
Please Note: The advice in this article is accurate as of October 2018. Laws and regulations are subject to change at any time. This article should only be used as a reference. Please check with your veterinarian and the relevant government agencies to ensure you have the most up to date information before traveling.
