When travelling with your pet to Spain from the UK please make sure of the following: 

Your pet must be micro-chipped and rabies vaccinated, this information must be put into a European PETS Passport by your veterinary surgeon.  The rabies vaccination must be done not less than 30 days before shipping and not more than the recommended re-vaccination date.  A booster will be required if the re-vaccination date is due before travel.  Your pet will also require a health certificate that is completed by your veterinary surgeon prior to travel to Spain (this can be found in the Pet Passport) this must be done no more than 7 days prior to travel.

If you intend to return with your pet to the UK your vet must submit a blood test to the recognised laboratory for testing.  This must be completed approximately 30 days after the rabies vaccination.  Providing your pet passes the blood test your pet is able to travel back to the UK under “full PETS Passport” 6 MONTHS AFTER the date of the successful blood test on the necessary authorised route.  Your pet will also require tick & tapeworm treatment not less than 24 hours and not more than 48 hours prior to returning to the UK.  If you do not wait for the 6 month period and wish to return to the UK your pet will have to stay in quarantine kennels for the remaining time until the 6 months is completed.

If you are moving your home to Spain it is strongly recommended that you have the required blood test completed, either before travel to Spain or during your stay in Spain.  Once the blood test is completed you will need to keep your pet’s rabies vaccination up to date to keep your passport valid.  If you do not keep the rabies vaccination up to date then your pet passport is invalid for travel back to the UK without your pet going into quarantine.

If you are travelling by road to Spain it will be necessary to inform your ferry company that you are taking a pet with you.

If you travel by air to Spain you will need to confirm with the airline that you can travel with your pet.  Some airlines will allow pets to travel as excess baggage and your pet will then be able to arrive with you at the booking lounge on the day of departure, in order for you to do this it is best that you contact airlines well in advance to make sure of their restrictions and recommendations as these often change from one time to the next.  Your pet will have to travel in a suitably sized crate.

If the airline will not allow your pet to travel as excess baggage he/she will have to travel as manifest cargo.  Your pet will have to be delivered to the cargo area of the airport some hours before the flight so the necessary security checks can be carried out.  If your pet has to travel by air and under cargo restrictions it is recommended that an agent is used to book the flight and arrange the necessary paperwork so that everything runs smoothly and there is then a lot less stress involved for you and your pet.

Written by

Louise Gadalla
Healthy Pets