Taking pets abroad
The rules for taking your pet abroad vary by country. Find out what you have to arrange before your trip. And what the requirements are for bringing your pet back to the Netherlands.
Important to know
- Follow the rules of all countries you are travelling to or through with your pet. For example, if you travel from the Netherlands to Spain, via Belgium and France, you must comply with the rules of all these countries.
- Make sure that your pet meets the rules for returning to the Netherlands.
- These rules only apply to pets from the Netherlands.
- If your pet does not meet the rules, it may be sent home at your expense.
- The rules only apply if you will remain the owner of the pet during the trip.
- If you are travelling by air, check the rules of the airport and airline as well.
Travelling abroad with a dog, cat or ferret
The rules for taking a dog, cat or ferret abroad depend on the country you are travelling to. There are different rules for EU countries and non-EU countries. The import requirements of the United Kingdom for pets from the EU (information in Dutch) have remained the same after the Brexit.
The following requirements always apply for dogs, cats and ferrets within the EU:
- Your pet must have an EU pet passport. You can get this from your vet.
- Your pet must have an ID chip. Dogs also have to be registered.
- Your pet must have been vaccinated against rabies at least 21 days before departure (information in Dutch). This must be recorded in the pet passport.
- Some EU countries will not allow you to enter with animals younger than 3 months old because a rabies vaccination is not effective at this age.
- If you are travelling to Ireland, Malta or Finland your pet must have been treated for worms.
Additional regulations
Some countries have more rules, such as compulsory third-party liability insurance, rules for transporting pets (for example, your dog is not allowed to be loose in the car in Germany) and rules for leashing and muzzling dogs.
Potentially dangerous dog breeds
In some countries, certain dog breeds are banned or subject to strict regulations because they may pose a danger to their environment. This is the case, for example, in France, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, the United Kingdom and parts of Germany.
Regulations per country
You can find the requirements for each country on the LICG website (information in Dutch).
Requirements by country
The rules for travelling with a dog, cat or ferret outside the EU vary by country. Take the following into account:
- Your pet must have EU pet passport. You can get this from your vet. You may have to have the pet passport legalised.
- Your pet must have an ID chip.
- Your pet must be vaccinated against rabies (information in Dutch).
- Some countries will not allow you to enter with animals younger than 3 months old because a rabies vaccination is not effective at this age.
For some countries you may need additional health certificates, an import licence and/or third-party liability insurance for your pet. There may also be rules for transporting pets and for leashing and muzzling dogs. In some countries certain dog breeds are banned, for example in the United Kingdom and parts of Switzerland.
Regulations per country
You can find the requirements for each country on the LICG website (information in Dutch).
Having a pet passport legalised
Some countries require pet passports to be legalised. You can have this done by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA).
Make an appointment with the NVWA (information in Dutch)
Additional certificates
You may need additional certificates for the country you are travelling to. For example an import licence, blood test results or special health certificates. These must usually be signed by an NVWA vet.
Contact the NVWA (information in Dutch)
Returning to the Netherlands
If you are returning to the Netherlands with your dog, cat or ferret, find out what you need to arrange.
Travelling with other pets
Rules for taking other types of pets with you also vary by country. There are different rules for EU countries and non-EU countries.
There are no EU-wide requirements for rabbits, small rodents, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians. Vets do not issue pet passports for these animals and a rabies vaccination is not required.
You do not need a health declaration if you are travelling with your own rabbit or guinea pig within the EU. For other pets you may need a health declaration from a vet. This varies by country. Some countries have specific rules for certain types of animals, for example for birds during a bird flu outbreak.
You can find the requirements for each country on the LICG website (information in Dutch).
If you cannot find any information for the country you want to visit, you can:
- ask your vet;
- ask the embassy or consulate of the country you are travelling to;
- see the website of the customs authorities or the agricultural or livestock ministry (or similar ministry) of the country you are travelling to.
For more information about travelling with your pet outside the EU:
- ask your vet;
- ask the embassy of the country you are travelling to;
- see the customs website or the website of the ministry for agriculture and livestock (or similar ministry) of the country you are visiting.
Contact
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.