Let’s go on vacation with pets
Our pets, just like us, must have identification documents to be able to travel in European countries. This registry will allow the authorities to identify whether our pets comply with the animal health standards set forth in the regulations.
The European Commission establishes that pets must be identified by means of a European passport. This document will certify that your pet complies with all the health permits required by the European Parliament Regulation No 998/2003.
To travel with pets there are certain requirements that will be demanded by the member states of the European Union. That is why in this post I bring you all the considerations you should take into account before going on vacation with pets.
Animal identification
Spain requires the implantation of a microchip to identify the pet. The microchip is a small glass capsule, 1.5 cm long and 2 mm wide, which has a unique code that identifies the pet.
The code of this Microchip is unalterable and irremovable. This chip stores information related to our pet (name, owner, address and contact numbers). This is recorded in the municipal census database.
It can only be implanted by a veterinarian. It is recommended to do it when your pet is one and a half months old. The procedure consists of inserting under the skin of your pet, at the nape of the neck, an injector containing the microchip that complies with ISO 11784 and 11785 standards.
Passport for pets
To go on vacation with pets (dogs, cats and ferrets), inside and outside the countries of the European Union, they must have a passport. This document is mandatory to travel within European countries.
The European Pet Passport is a health card that identifies your pet’s data, such as: breed, name, age, sex, species and chip number. They also contain a unique code, which is related to the pet owner’s data.
This identification certifies the anti-parasite treatments and vaccinations necessary to enter other European countries. They are issued by licensed veterinarians. In Spain you do not get a passport if your dog does not have a microchip.
Vaccination
For dogs and cats older than 3 months of age, request that they have the rabies vaccine. If you have not complied with the vaccination schedule or it is the first immunization, your pet must have a 21-day trial period before the trip.
For the United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway, Malta and Finland, treatment against Echinococcus Multilocularis, which is a gastrointestinal parasite that causes organ destruction in animals and humans, is an additional requirement.
It is possible that before traveling to the aforementioned countries, it is necessary to evaluate if the rabies vaccine caused effect in our pet, this is done before a laboratory authorized by the European Commission. So if you plan to travel with your pet, I recommend you to prepare it in advance.
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