You may be considering travelling to Spain with your pet in the coming months. If so, you should know that it’s necessary to meet a series of requirements, as well as having the necessary documentation in order for your companion to cross Spanish borders. To help you, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food makes available to tourists a list with the documentation you need and everything related to the regulations regarding the movement of pets.

To help you prepare for your trip in time, below we’re going to tell you some of the most important measures  you must take ahead of time to ensure that everything goes smoothly and you don’t encounter any obstacles to entering Spain with your best friend.

3 key points for travelling to Spain with your pet

In order to help you prepare for your trip in time, below we’re going to tell you some of the most important measures you must take to ensure that everything goes smoothly and you don’t encounter any obstacles to entering Spain with your best friend.

The passport or animal health certificate

If your pet was born in a European Union member country, they can be issued with a European Pet Passport at a veterinary clinic in their country of origin. If you come from outside the European Union or don’t have updated vaccines in your passport, you’ll need an animal health certificate to enter.

This official document must include a statement from the person in charge (if they aren’t travelling with you) or the owner of the animal, as well as a certified copy which includes their identification and vaccination data. It will be valid for ten days, or an additional period if the transportation is by sea.

All vaccines in order

One of the fundamental vaccines to authorise your pet’s entry into the country is rabies. This is why the animal must be more than three months old to travel. Don’t forget that it’s considered to be effective from 21 days after it’s applied, both in cases where it’s applied for the first time and on occasions where the vaccination booster date is after the expiry of the previous vaccine. If the booster’s carried out within the established period, your pet may travel the same day.

Another factor to consider is that, if the animal was born in a member country of the European Union, but has been living in the United States or Canada, vets won’t have the option to update the vaccinations in the passport. Where applicable, you’ll have to indicate this situation in the animal health certificate.

Identification chip

By law, all animals entering Spain must be identified with a microchip which meets the reading requirements established by the European Union. Otherwise, you’ll be required to carry a reading system with you which allows the animal to be identified.

Lastly, another factor you should consider to avoid problems is that the identification of your pet must take place before or, at most, the same day as the first vaccination. If not, you’ll have to vaccinate them again to ensure they meet all the necessary requirements.

Now you know the main steps to follow  to come to Spain on holiday  with your pet, you only have to get to work to organize the rest of the trip as soon as possible. You and your furry friend will love this country!