# Taking a tortoise to Spain?



## JadedWords (Jun 24, 2013)

Does anyone have any experience with taking a tortoise from Britain to Spain? We're moving in 3 weeks and thinking of going across on the ferry but none of the authorities seem to be able to give us a straight answer on the paperwork we need etc. We have an Article 10 certificate in the breeder's name, and we're getting him microchipped on Friday. But we have to leave in 3 weeks and the new species specific Article 10 certificate probably won't come through in time.

One of my main concerns is that I haven't been able to get hold of anyone on the Spanish side of things (phoning Spanish CITES tomorrow, think they might be the best bet?) 

Someone told me that you can't actually keep Hermann's tortoises in Spain because they're native or something but I can't find information about this anywhere? Has anyone heard this? 

I'm so worried and stressed. Just wondering if anyone else had any experience...


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## Nugget_Hound (Jun 13, 2013)

Have you looked at an EU pet passport?


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## JadedWords (Jun 24, 2013)

Nugget_Hound said:


> Have you looked at an EU pet passport?


Hi, unfortunately I believe the pet passport scheme is only for cat, dogs and ferrets


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## Nugget_Hound (Jun 13, 2013)

OK sorry its not a common one , you can try Home see if they can do it and sort paperwork etc, they replied to a dog related question pretty quickly!!


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

have you contacted DEFRA ? They are the experts.
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

We ended up giving our tortoise away before we moved. He would have needed a micro chip (he was too small) and masses of paperwork from the vets (too costly). This might help https://www.gov.uk/take-pet-abroad

Jo xxx


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## Nugget_Hound (Jun 13, 2013)

The same Defra that seems determined to cover the UK in GMO "Frankenfoods"


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Nugget_Hound said:


> The same Defra that seems determined to cover the UK in GMO "Frankenfoods"


Probably

Jo xxx


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

JadedWords said:


> Does anyone have any experience with taking a tortoise from Britain to Spain? We're moving in 3 weeks and thinking of going across on the ferry but none of the authorities seem to be able to give us a straight answer on the paperwork we need etc. We have an Article 10 certificate in the breeder's name, and we're getting him microchipped on Friday. But we have to leave in 3 weeks and the new species specific Article 10 certificate probably won't come through in time.
> 
> One of my main concerns is that I haven't been able to get hold of anyone on the Spanish side of things (phoning Spanish CITES tomorrow, think they might be the best bet?)
> 
> ...


It is illegal to have them in Spain. 

There are wild ones and the authorities are trying to build up the population following pollution of the rivers and people dumping non-indigenous species which upset the ecological balance cause large numbers of the native tortoises to perish because their food supply has been eaten by interlopers.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

baldilocks said:


> It is illegal to have them in Spain.
> 
> There are wild ones and the authorities are trying to build up the population following pollution of the rivers and people dumping non-indigenous species which upset the ecological balance cause large numbers of the native tortoises to perish because their food supply has been eaten by interlopers.


 Thats right - I remember that, yes it is illegal to being them into the country

Jo xxx


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## JadedWords (Jun 24, 2013)

jojo said:


> Thats right - I remember that, yes it is illegal to being them into the country
> 
> Jo xxx


Oh no, are you sure? I'm devastated. I really didn't want to leave him behind - I'm going to be so lonely all day without him  Would have to leave him with my parents.

DEFRA and CITES were only helpful as far as getting him in and out of the UK.

So just to clarify, I can't bring a pet tortoise across the border, full stop?


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

JadedWords said:


> Oh no, are you sure? I'm devastated. I really didn't want to leave him behind - I'm going to be so lonely all day without him  Would have to leave him with my parents.
> 
> DEFRA and CITES were only helpful as far as getting him in and out of the UK.
> 
> So just to clarify, I can't bring a pet tortoise across the border, full stop?


 No, its as Baldy said, its something to do with bringing "unspanish stock" (I cant think of a better way of putting it lol) and for them to breed with the indigenous population - I know, I was gutted too. Our little "Toto" was only three years old and my daughter and I loved him. He'd have loved it in Spain

Jo xxx


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

We found out about all this when we "rescued" a tortoise from being run over on a busy road. We took her to our vet's office in Alcaudete and we were told all about the problems etc. We fostered her for a couple of days then took her to the Conservation centre at The Fortaleza de la Mota in Alcalá la Real where they have a breeding programme.


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## JadedWords (Jun 24, 2013)

jojo said:


> No, its as Baldy said, its something to do with bringing "unspanish stock" (I cant think of a better way of putting it lol) and for them to breed with the indigenous population - I know, I was gutted too. Our little "Toto" was only three years old and my daughter and I loved him. He'd have loved it in Spain
> 
> Jo xxx


If you don't mind me asking, which authority told you that? And do you know what breed your tortoise was?

I ask because I had a garbled reply from DEFRA when I asked, with some random attachments (and no info about where to send any of the forms etc!) and one of the forms was called 'Export of Pet Tortoises from Great Britain to Spain', which was bilingual and had spaces to write his name and species etc etc. Surely this form wouldn't exist if the export was illegal?

Argh


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

JadedWords said:


> If you don't mind me asking, which authority told you that? And do you know what breed your tortoise was?
> 
> I ask because I had a garbled reply from DEFRA when I asked, with some random attachments (and no info about where to send any of the forms etc!) and one of the forms was called 'Export of Pet Tortoises from Great Britain to Spain', which was bilingual and had spaces to write his name and species etc etc. Surely this form wouldn't exist if the export was illegal?
> 
> Argh



I think it was the carrier who brought our dogs over. They said that they couldnt "do" tortoises because Spain wouldnt let them in - altho maybe if the tortoise is the right species, that would be different. I'm not sure what "Toto" was - just a tortoise we bought from the lady down the road, altho we did have papers for him!

Jo xxx


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