# Travelling across Spain with a cat



## cyclequeen (Oct 5, 2012)

Hi Everyone
We have been planning to move to La Linea for some time & have now booked our ferry to Santander in June 
We plan to drive the rest of the way, stopping at Valladolid overnight, in our car. We will have our cat with us:tongue: 
Does anyone have any suggestions or comments to make regarding such a journey with a cat in tow please? 
Any help would be appreciated


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## extranjero (Nov 16, 2012)

*travelling with cat*

Have you researched about bringing the cat with you. I've heard it is expensive.


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## cyclequeen (Oct 5, 2012)

extranjero said:


> Have you researched about bringing the cat with you. I've heard it is expensive.


Well we are not flying, I know that is really expensive with an animal, the only extra cost was for an animal friendly cabin on the ferry, unless you know of anything I don't ?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

cyclequeen said:


> Well we are not flying, I know that is really expensive with an animal, the only extra cost was for an animal friendly cabin on the ferry, unless you know of anything I don't ?


there's nothing else - just the 'pet passport', which you need however you travel


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

We moved to Jaca with our 9 year old cat in Sept. Just prior to that travelled across the US with him in our car. We did the international vet check up and got a chip implanted only to experience a general strike the day our plane arrived. We could of brought in an elephant carrying a ton of drugs that day and nobody would have noticed. There is however a scheme in UK that allows animals in with current vet records that are accepted there.


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

You also need to have a valid EU pet passport I think, basically the cat needs to be chipped or have a tattoo if it already doesn't have one and then you will need to ask at your vet to make sure it has all the valid vaccines, rabies being the main concern.

Your vet will be able to arrange it all or give you the name of a vet that can do it.


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

Pazcat said:


> You also need to have a valid EU pet passport I think, basically the cat needs to be chipped or have a tattoo if it already doesn't have one and then you will need to ask at your vet to make sure it has all the valid vaccines, rabies being the main concern.
> 
> Your vet will be able to arrange it all or give you the name of a vet that can do it.


There is no such thing as an EU pet passport. They are not legal documents.


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

Oh...
http://www.spanishpropertyco.com/Taking pets to Spain.html
EUROPA - Animal Health & Welfare - Live Animals - Pets and non-commercial
http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/liveanimals/pets/qanda_en.htm

And the UK has the DEFRA scheme, you wont get the cat on the ferry without it.


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

Just have all current vaccinations and health records with you. Have a chip implanted and you might want to think about purchasing your own chip reader because the Spanish ones suck. You might also want to make sure he/she has a collar with tags. Believe me, you can purchase a pet passport but it is useless. Our cat Toby is now a well adapted Spanish kitty cat. My wife went through a rather rigorous set of hoops to jump through in the US. To fly him over was a pain but, you are driving. Think about having a covered cat box in the car. Nothing finer than cooked cat**** upon return to a car that has been sitting in the sun.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Elyles said:


> There is no such thing as an EU pet passport. They are not legal documents.


it's the 'pet name' we Brits use for the Pet Travel Scheme Pet Travel Scheme « Defra- it IS a legal document inasmuch as you'll never be able to take the cat anywhere without it within the EU


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

I heard of the scheme when we brought our cat in. Good idea and simple actually. We heard nothing of the passport though


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## zilly (Mar 9, 2010)

Apart from correct paperwork I'd have thought heat was going to be your main problem travelling with a cat in Spain in June. I've taken cats to vets in boxes here in June and they have arrived panting and distressed after quite a short journey. Professional pet transport companies have to have air con. next to the animals they are transporting--there have been deaths. If you can keep the cat cool-then guess it will sleep most of the journey-but heat can kill.
Good luck--I'm sure you will all arrive in one piece!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Elyles said:


> I heard of the scheme when we brought our cat in. Good idea and simple actually. We heard nothing of the passport though


as I said - it's just our pet name for it - not an officially recognised name


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## cyclequeen (Oct 5, 2012)

Thanks to all the pet passport advice


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## fergie (Oct 4, 2010)

Elyles said:


> There is no such thing as an EU pet passport. They are not legal documents.


HI Elyles,If a UK dog or cat is 'prepared' for travel in the UK, they actually do get a Pets Passport similar size to a human beings passport, with all vacc. and chip details about the pet,rabies blood test results etc. plus a section for annual 'normal' pet jabs, it even has a place to put a photo of the pet in. Our dog and cat travelled to Hk with a passport, where sadly the cat died of old age and diabetes, but dog travelled back from HK, via Amsterdam by plane to get to us eventually in Spain. We take him for holidays through France, into UK and back again regularly by car and tunnel, no problems with his little passport book.
I think if these vaccs. etc are done in Europe, the pet will only get paper certificates, but they will be just as valid.


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

Elyles said:


> Just have all current vaccinations and health records with you. Have a chip implanted and you might want to think about purchasing your own chip reader because the Spanish ones suck. You might also want to make sure he/she has a collar with tags. Believe me, you can purchase a pet passport but it is useless. Our cat Toby is now a well adapted Spanish kitty cat. My wife went through a rather rigorous set of hoops to jump through in the US. To fly him over was a pain but, you are driving. Think about having a covered cat box in the car. Nothing finer than cooked cat**** upon return to a car that has been sitting in the sun.


We bought our cat to Spain via Calais and we weren't allowed to go through the tunnel until the pet passport had been checked.

It cost an additional £30 for the cat

As regards the journey, the vet gave us some tablets for the cat which sedated it. They dont particularly like travelling, and this helped


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

fergie said:


> HI Elyles,If a UK dog or cat is 'prepared' for travel in the UK, they actually do get a Pets Passport similar size to a human beings passport, with all vacc. and chip details about the pet,rabies blood test results etc. plus a section for annual 'normal' pet jabs, it even has a place to put a photo of the pet in. Our dog and cat travelled to Hk with a passport, where sadly the cat died of old age and diabetes, but dog travelled back from HK, via Amsterdam by plane to get to us eventually in Spain. We take him for holidays through France, into UK and back again regularly by car and tunnel, no problems with his little passport book.
> I think if these vaccs. etc are done in Europe, the pet will only get paper certificates, but they will be just as valid.


For both dogs that I've had in Spain I've been given a little book(cartilla) where all the vaccinations are entered. I think it's law 'cos otherwise how do you prove that your dog's been vaccinated against rabies, which is a legal requirement?
I's not a "passport" as far as I know, but perhaps it would suffice for international travel.


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## fergie (Oct 4, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> For both dogs that I've had in Spain I've been given a little book(cartilla) where all the vaccinations are entered. I think it's law 'cos otherwise how do you prove that your dog's been vaccinated against rabies, which is a legal requirement?
> I's not a "passport" as far as I know, but perhaps it would suffice for international travel.


Hi Pesky, ours is a little blue book with Pets Passport printed on the front, I have a picture of my dog inside, proper posh for my little friend!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

fergie said:


> Hi Pesky, ours is a little blue book with Pets Passport printed on the front, I have a picture of my dog inside, proper posh for my little friend!


Ok, so what I have is def not a pet passport , but nonetheless, I think you are required to have the cartilla for dogs and possibly cats to make sure the rabies jabs are up to date, apart from the convenience of having all the data about your pet in one place besides the vet's computer.


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## Madliz (Feb 4, 2011)

I believe that after rabies vaccination for the pet passport, a blood test to confirm it has been effective is required six months later. It therefore all has to be arranged well in advance of travel. All vets should know the score.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

For all those who seem to have some doubt.

The document you require* is* a pet passport:








(if picture doesn't show, just copy this link into your browser - http://www.expatforum.com/expats/members/baldilocks-albums-posts-picture2372-pp.html)

In Spain it is a legal requirement: 
1. That your pet has one and that, when travelling with your pet in a vehicle it is carried with you as proof that your pet has all its vaccinations, etc up to date
2. The pet is chipped and the chip matches the details in the passport, including ownership

If travelling by day ensure that the pet is kept out of the sun and by use of the a/c the in-car temperature is maintained at a comfortable level. If travelling from Uk, the best method and one which causes the least distress to the animal is using the tunnel since the animal stays with you in the same vehicle.


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## whitenoiz (Sep 18, 2012)

... please note that since Jan 1st 2012, blood tests are no longer required to prove the efficacy of the Rabies vaccination. However there is a minimum 21 day waiting period between the date of the vaccination and the date upon which the animal can be transported across borders. Note also that the chip insertion must be carried out before the rabies shot(s); even 5 minutes before is OK, but the time and date of both the chip insertion and rabies shots must be entered in the documentation by the vet along with the due date for the next rabies vaccination... In Europe the rabies shot has a validity of only 12 months, in the UK it's 36 months. There is no legal requirement for the other 'routine' vaccinations so beloved by Brit vets for European cross border transportation.
As an extention to this thread, for dogs / cats _entering_ the UK from Europe, treatment for tapeworms is a requirement; this must be carried out not less than 12 hours and not more than 120 hours before entry into the UK. Flea and tic treatment is recommended but not essential for entry into the UK from Europe.
... and Spanish vets can and do issue EU pet passports; they are identical in format to the UK version but the language is Spanish. They are universally valid across Europe and the UK. They cost a damn sight less too! Our vet charges 10 euros for a rabies shot, 40 euros for a microchip and the tapeworm treatment is free...


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