# Legalities of bringing dogs into Spain



## loulou2014 (Jan 20, 2014)

Hello,

I have heard very conflicting story's of bringing pets into Spain. Can anyone advise me for our upcoming move with our dog.

There is sooo much to think about, its very confusing

Thank you


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

I think this may have been covered before but what we had to do was to get a pet passport, make sure all jabs were up to date and that's about it. Oh, and he had to be micro chipped.

The defra website might give you more info.


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

snikpoh said:


> I think this may have been covered before but what we had to do was to get a pet passport, make sure all jabs were up to date and that's about it. Oh, and he had to be micro chipped.
> 
> The defra website might give you more info.


Same here but with Cats had there Rabies and microchip last week and pet passports done. 

So would have thought same principle for Dogs!!!!


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## Triker54 (Nov 10, 2013)

W're going to Spain with our two retrievers in February. It was all very simple: microchipped, rabies vaccination and pet passport. 
We're still in a state of confusion about the need to have them wormed - the ferry company issues conflicting information as to whether they need proof of worming when coming into Spain as well as when leaving, but that's a minor problem in the bigger scheme of discovering Spain's labrynthine regulations for everything!


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## whitenoiz (Sep 18, 2012)

loulou... Not complicated at all!

An EU pet passport, microchip and current rabies shots are all that is required for entry into Spain. 

Germany and Spain are both signatories to the Shengen Convention, unlike the UK, so it's highly unlikely that you will be stopped and once you are here no-one gives a d*** anyway. Note that in Spain, Rabies shots only have a validity of 12 months, unlike the UK where the period is 36 months. The governing factor is the expiry date on the passport.

Once here the only time you will be required to produce documentary evidence of vaccination against rabies is if one of your dogs bites someone, accidentally or otherwise. All dog bites have to be notified to the relevant local health authority. 

*DEFRA rules only apply to entry into or from the the UK* In this case the rules are slightly different and have an additional requirement of tapeworm treatment administered not less than 24 hours and not more than 120 hours before entry. All other vaccinations within EU states are advisable but optional. 

Having said all that, given that even the best behaved, best trained dogs are by nature, scavengers, regular treatment against tapeworms and roundworms is recommended. Don't use proprietary treatments; the 'one size fits all' nature of some of these products can lead to problems; get the correct dosage tablets from your vet. (My vet doesnt charge me for these treatments... if I take any of 6 to the vet, he gives me enough to treat the whole pack F.O.C.)


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

You don't say what sort of dog it is, but be aware that certain breeds have to be registered and insured under the Potencially Dangerous Dogs act (perros potencialmente peligrosos). More details here:
http://www.expatforum.com/expats/spain-expat-forum-expats-living-spain/105015-dangerous-dog.html


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

In addition to the answers above ,if they are being taken permanently to Spain then they legally need an export health certificate. Used to be an 2905EHC.

http://www.expatforum.com/expats/444398-post9.html

the 'pets passport' is basically only for holiday /return use.


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

It is called an EXA1 form now.

http://www.defra.gov.uk/ahvla-en/files/guid-exa01.pdf

Apparently, & I didn't realise, if you are traveling through countries to get to final destination then you need one for each country.

http://www.defra.gov.uk/ahvla-en/files/guid-exa01.pdf

b)Pet export
–
an export of pet animal(s) where the exporter is relocating to another country to live or on holiday.
The ownership of such animal(s) does not change despite the animal(s) being exported.

Her's a link to how to do it.

http://orchardvetgroup.com/2012/01/23/all-about-export-certificates/


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Is this new Gus? When we moved out here (permanently) we used a company to move our dog and this form was not mentioned.

I've always wondered how we update the address for the microchip.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

We drove from Prague to Andalucia with our Rhodesian Ridgeback...perro peligroso.
We had everything required,being conscientious dog owners..passport, certificate from vet, microchip..
We passed through the German, French and Spanish borders without seeing a single official. 
We could have imported a tiger....


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

We drove our four cats here with all the correct documentation. Nobody stopped us and nobody asked any questions at any time throughout the journey. Well, maybe the cats asked a lot of questions but I don't speak catalan...


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

snikpoh said:


> Is this new Gus? When we moved out here (permanently) we used a company to move our dog and this form was not mentioned.
> 
> I've always wondered how we update the address for the microchip.


No. I enquired of Defra in 2001 before we came & when she realised it was a permanent move the lady explained that I needed to export the dogs from myself , in the UK, to myself in Spain. 
The form is supplied to your vet, assuming he is recognised to do it, a week before leaving date. It is in english & spanish & at the time (probably still the same now) acted as an import certificate as well. 
Once completed & with leaving date specified you only have a 10 day window , otherwise another certificate is required. When I asked what would happen if due to unforeseen circumstances I was delayed she replied" Don't worry about it as no one looks at them anyway " ???
Additionally I also had to supply a letter from myself but on headed veterinary notepaper stating that I was the owner, the dogs had not been anywhere in the last 3 months were there was specific diseases, that they had not been out of my care in the last 3 months, that they were not for sale once in Spain ,& if I returned to the UK/moved elsewhere the dogs had to go with me.


Your Spanish vet can change the details of the microchip registration from the UK to here in Spain . My vet did both dogs for the 30€ cost of re-registration.
Don't let them tell you they need new chips.

Additionally to anyone transporting 5 or more pets, whether the same or a mixture ,different rules apply.


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

gus-lopez said:


> No. I enquired of Defra in 2001 before we came & when she realised it was a permanent move the lady explained that I needed to export the dogs from myself , in the UK, to myself in Spain.
> The form is supplied to your vet, assuming he is recognised to do it, a week before leaving date. It is in english & spanish & at the time (probably still the same now) acted as an import certificate as well.
> Once completed & with leaving date specified you only have a 10 day window , otherwise another certificate is required. When I asked what would happen if due to unforeseen circumstances I was delayed she replied" Don't worry about it as no one looks at them anyway " ???
> Additionally I also had to supply a letter from myself but on headed veterinary notepaper stating that I was the owner, the dogs had not been anywhere in the last 3 months were there was specific diseases, that they had not been out of my care in the last 3 months, that they were not for sale once in Spain ,& if I returned to the UK/moved elsewhere the dogs had to go with me.
> ...



The web site does state that if you are moving to a country accepting pet passports, you do not need an export form.




> Obviously entry into many countries is made easier by the pet passport scheme. If you are travelling with your dog, cat or ferret to a country which qualifies for the pet passport scheme, then you need a pet passport, not an export certificate.


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## whitenoiz (Sep 18, 2012)

When we moved over in 2006 from the UK, the only check made was at Portsmouth Ferry Port where the gentleman manning the final gate before boarding the ship ran a microchip reader across our two dogs and checked the numbers against those recorded in the passports. No checks were made at Caen nor at the French / Spanish border.

To the best of my knowledge the additional documentation is only required where there is an element of commerce involved. One of the guys who regularly transports animals as a commercial enterprise from Spain to other parts of the EU and the UK, had a problem recently in Germany at Nuremburg when he was stopped by the Landespolizei. The issue of the required additional documentation had been delayed. He (and his canine travelling companions) were released and allowed to continue the jouney when his wife emailed copies to him. Given that the gentleman in question treats his travelling companions, be they canine or feline, as guests of a five star hotel, the German police were congratulatory and understanding. It seems another Brit on the Costa Blanca, similarly engaged in animal transport, had reported him to the authorities as a dealer of stolen dogs.
(Moral... never trust a fellow expat, especially one who is engaged in a similar trade or profession!) 

Regarding the microchip, again to the best of my knowledge, there is no legal requirement to transfer the microchip registration from the original country of registration to the Spanish register but it makes sense to do so, in case the dog escapes or runs off and is picked up or found by a third party. It makes life a lot easier for the local authorities in returning the animal to its owner if the microchip is recorded to a current address. The same thing applies to Spanish dogs rehoused in England. Petlog UK will make the address change for around £12.


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

Well all I can say is that that is what I was told over the phone, & did, & they knew perfectly well that I was transporting the dogs myself by road.
At the eurotunnel they didn't even look at the dogs/papers/passports , nothing. They've never been shown to anyone. :lol:


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## whitenoiz (Sep 18, 2012)

Bureaucracy for the sake of keeping some civil servant in a job... Don't you just love it!


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

whitenoiz said:


> Bureaucracy for the sake of keeping some civil servant in a job... Don't you just love it!


Yes..if it means that if made redundant, I have to support said bureaucrat's dole money with my taxes

Unless of course s/he can be found more productive work which in today's economy is doubtful.
Said bureaucrat may have a wife and five children to support...
Where's your social conscience, John..Bureaucrats are human, like you and me.


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## whitenoiz (Sep 18, 2012)

Mary... Only one possible answer to that... its already been done to death... but it applies just as much to UK civil servants as the Spanish...






Where is my social conscience... I-dont-have-a-social-conscience-I-am-a-robot.

Check out the latest offering of that waste-of-space-oxygen-thief Peter Bone MP re the August Bank Holiday... whilst not a 'Civil Servant' in the accepted sense of the word, if the cap fits...


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

whitenoiz said:


> Mary... Only one possible answer to that... its already been done to death... but it applies just as much to UK civil servants as the Spanish...
> 
> Bureaucracy SPANISH SHORT FILM - YouTube
> 
> ...


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

have a lay down and rest... we could try and virus the u-tube linkxxxxxx


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## jacobfrank (Mar 14, 2009)

Does anyone know if the rules are different if you're bringing in a dog from a non-EU country? This summer we're planning to move to Spain and want to bring our dog. We're from Canada but living in Viet Nam (where our dog is from). We've got vaccination certificates and can get him microchipped but not sure what else we'll need. We'll be flying in together, probably to Barcelona. Thanks.


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## angil (Sep 24, 2012)

Your vet will be able to tell you what you need and should be able to obtain the correct paperwork. 
Our South Korean vet (where our dog is from, and where we travelled from into Spain) advised us & completed the paperwork and tests. 
(the rabies titer test being the most important for timing; 3 months before travel & tapeworm no more than 5 days before; plus the results can only be obtained from an EU approved lab - only 2 in Korea. Double check the latest rules as they do change). 
You will need a vet who you can trust and communicate with as the microchip needs to be ISO regulated (there are others in Korea! non recognised in the EU) plus a vet is the only one who can fill out the paperwork / tests to laboratories etc.
Also are you using a pet carrier company? They should also know what paperwork is needed and have up to date info.
I downloaded EU forms from the internet which my vet already had. I am sure I just typed in flying from a non EU country with a dog?
I think the only difference is we don't have a PET passport coming from a non EU country so will have a nice big folder full of paperwork to hand over in Spain. In our case to a very very tired looking airport 'official' who just waved us through!
You will get a nifty little PET passport as soon as you register with a vet in Spain., who will also need all of the paperwork you flew with.
We flew with our dog in cabin (under 5kg incl carrier) from Busan to Malaga (3 flights!) that is a story in itself!
Is your's a street dog? Ours is! & I have friends with a Thai street dog! (I have a Canadian friend living in Hanoi, I am sure she has visited Da Nang! I recognise the name!)
Good luck.


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## chica de cocentaina (Jul 25, 2011)

We brought our GSD with us when we moved to Spain, crossing the Channel from Plymouth to Roscoff and then driving through France. We were fully legal, with a pet passport, rabies jab and microchip and when we arrived here we registered with a local vet who scanned the chip and gave us new paperwork. No problems whatsoever. One word of warning, though, to anyone bringing dogs to Spain: be aware of sand flies, which carry leishmaniasis, and processionary caterpillars, which can give a severe, often fatal, allergic reaction to dogs. Our new dog (the GSD died a couple of years ago) has just recovered from leishmaniasis and the treatment cost €200. Vets here recommend blood tests twice a year to check for the disease, which is curable if discovered in the early stages. The processionary caterpillars hatch from nests (white balls of what looks like candy floss) in pine trees at this time of year and come down onto the ground in a head-to-tail procession (hence the name). Dogs tend to sniff them and that´s enough to cause the severe allergic reaction. This can also be nasty for humans, especially children, but is not quite as severe as it is with dogs. Forewarned is forearmed!


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## angil (Sep 24, 2012)

Advantix protects against sandflies (as well as fleas etc), a few drops down the back every 3 weeks. & I use a worming tablet every 4 weeks that covers the internal parasites including heartworm. I know heart worm isn't as prevalent on mainland Spain (a huge problem in Korea) and it is the sandflies you need to watch out for, but better be safe than sorry.


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## jacobfrank (Mar 14, 2009)

Thanks for the information. It looks like my problem is going to be that there isn't an authorized laboratory in Viet Nam. The closest ones are in S. Korea. Does anyone know if there's a way around this or if it is somehow possible to get the tests done once we're in Spain? Thanks.


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## GUAPACHICA (Jun 30, 2012)

angil said:


> Advantix protects against sandflies (as well as fleas etc), a few drops down the back every 3 weeks. & I use a worming tablet every 4 weeks that covers the internal parasites including heartworm. I know heart worm isn't as prevalent on mainland Spain (a huge problem in Korea) and it is the sandflies you need to watch out for, but better be safe than sorry.


Hi - I brought my GSD to Northern Spain in 2006 and my UK vet. advised me, very strongly, to purchase a _'Scalibur'_ collar, to provide a good measure of protection against Leishmaniasis. I am aware that there is now a vaccination available, although it is not 100% guaranteed to prevent the disease. My vet.'s info. was that this scourge was creeping Northwards across the spanish Peninsular and that my new Asturian location could not be considered safe, for the lifetime of my dog. In any case, it was likely that she would accompany me on trips to other parts of Spain, where the sandfly concerned might be active. 

Here's a link to a report on an outbreak which occurred in Madrid, between 2009 and 2012. There are many other links to info. and advice on keeping your dogs safe from this disease when in Spain. Personally, I'd ensure that any being imported should receive the vaccination prior to arrival

http://www.eurosurveillance.org/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleId=20546,

Saludos,

GC


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## angil (Sep 24, 2012)

My guessing would be the titer rabies test would have to be done prior to arriving (3 months before travel. 

Unless there is a quarantine procedure in place in Spain to accommodate a situation like yours? Not sure what costs that would incur?

Despite quarantine in the UK being 'abolished' a friend of mine didn't quite get the dates right when taking her (UK) dog and cat from South Korea back to the UK and they were quarantined for 3 months. But that was the UK and not Spain.

Maybe someone on here can give you the name and address of the Spanish equivalent of DEFRA? But I am guessing all of the information would be in Spanish.

Although thinking about this logically you won't be the first person to take a dog out of Vietnam (will you?!) to Europe so maybe there is a courier service available to send blood samples from Vietnam to Korea?

Ask your vet? My Korean vet was fab.


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## angil (Sep 24, 2012)

I hated my little Snowy wearing the grubby Scalibor collar all of the time and discussed with my vet an alternative (I had been using Advocat prior). I also did a lot of research and Advantix drops seemed to be the best alternative for us. She survived the streets of South Korea without getting heart worm, a miracle indeed, all 2.5kg of her! I can only hope Advantix will keep her protected from the 'nasties' in Spain.


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## GUAPACHICA (Jun 30, 2012)

GUAPACHICA said:


> Hi - I brought my GSD to Northern Spain in 2006 and my UK vet. advised me, very strongly, to purchase a _'Scalibur'_ collar, to provide a good measure of protection against Leishmaniasis. I am aware that there is now a vaccination available, although it is not 100% guaranteed to prevent the disease. My vet.'s info. was that this scourge was creeping Northwards across the spanish Peninsular and that my new Asturian location could not be considered safe, for the lifetime of my dog. In any case, it was likely that she would accompany me on trips to other parts of Spain, where the sandfly concerned might be active.
> 
> Here's a link to a report on an outbreak which occurred in Madrid, between 2009 and 2012. There are many other links to info. and advice on keeping your dogs safe from this disease when in Spain. Personally, I'd ensure that any being imported should receive the vaccination prior to arrival
> 
> ...


Hi - sorry; I realised, having pressed _'Send',_ that i'd omitted to explain that the Madrid outbreak affected HUMANS! Sadly, our own species is also targeted by the Leish. -carrying sandflies; perhaps we should now consider wearing _Scalibur _collars and squirting _Advantix _across the napes of our necks...!

Saludos,
GC


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## angil (Sep 24, 2012)

Really?? Had no idea we could be infected. Will have a bit of a 'google' when I get back from walking (dragging!) my lazy lap dog! Thank you for the info. & I would't be caught dead in a Scalibor collar white is not my colour! lol


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

We use Avantix drops and a Scalibur collar for our dogs. When the collars get grubby we give them a gentle wipe with a damp cloth.


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