People who don’t have pets might think it’s strange when we call our animals our “furbabies,” but for those who love their kittens and pups (or ferrets or geckos), a pet is a part of the family. If you and your two-legged family members plan to travel or move to Spain with your four-legged kids in tow, it’s important to know the rules for entering the country, as well as the national, regional, and municipal animal regulations that govern pet ownership.
Entering (or Re-Entering) Spain with Pets: The Basics
If you are entering Spain from another EU country, your pet must be at least 12 weeks and 21 days old, will need to have a microchip or other approved type of identification on their bodies, a current rabies vaccine and a European pet passport.
If you are coming from a non-EU country, you must enter Spain through one of the designated Travelers' Points of Entry (January-2022) and declare to the Guardia Civil's Tax Department that you are traveling with a pet and provide its documentation. In order to enter Spain, your pet must be at least 12 weeks and 21 days old, will need to have a microchip or other approved type of identification on their bodies, a current rabies vaccine, a health inspection certified by an official veterinarian in your home country (with Spanish translation) and certified copies of the identification and vaccination documents. You may also be asked for a written declaration in which you will have to specify the purpose of your trip and indicate that your intent is to keep your pet with you and not to sell it.
NOTE: If you’re arriving from a country not listed in Section 4 of Annex II of Regulation (EU) 577/2013, your pet will also have to have undergone a rabies serological test (a blood test) in an authorized laboratory.
You may only enter the country with up to five pets—which is the legal limit for pet ownership in Spain—unless you can prove that the animals are training for or participating in some kind of sporting event. If that is the case, each animal must be at least six months old.
The above are, by the way, the requirements for dogs, cats and ferrets, which are the most common pets in Spain. Any other kind of animal, such as birds, will also need a certificate of origin from a vet and, depending on the type of animal, may have additional vaccination or even quarantine requirements.
Large Breed Dogs
If you own a large breed dog, you should be aware that some of them are designated as PPP (perro potencialmente peligroso, or potentially dangerous dog), and the regulations for these kinds of animals are different from “normal” pups. Some dog breeds may not enter the country at all, whereas others may enter as long as they are registered with the proper authorities.
If all of this is overwhelming, you have two options: 1) Keep reading for a more in-depth explanation of what, when, where, and how to all of the above; 2) Contact a relocation service that specialize in helping both expats and their pets get acclimated to their new life in Spain, such as VIVA BCN; 3) All of the above.
Identification: Microchips
Yes, a pet is required to have a subdermal microchip to enter Spain. The first question a pet owner asks is “what kind of chip?”
Animals must be identified with a microchip with 15 digits that complies with ISO 11784 and 11785 standards. If your pet already has a chip of another kind, you can theoretically travel with a reader that allows the scanning of the microchip upon entry into the European Union. I say “theoretically” because this could potentially make things more complicated for you in both the short and long terms. Not only does having an alternate type of chip mean that it won’t help identify your pet if it happens to get lost after entering the EU, but there’s also always the possibility that the person working at the entry point will refuse your pet entry when you arrive.
IMPORTANT: Your pet’s microchip must be implanted before or on the same day that the rabies vaccine is administered. Vaccines administered on a date prior to the chip’s implantation won’t be recognized.
Vaccinations
While several types of vaccines are recommended for the overall health of your pet, the only vaccine that is required in Spain is the rabies vaccine. If traveling with your pet, keep in mind entry isn’t allowed until at least 21 days after your pet’s first or “primary” rabies vaccination. If the animal has been vaccinated before and the shot is a booster vaccination, the pet can enter on the same day as the vaccination, as long as it has been administered before the expiration date of the previous vaccination. Any re-vaccination after the previous shot has already expired is considered a primary vaccination, and the 21-day rule has to be observed.
This rule is the reason that dogs, cats and ferrets have to be at least 12 weeks and 21 days old to enter the country, as the minimum age to vaccinate animals is 12 weeks and 21 days is the vaccine’s inoculation period.
Health Certificates & Supporting Documentation
All animals entering from outside the EU must also be accompanied by a health certificate and declaration that conform to the European Union model, signed by an official veterinarian, and presented in Spanish. (The government regulations for these forms say “at least” in Spanish, which means that it may be presented with copies in both Spanish and English, but that the Spanish-language version is a hard requirement.)
The certificate and declaration have to be filled out in capital letters and should include the information that your pet is not traveling for commercial reasons (meaning that you’re not going to sell the animal upon arrival in Spain).
If your pet is not traveling with you, the authorization should also include the name of the person responsible for it, as well as your intention to reunite with your pet within five days. If any supporting documents are attached to the certificate, they have to be signed and stamped by the veterinarian who issues the certificate to be considered a part of the original documentation.
These documents are valid for just 10 days if you’re traveling from a non-EU country, and for four months for travel within the European Union as long as the animal’s rabies vaccine doesn’t expire before then. If you’re traveling by sea, this period of 10 days is extended by a period that corresponds to the duration of the trip.
What Is an “Official” Veterinarian?
What kind of vet can sign off on your pet’s official health certificate? In the US, the certificate can be signed by any veterinarian accredited by the Department of Agriculture, USDA/APHIS, under the National Veterinary Accreditation Program (NVAP). Once completed by the vet, the certificate must be validated by an official veterinarian employed by the Veterinary Services of the Department of Agriculture, (Veterinary Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, VS/APHIS). In Canada, the animal health certificate must be signed by an accredited veterinarian and then validated by an Official Veterinarian of the CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency). For travel from the UK, you can find information on official veterinarians on gov.uk.
Before You Leave
You should contact the airline, train, or bus company you’ll be traveling with to ask about their regulations regarding traveling with animals, which should include their specifications for the size and type of carrier that can be taken on board, as well as transport prices.
It’s also a good idea to double-check travel requirements on the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Alimentation and the Environment’s website, as regulations are subject to change without warning.
Remember that as of December 31, 2020, UK pets are no longer considered to be EU animals due to Brexit and have to adhere to the same regulations as other non-EU countries.
Once You’ve Landed: Public Transport
You made it! You successfully completed your mission (and your paperwork) and have touched down in Spain.
Now what?
If you’re based in an urban area, you’ll probably take public transportation on a regular basis. All legal domestic animals contained in an appropriate carrier may be carried on all public transport provided they do not cause a disturbance. Most cities have their own rules governing when dogs that are not in a carrier are allowed in public transport.
For example, in Barcelona, from September 12 to June 23, dogs are prohibited on metros, trams and regional trains during rush hour—weekdays from 7:00 to 9:30, and from 17:00 to 19:00—and in the event of overcrowding on the train. On weekends, holidays and during the summer high season (from June 24 to September 11) dogs are allowed any time.
Owners must always carry the dog’s identification with them, and the dogs must wear a muzzle and a non-extendable leash from the station entrance, inside the station, on the train and to the exit. They aren’t allowed on escalators, or to sit on seats.
Dogs are not allowed on buses unless they are service animals or working with public transport security, and even then, only one dog is allowed per person. Service dogs, such as a guide dog for the blind, are allowed on all public transport as long as they are properly identified with a badge and blue jacket.
Some taxis allow traveling with pets, though it’s always a good idea to inquire while making your reservation. Any damages caused to any persons or property while on public transport or in a taxi are the pet owner’s legal and financial responsibility.
Speaking of Damages: Pet Insurance
Depending on the kind of pet you own and where you live, it may be necessary to take out civil liability insurance for damage to third parties. For example, in Madrid it’s mandatory for all dog breeds, but in most other autonomous communities it’s only necessary for dogs deemed to be PPP, or “potentially dangerous.”
Throughout all of Spain, it’s necessary to have this type of insurance for certain specific dog breeds including pit bulls, bull terriers, rottweilers, akita inus, and others, or simply because your dog meets certain standards regarding jaw type and weight. The required minimum coverage ranges from €120,000 to €300,000, depending on the dog breed and municipality.
Companies that offer this kind of insurance—such as MAPFRE, 1guau or PetPlan—can usually answer questions as to what kind of plan you need. Other kinds of pets other than dogs are not required to be insured, though some companies do offer veterinarian policies for cats and ferrets as well.
Dog Licenses
Aside from the insurance requirement, owning a PPP dog requires a license. This permit, which can be requested in person at your local municipal registry office or on the city council website, is valid for five years, after which time it has to be renewed. The paperwork involved includes proving that the owner is of legal age and does not have a criminal record, among other requirements. These breeds must also be on a leash and wear a muzzle at all times while in the street.
The Spanish government is considering a law that will eliminate the “PPP” category and treat each dog on a case-by-case basis, but as of the writing of this article, that law hasn’t been passed, so a license is still required.
What about Exotic Pets?
Your definition of “exotic” might be different from the legal definition in Spain, so it’s always a good idea to check to make sure you’re not accidentally landing yourself and your pet in hot water. For example, certain kinds of porcupines, turtles, or frogs may seem cute and harmless, but are not legal to own in Spain, whereas it is possible to legally adopt certain species of monkeys, snakes, birds and lizards, provided that the legal origin of the animal is verified.
If you have doubts as to whether or not your type of animal is considered to be “domestic” in Spain, you can search by animal type and country of origin on the Agriculture Ministry’s website.
The Natural Heritage and Biodiversity Law (Law 42/2007) specifies that introducing invasive species into Spanish territory is a serious offense. Fines can range from €3,000 to €2 million, depending on the type of animal and the severity of the damage caused to the native ecosystem, and jail time of up to two years may be imposed. These punishments vary among the autonomous communities.
Other (Legal) Pet Things to Think About
Once you arrive, make sure to locate a veterinarian in your neighborhood so that you can keep your animalito up-to-date on other recommended vaccines and standard check-ups. There are English-speaking vets in Barcelona, Madrid, and most other large cities, but in smaller towns one may be hard to find. If you can’t find a vet who speaks your language, you can always inquire on online expat forums—though it’s not a bad idea to start familiarizing yourself with pet-related terminology in Spanish or Catalan so you can go to a local, non-English-speaking vet if needed.
If you are planning to bring large or noisy dogs to Spain, it’s important to take that into account when you pick out where to live in urban areas. Under the Spanish Civil Code there are various laws that angry neighbors or irritated landlords could use against you in the event that your pet causes prolonged or excessive noise problems. Penalties can include expensive fines and a ton of stress.
And, although most people don’t go through the trouble of bringing their beloved cat, dog, or other creature across the ocean only to leave it out in the cold, it’s important to note that Spanish law severely penalizes both mistreatment and abandonment of animals. There are heavy fines, as well as possible imprisonment of up to one year. If convicted you may also be prohibited from owning or working around animals for up to three years.