- 1. Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret into Ireland
- 2. Bringing your pet bird, rabbit, rodent and other animals into Ireland
- 3. Travelling or Relocating out of Ireland with your Pet
- 4. Taking your pet bird, rabbit, rodent and other animals abroad
- 5. Bringing an unaccompanied pet Cat, Dog or Ferret into Ireland
- 6. Who to contact
The rules on bringing your pets into Ireland (for example, on holiday or because you are taking up residence here) change depending type of animals and the country you are travelling from.
All pets must be accompanied by original paperwork, Not copies. Your pet must arrive in Ireland with you, or within five days before or after you travel (but it can be accompanied by someone else). Five is the maximum number of animals allowed to travel with you. These rules apply no matter which country you are travelling from.
Your pet dog, cat or ferret must be accompanied by original paperwork, not copies. Your pet dog, cat or ferret must arrive in Ireland five days before or after you travel (but it can be accompanied by someone else).
Five is the maximum number of animals allowed to travel with you. These rules apply no matter which country you are travelling from.
Service animals must comply with the rules on EU pet travel. For more information on travelling to Ireland with a service animal, please see below.
If you are travelling from a non-EU country, you must provide advance notice of your intention to bring your pet into Ireland. Advance notice must be e-mailed to
Dublin airport petmove@agriculture.gov.ie
Shannon airport PetsShannon@agriculture.gov.ie
Cork airport corkpetmove@agriculture.gov.ie
Ringaskiddy port, Cork corkpetmove@agriculture.gov.ie
Rosslare ferry port rosslare.europort@agriculture.gov.ie
You must not leave the airport or port before compliance checks are carried out.
Bringing your pet cat, dog or ferret into Ireland from an EU Member State or from Andorra; Gibraltar; Greenland and the Faroe islands; Iceland; Liechtenstein; Monaco, Norway; San Marino; Switzerland or the Vatican City State
Your pet cat, dog or ferret may enter Ireland from an EU country or one of the countries/ territories listed above and will not be required to enter quarantine if it has:
- been microchipped
The microchip must be inserted before the rabies vaccination, and must be readable by a device compatible with ISO standard 11785. If the microchip cannot be read when you enter or return to Ireland, your pet could be put into quarantine or refused entry. You may carry your own hand held scanner if the microchip is not readable by a device compatible with ISO standard 11785.
- a valid rabies vaccination
(i) The vaccination must be given after the microchip is inserted.
(ii) The pet must be at least 12 weeks old before the vaccination is given, and it must be given by your vet.
(iii) You must wait 21 days after the primary vaccination is given, before you can bring the dog, cat or ferret to Ireland.
A rabies vaccination with a 1 or 3-year validity period is acceptable for entry into Ireland.
Once there has been no break in coverage after a primary rabies vaccination, subsequent vaccinations are considered booster and not primary vaccinations. In the case of booster vaccinations, the 21-day waiting period does not apply.
If there has been a break in coverage, the next vaccination will be considered a primary vaccination and the 21-day waiting period will apply
- is accompanied by a valid EU pet passport or EU health certificate
Ireland accepts pet passports from all EU countries, and from the following European countries/territories: Andorra; Gibraltar; Greenland and the Faroe Islands; Iceland; Liechtenstein; Monaco; Norway; San Marino; Switzerland; Vatican City State.
If your pet dog, cat or ferret does not have a pet passport, issued by one of the countries or territories listed above, it may qualify to enter if accompanied by a valid EU health certificate (also known as EU Annex III Health Certificate).
“A valid passport is a passport issued by an EU country or territory listed above, which certifies that the rabies vaccine given is valid, and only an EU vet may complete this section of the passport.
Vets in countries outside of the EU may not complete, sign or stamp the section on rabies vaccination in the passport. If they were to do so, this would make the EU pet passport invalid for travel.”
If your pet dog, cat or ferret does not have a pet passport, issued by one of the countries or territories listed above, it may qualify to enter if accompanied by a valid EU health certificate (also known as EU Annex III Health Certificate).
An EU health certificate must be:
- completed by your veterinary practitioner, AND
- signed and endorsed by an Official (State) Veterinarian of the country of departure, within 10 days of pets arrival into the EU (point b, page 4 of the health certificate refers), AND
- immediately upon arriving into the EU, signed and endorsed by the EU country which performed the compliance checks
An Official State Veterinarian is a veterinarian directly employed by the Government in the country of departure.
If the pet is travelling by sea, the validity is extended by the number of days of travel by sea.
The endorsed certificate is valid for travel between EU Member States for up to 4 months, or until the anti-rabies vaccination expires, whichever is the earliest.
- Tapeworm treatment for dogs
The treatment must contain praziquantel and must be administered by a veterinarian no less than 24 hours (1 day) and no more than 120 hours (5 days) before the scheduled arrival time of the dog in Ireland. Your dog may be refused entry or put into quarantine if you do not follow this rule.
If you are coming from countries other than Finland, Malta, Norway or the UK (before Brexit), a vet must treat your dog for tapeworm (specifically Echinococcus multilocularis) and record the treatment in the pet passport or third-country official veterinary certificate each time you intend to travel to Ireland.
The treatment must contain praziquantel and must be administered by a veterinarian no less than 24 hours (1 day) and no more than 120 hours (5 days) before the scheduled arrival time of the dog in Ireland. Your dog may be refused entry or put into quarantine if you do not follow this rule.
Pets may enter Ireland through any port/airport of entry and will be subject to spot checks
Cats, dogs or ferrets coming from other EU countries/ territories listed above may enter Ireland through any port/airport of entry and may be transported by any airline or ferry company willing to transport such animals.
It is up to the airline to decide whether to carry the animal in the cabin or as excess baggage – the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine does not decide on this.
Spot checks are carried out on animals entering Ireland from EU countries and the countries/ territories listed above. These checks are carried out at the port/airport of entry and are free of charge.
If you do not follow these rules, or your pet fails the compliance checks, it may be refused entry into Ireland, or may be placed into quarantine for the necessary tests or vaccinations. In very limited circumstances, the pet may be euthanised. These measures will be implemented at the owner’s expense.
Coming from one of the countries/ territories listed below
| Andorra | Gibraltar | Greenland and the Faroe Islands | Iceland | Liechtenstein | Monaco | Norway | San Marino | Switzerland | Vatican City State | Ascension Island | Antigua and Barbuda | Argentina | Aruba | Australia | Barbados | Bahrain | Belarus | Bermuda | Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (the BES Islands) | Bosnia and Herzegovina | British Virgin Islands | Canada | Cayman Islands | Chile | Curaçao | Fiji | Falkland Islands | French Polynesia | Hong Kong | Jamaica | Japan | Malaysia | Mauritius | Mexico | Montserrat | New Caledonia | New Zealand | North Macedonia, Russia | Saint Helena | Saint Kitts and Nevis | Saint Lucia | Sint Maarten | Saint Pierre and Miquelon | Singapore | Taiwan | Trinidad and Tobago | United Arab Emirates | United States of America (including American Samoa | Guam | Northern Mariana Islands | Puerto Rico | US Virgin Islands) | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Vanuatu | Wallis and Futuna |
Your pet cat, dog or ferret may enter Ireland from one of the countries/territories listed above and will not be required to enter quarantine if it has:-
- been microchipped
The microchip must be inserted before the rabies vaccination, and must be readable by a device compatible with ISO standard 11785. If the microchip cannot be read when you enter or return to Ireland, your pet could be put into quarantine or refused entry. You may carry your own hand-held scanner if the microchip is not readable by a device compatible with ISO standard 11785.
- a valid rabies vaccination
(i) The vaccination must be given after the microchip is inserted.
(ii) The pet must be at least 12 weeks old before the vaccination is given, and it must be given by a vet authorised by the authorities of your country.
(iii) You must wait 21 days after the primary vaccination is given, before you can bring the dog, cat or ferret to Ireland.
A rabies vaccination with a 1 or 3-year validity period is acceptable for entry into Ireland.
Once there has been no break in coverage after a primary rabies vaccination, subsequent vaccinations are considered booster and not primary vaccinations. In the case of booster vaccinations, the 21-day waiting period does not apply.
If there has been a break in coverage, the next vaccination will be considered a primary vaccination and the 21-day waiting period will apply
- is accompanied by a valid EU pet passport or EU health certificate Ireland accepts pet passports from all EU countries, and from the following European countries/territories:
Andorra
Gibraltar
Greenland and the Faroe Islands
Iceland
Liechtenstein
Monaco
Norway
San Marino
Switzerland
Vatican City State
A valid passport is a passport issued by an EU country or territory listed above, which certifies that the rabies vaccine given is valid, and only an EU vet may complete this section of the passport.
Vets in countries outside of the EU may not complete, sign or stamp the section on rabies vaccination in the passport. If they were to do so, this would make the EU pet passport invalid for travel.
If your pet dog, cat or ferret does not have a pet passport issued by an EU country or the following European countries/territories: Andorra; Gibraltar; Greenland and the Faroe Islands; Iceland; Liechtenstein; Monaco; Norway; San Marino; Switzerland; Vatican City State, it must be accompanied by an EU health certificate (also known as EU Annex III Health Certificate), before entering an EU country, including Ireland.”
An EU health certificate must be:
- completed by your veterinary practitioner, AND
- signed and endorsed by an Official (State) Veterinarian of the country of departure, within 10 days of pets arrival into the EU (point b, page 5 of the health certificate refers), AND
- immediately upon arriving into the EU, signed and endorsed by the EU country which performed the compliance checks
An Official State Veterinarian is a veterinarian directly employed by the Government in the country of departure.
If the pet is travelling by sea, the validity is extended by the number of days of travel by sea.
The endorsed certificate is valid for travel between EU Member States for up to 4 months, or until the anti-rabies vaccination expires, whichever is the earliest.
The endorsed certificate is valid for travel between EU Member States for up to 4 months, or until the anti-rabies vaccination expires, whichever is the earliest
- Tapeworm treatment for dogs
If you are coming from countries other than Finland, Norway, Malta or the UK (before Brexit), a vet must treat your dog for tapeworm (specifically Echinococcus multilocularis) and record the treatment in the pet passport or third-country official veterinary certificate each time you intend to travel to Ireland.
The treatment must contain praziquantel and must be administered by a veterinarian no less than 24 hours (1 day) and no more than 120 hours (5 days) before the scheduled arrival time of the dog in Ireland. Your dog may be refused entry or put into quarantine if you do not follow this rule.
Pets must enter Ireland through Cork, Dublin or Shannon Airport, or Cork or Rosslare Port and must undergo compliance checks on arrival.
Pets travelling to Ireland from non – EU countries may enter through Cork, Dublin and Shannon Airports and also Cork or Rosslare Ports and must undergo a compliance check on arrival.
It is your responsibility to ensure that your animal undergoes the compliance check.
You must organise compliance checks for your pet landing in Ireland in advance of your arrival.
Advance notice to be e-mailed to
Dublin airport petmove@agriculture.gov.ie
Shannon airport PetsShannon@agriculture.gov.ie
Cork airport corkpetmove@agriculture.gov.ie
Ringaskiddy port, Cork corkpetmove@agriculture.gov.ie
Rosslare ferry port rosslare.europort@agriculture.gov.ie
Please include the following information: Date and time of arrival, Airport, Name, Flight Number, number of animals to be checked and paperwork the pet will be travelling with e.g. EU Pet Passport or EU (Annex IV) Health Certificate.
There is a fee for compliance checks on pets. There is no charge for compliance checks on guide dogs.
Compliance checks may be performed at the port or airport of arrival or at the quarantine facility (Lissenhall Veterinary Hospital).
Lissenhall Veterinary Hospital is located approximately 10km from Dublin airport. If the compliance check is to be completed at Lissenhall, pets will be securely transported to Lissenhall Veterinary Hospital; owners are not allowed to travel in the vehicle with the animal. Owners must make their own arrangements to travel to Lissenhall, at their own expense, in order to collect their animals.
Pets transiting through other EU Member States may have the compliance check carried out at first point of entry into the EU OR in Ireland. If the compliance check was performed in another EU Member State, you should, on arrival into Ireland, produce proof of this.
If you do not follow these rules, or your pet fails the compliance checks, it may be refused entry into Ireland, or may be placed into quarantine for the necessary tests or vaccinations. In very limited circumstances, the pet may be euthanised. These measures will be implemented at the owner’s expense.
Pets travelling in the cabin of an aircraft or as excess baggage.
You must not leave the baggage reclaim area without presenting your pet for a compliance check. Compliance checks will be performed at Cork, Dublin and Shannon Airport or at the quarantine facility (Lissenhall Veterinary Hospital).
This check should be organised in advance by notifying the email addresses above.
If you need to contact a Department of Agriculture officer on arrival in Dublin airport only, you may do this by pressing the button marked Duty Supervisor on the courtesy telephone outside the Department of Agriculture offices in the baggage reclaim hall, opposite
- carousel No. 6 in Terminal 1, or
- carousel No. 2 in Terminal 2
Mobile telephone number: + 353 (0) 87 417 8986
You are responsible for ensuring the compliance check is organised before you leave the baggage reclaim area.
Only in the event of an emergency should you leave the port or airport area without undergoing/organising a compliance check.
Terms and conditions on advance notice can be accessed here.
Advance notice of your intention to bring a pet into Ireland must be e-mailed to
Dublin airport petmove@agriculture.gov.ie
Shannon airport PetsShannon@agriculture.gov.ie
Cork airport corkpetmove@agriculture.gov.ie
Ringaskiddy port, Cork corkpetmove@agriculture.gov.ie
Rosslare ferry port rosslare.europort@agriculture.gov.ie
at least 24 hours in advance of travel. Please complete the advance notice form which can be accessed here.
Alternatively please provide us with the details required within the form in the main body of your email to the email addresses provided above.
If you do not follow these rules, or your pet fails the compliance checks, it may be refused entry into Ireland, or may be placed into quarantine for the necessary tests or vaccinations. In very limited circumstances, the pet may be euthanised. These measures will be implemented at the owner’s expense.
Coming from any country other than those listed above
Your pet cat, dog or ferret may enter Ireland from any country or territory not listed in Sections 2 or 3, and will not be required to enter quarantine, if it has:
been microchipped
The microchip must beinserted before the rabies vaccination, and must be readable by a device compatible with ISO standard 11785. If the microchip cannot be read when you enter or return to Ireland, your pet could be put into quarantine or refused entry. You may carry your own hand-held scanner if the microchip is not readable by a device compatible with ISO standard 11785.
a valid rabies vaccination and successful rabies serological test (blood test)
Rabies vaccination
- the vaccination must be given after the microchip is inserted
- the pet must be at least 12 weeks old before the vaccination is given, and it must be given by a vet authorised by the government authorities of your country
Rabies serological test (blood test)
- you must wait at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination has been given before the blood test is carried out. Otherwise your pet will fail the compliance check
- your vet must send the blood sample to an EU-approved blood testing laboratory. The laboratory may be located either in an EU Member State or another country. A list of approved laboratories can be accessed here
- the result of the blood test must show that the vaccination was successful (a rabies antibody level of at least 0.5 IU/ml)
- the animal must wait three months from the date of the blood draw, if a satisfactory result has been obtained, before it can travel to the EU, including Ireland
- the original blood test certificate from the lab, or a copy received from the lab, must travel with the animal as part of it’s health certificate and be presented when the compliance check is being carried out
The 3-month wait period does not apply if:
- the blood sample was taken by a vet in an EU Member State or in Andorra, Gibraltar, Greenland and the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland or the Vatican City State and
- the satisfactory result is entered into the passport or EU health cert (see below) before the animal left the EU and
- there was no break in rabies vaccinations after the blood test was carried out
This is particularly relevant to, for example, a European pet who is to travel to an unlisted country and the owner wishes to re-enter the EU with their pet without having to wait 3 months before coming back to the EU.
A rabies vaccination with a 1 or 3-year validity period is acceptable for entry into Ireland.
A valid blood test will remain valid for the life of the animal only if there is no break in rabies vaccination cover after the blood test is performed.
If there has been a break in rabies vaccine coverage, the next vaccination will be considered a primary vaccination and the blood test must be repeated at least 30 days after the vaccination, and then the 3-month waiting period following a successful blood test will apply.
- is accompanied by a valid EU pet passport, or EU health certificate
Ireland accepts pet passports from all EU countries, and from the following European countries/territories: Andorra; Gibraltar; Greenland and the Faroe Islands; Iceland; Liechtenstein; Monaco; Norway; San Marino; Switzerland; Vatican City State.
A valid passport is a passport issued by an EU country or territory listed above, which certifies that the rabies vaccine given is valid, and only an EU vet may complete this section of the passport.
Vets in countries outside of the EU may not complete, sign or stamp the section on rabies vaccination or the rabies serological test in the passport. If they were to do so, this would make the EU pet passport invalid for travel.
If your pet dog, cat or ferret does not have a pet passport, issued by one of the countries or territories listed above (point 3), it must be accompanied by a EU health certificate (also known as EU Annex III Health Certificate), before entering an EU country, including Ireland.
An EU health certificate must be:
- completed by your veterinary practitioner, AND
- signed and endorsed by an Official (State) Veterinarian of the country of departure, within 10 days of pets arrival into the EU (point b, page 5 of the health certificate refers), AND
immediately upon arriving into the EU, signed and endorsed by the EU country which performed the compliance checks
An Official State Veterinarian is a veterinarian directly employed by the Government in the country of departure.
If the pet is travelling by sea, the validity is extended by the number of days of travel by sea.
The endorsed certificate is valid for travel between EU Member States for up to 4 months, or until the anti-rabies vaccination expires, whichever is the earliest.
Tapeworm treatment for dogs
If you are coming from countries other than Finland, Norway, Malta or the UK (before Brexit), a vet must treat your dog for tapeworm (specifically Echinococcus multilocularis) and record the treatment in the pet passport or third-country official veterinary certificate each time you intend to travel to Ireland.
The treatment must contain praziquantel and must be administered by a veterinarian no less than 24 hours (1 day) and no more than 120 hours (5 days) before the scheduled arrival time of the dog in Ireland. Your dog may be refused entry or put into quarantine if you do not follow this rule.
Pets must enter Ireland through Cork, Dublin or Shannon Airport, or through Cork (Ringaskiddy) Port or Rosslare Port and must undergo compliance checks on arrival.
Pets travelling to Ireland from non – EU countries may enter through Cork, Dublin and Shannon Airports, or Rosslare or Cork (Ringaskiddy) Ports and must undergo a compliance check on arrival.
It is your responsibility to ensure that your animal undergoes the compliance check.
You must organise compliance checks for your pet landing in Ireland in advance of your arrival.
Advance notice to be e-mailed to
Dublin airport petmove@agriculture.gov.ie
Shannon airport PetsShannon@agriculture.gov.ie
Cork airport corkpetmove@agriculture.gov.ie
Ringaskiddy port, Cork corkpetmove@agriculture.gov.ie
Rosslare ferry port rosslare.europort@agriculture.gov.ie
Please include the following information: Date and time of arrival, Airport, Name, Flight Number, number of animals to be checked and paperwork the pet will be travelling with e.g. EU Pet Passport or EU (Annex IV) Health Certificate.
There is a fee for compliance checks on pets. There is no fee for compliance checks on guide dogs.
Compliance checks may be performed at the port/airport of arrival or at the quarantine facility (Lissenhall Veterinary Hospital).
Lissenhall Veterinary Hospital is located approximately 10km from Dublin airport. Pets will be securely transported to Lissenhall Veterinary Hospital; owners are not allowed to travel in the vehicle with the animal. Owners must make their own arrangements to travel to Lissenhall, at their own expense, in order to collect their animals.
Pets transiting through other EU Member States may have the compliance check carried out at first point of entry into the EU OR in Ireland. If the compliance check was performed in another EU Member State, you should, on arrival into Ireland, produce proof of this.
If you do not follow these rules, or your pet fails the compliance checks, it may be refused entry into Ireland, or may be placed into quarantine for the necessary tests or vaccinations. In very limited circumstances, the pet may be euthanised. These measures will be implemented at the owner’s expense.
Pets travelling in the cabin of an aircraft or as excess baggage
You must not leave the baggage reclaim area without presenting your pet for a compliance check. Compliance checks will be performed at the port/airport or at the quarantine facility (Lissenhall Veterinary Hospital).
This compliance check should be organised in advance.
If you need to contact a Department of Agriculture officer on arrival in Dublin airport only by:
pressing the button marked Duty Supervisor on the courtesy telephone outside the Department of Agriculture offices in the baggage reclaim hall, opposite
- carousel No. 6 in Terminal 1, or
- carousel No. 2 in Terminal 2
Mobile telephone number: + 353 (0) 87 417 8986
You are responsible for ensuring the compliance check is organised before you leave the baggage reclaim area.
Only in the event of an airport emergency should you leave the baggage reclaim area without undergoing/organising a compliance check.
Terms and conditions on advance notice can be accessed here.
Advance notice of your intention to bring a pet into Ireland must be e-mailed to
Dublin airport petmove@agriculture.gov.ie
Shannon airport PetsShannon@agriculture.gov.ie
Cork airport corkpetmove@agriculture.gov.ie
Ringaskiddy port, Cork corkpetmove@agriculture.gov.ie
Rosslare ferry port rosslare.europort@agriculture.gov.ie
at least 24 hours in advance of travel. Please complete the advance notice form which can be accessed on https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/pets/euhealthcertificatescompliancechecksandadvancenotice/. Alternatively please provide us with the details required within the form in the main body of your email to the above email addresses.
If you do not follow these rules, or the pet fails the compliance checks, it may be refused entry into Ireland, or may be placed into quarantine for the necessary tests or vaccinations. In very limited circumstances, the pet may be euthanised. These measures will be implemented at the owner’s expense.
Travelling with guide and assistance dogs
Airlines operating within the EU are obliged to allow disabled passengers and those with reduced mobility to bring their recognised assistance dogs in the cabin of the plane.
All dogs traveling in a cabin of an aircraft, must be fully compliant with the rules for entering Ireland as set out in Section 2, 3 or 4 above, depending on where they are travelling from.
Pets entering Ireland form non EU countries may enter through
- Cork Airport
- Dublin Airport
- Shannon Airport
- Ringaskiddy Seaport
- Rosslare Ferry Port
It is a matter for airlines whether or not they will allow animals providing other types of assistance/services, such as emotional support, to accompany travelers in the cabin of the plane.
If you are travelling from a non-EU country, you MUST provide advance notice of your intention to bring your service dog into Ireland, at least 24 hours before your departure time.
Only in the event of an airport emergency should you leave the baggage reclaim area without undergoing/organising a compliance check
You must organise compliance checks for your pet landing in Ireland in advance of your arrival.
Advance notice to be e-mailed to
Dublin airport petmove@agriculture.gov.ie
Shannon airport PetsShannon@agriculture.gov.ie
Cork airport corkpetmove@agriculture.gov.ie
Ringaskiddy port, Cork corkpetmove@agriculture.gov.ie
Rosslare ferry port rosslare.europort@agriculture.gov.ie
at least 24 hours in advance of travel. Please complete the advance notice form which can be accessed here. Alternatively please provide us with the details required within the form in the main body of your email to the email addresses above.
All dogs traveling in a cabin of an aircraft, including guide/assistance dogs, must not leave the baggage reclaim area without being presented for a compliance check. Compliance checks will be performed at Cork, Dublin and Shannon Airport or at the quarantine facility (Lissenhall Veterinary Hospital).
There is no fee for compliance checks on guide dogs.
This check should be organised in advance by notifying the email addresses above.
If you need to contact a Department of Agriculture officer on arrival in Dublin airport only, you may do this by:
pressing the button marked Duty Supervisor on the courtesy telephone outside the Department of Agriculture offices in the baggage reclaim hall, opposite
- carousel No. 6 in Terminal 1, or
- carousel No. 2 in Terminal 2
Mobile telephone number: + 353 (0) 87 417 8986
You are responsible for ensuring the compliance check is organised before you leave the baggage reclaim area.
Only in the event of an airport emergency should you leave the baggage reclaim area without undergoing/organising a compliance check.
Terms and conditions on advance notice can be accessed here.
You must contact the airline directly regarding your travel plans with a guide dog/assistance animal.
Transiting Ireland with pet cat, dog or ferrets
If you are transiting Ireland from a non-EU country on the way to an EU country, you may be able to arrange compliance checks to be carried out in Ireland, provided the animal is travelling in the cabin with you and the compliance check can be facilitated at your point of entry. If you wish to arrange this, please contact the relevant point of entry with your details and they may be able to accommodate the compliance check. You should keep all paperwork with you for the duration of your time in the EU, in case you are asked to present it at your final destination.
The checks can also be carried out in the EU country that is your destination, if they cannot be facilitated in Ireland.
You may transit Ireland with your pet if:
- the animal complies with the EU rules for pet travel, and
- you have told the authorities your final destination, that you are transiting Ireland with your pet and may need compliance checks on arrival
Pets not compliant with EU rules on pet travel must NOT disembark the aircraft in Ireland.
Travelling by private transport (aircraft/yacht)
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine may facilitate the landing of pets into Ireland by private transport, where possible. Cats, dogs and ferrets must comply with the rules for pet travel as outlined in sections 2, 3 and 4 above where applicable.
Advance notice of your intention to bring a pet into Ireland must be e-mailed to livetrade@agriculture.gov.ie at least 24 hours in advance of travel, but ideally during the week preceding the intended arrival date. Please complete the advance notice form which can be accessed here.
Alternatively please provide us with the details required within the form in the main body of your email to livetrade@agriculture.gov.ie
Hybrid pets
Only fully domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris), cats (Felis catus) and ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) may travel as pets under the pet travel regulation, Regulation (EU) No. 576/2013.
Hybrid animals such as hybrid wolf-dogs, Bengal cats or Savannah cats may only be permitted to travel as a pet under specific circumstances where they are considered domestic.
Restrictions on the movement of these hybrid animals are determined by how closely the hybrid animal is related to the wild parent.
F1 Generation
Hybrid offspring of a cross between a wild animal and a domestic animal are termed an F1 generation and are approx. 50% wild.
F2 Generation
A cross between an F1 animal and a domestic animal is termed an F2 generation animal.
F3 Generation
A cross between an F2 animal and a domestic animal is termed an F3 generation animal, and so on.
If, at any stage, a hybrid animal is crossed with a wild animal, the generation are termed F1 again, as one of their parents is a wild animal.
Regulation (EU) No. 338/97 and CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora) rules state that animals within 4 generations of the original wild animal (F1-F4) are considered wild animals and not hybrids.
Therefore, only F5 and higher generations of hybrid may be classed as fully domestic animals eligible to travel under the pet travel regulation mentioned here in Sections 1 – 8. Proof of breeding is requested in advance of travel to livetrade@agriculture.gov.ie.
The rules on bringing your pet into Ireland (for example, on holiday or because you are taking up residence here) change depending on which country you are travelling from.
Your pet must be accompanied by original paperwork, not copies. Your pet must arrive in Ireland five days before or after you travel (but it can be accompanied by someone else). Five is the maximum number of animals allowed to travel with you. These rules apply no matter which country you are travelling from.
If you are travelling to Ireland to sell your pet, for a change of ownership, or if the pet is not travelling within five days of your travel, there are different rules.
Birds
A pet bird is considered to be a bird of any species except fowl, turkeys, guinea fowl, ducks, geese, quails, pigeons, partridges and ratites, which is not being traded commercially and travels with the owner or with a person representing the owner.
You may bring your pet bird (or birds, but no more than five in total) into to Ireland from a non-EU country if:
- the bird is accompanied on the journey by you or a person acting on your behalf
- the bird is individually identified
- you have a veterinary health certificate signed by an official veterinarian to confirm compliance with the pre-export requirements
- Member States shall authorise the movement from third countries of live pet birds solely where the consignment consists of not more than five birds AND:
- the birds come from an OIE member country falling within the competence of a Regional Commission listed in Part A of Annex I, OR
- the birds come from an OIE member country falling within the competence of a Regional Commission listed in Part B of Annex I on condition that the birds:
- have undergone isolation for 30 days prior to export at the place of departure in a third country listed in Part 1 of Annex I or Part 1 of Annex II to Commission Regulation (EU) No 206/2010 ( 1 ), OR
- have undergo quarantine for 30 days after import into the Member State of destination on premises approved in accordance with Article 6(1) of Commission Regulation (EC) No 318/2007 ( 2 ), OR
- have within the last six months and not later than 60 days prior to dispatch from the third country, been vaccinated, and at least on one occasion revaccinated, against avian influenza using an H5 vaccine approved for the species concerned in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, (as per the health certificate as described below, but please note vaccination against avian influenza is prohibited in Ireland) OR
- have been in isolation for at least 10 days prior to export and have undergone a test to detect the avian influenza H5N1 antigen or genome as laid down in the Chapter on avian influenza of the Manual of Diagnostic tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals, as regularly updated by the OIE, carried out on a sample taken not earlier than the third day of isolation
- compliance with the above conditions shall be certified by an official (State) veterinarian in the Non EU country of dispatch in accordance with the model certificate provided for in Annex II (pdf 1,260Kb) and the included an owner’s declaration Annex III) must be completed
Please read this health certificate carefully to ensure your bird is compliant.
Persons wishing to import pet birds from Non-EU countries are asked to apply on the attached Application to Import Pet Birds into Ireland from a non EU (doc 42Kb) to livetrade.@agriculture.gov.ie for an import permit so as to facilitate the necessary documentary and identity checks upon import. Applications should be made in sufficient time to enable the pre-export requirements to be completed. PLEASE NOTE, IN ADDITION TO A PERMIT, YOUR BIRD MUST BE COMPLIANT WITH THE HEALTH REQUIREMENTS ABOVE AND YOU MUST HAVE A CORRECTLY COMPLETED ANNEX II HEALTH CERTIFICATE AS DESCRIBED ABOVE.
Enquiries to: livetrade.@agriculture.gov.ie
Rodents and rabbits
Click HERE for details on bring a pet rodent or rabbit to Ireland from another EU country or from Andorra, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland and the Vatican City State.
You can bring a pet rodent or rabbit to Ireland from another EU country or from Andorra, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland and the Vatican City State if:
Your pet is accompanied on the journey by you or someone acting on your behalf,
You fill in and email an Advance Notice Pet Rodent or Pet Rabbit (doc 32Kb) to livetrade@agriculture.gov.ie at least one working day before the arrival time of your pet in Ireland.
You can bring a pet rodent or rabbit to Ireland from certain countries outside the EU but you must apply for a licence by filling in and sending Application to Import pet rabbit or rodent into Ireland from a non EU (doc 36Kb) application form to livetrade@agriculture.gov.ie You must submit this application at least 2 months before your date of travel to Ireland. The licence sets out the requirements for import which include a veterinary health certificate, and the animals must be transported in a container which complies with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Live Animal Regulations and must be secured with a seal or lock.
Application should be made in sufficient time to enable the pre-export requirements to be completed.
An advance notice of import is also required.
For any non-domestic rodent or rabbit kept as a pet which is listed on the CITES list of endangered species, you must check with the National Parks and Wildlife Service if a CITES licence is required.
Enquiries to: livetrade@agriculture.gov.ie
If you are travelling on holiday or relocating with your pet out of Ireland you will need to:
- contact the destination country for entry (certification) requirements
- contact the Regional Veterinary Office at least 2 months in advance of travel to ensure that necessary documentation is available and can be certified by Department officials
allow sufficient time to ensure required tests can be successfully performed
- ensure your pet qualifies to return to Ireland, see Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret into Ireland
The department may not be able to provide documentation for your pet to travel if you have not contacted your Regional Veterinary Office least two months in advance of travel.
If you are taking your dog, cat or ferret out of Ireland to another EU country, or if you are returning to Ireland, you must get an EU pet passport. In Ireland this is issued by private vets to the pet owner, click here for details.
Entry requirements to other EU destinations and non-EU countries will differ from country to country. Check with the Embassy of the country you are travelling to for details.
Pets returning to Ireland from holiday must meet the requirements for entering Ireland, click here for details.
Your pet dog, cat or ferret must be accompanied by original paperwork, not copies. Your pet dog, cat or ferret must arrive at your destination five days before or after you travel (but it can be accompanied by someone else). Five is the maximum number of animals allowed to travel with you.
If you are travelling to sell your pet dog, cat or ferret, for a change of ownership, or if the pet is not travelling within five days of your travel, there are different rules.
If any of the following situations apply to you
- you are buying a dog abroad and having it shipped to Ireland unaccompanied i.e. you are not going to collect it and travel home with it, or
- your pet is in another country and you want to have it shipped to Ireland unaccompanied, i.e. you are not going to collect it and travel home with it,
- you are travelling to Ireland to buy, sell or gift a dog, cat or ferret, or if any change of ownership is involved after arrival, including delivery of a purchased or rehomed animal,
if you are travelling with more than 5 pets (the exception is if you are travelling for a dog show/competition, and you will need to provide written confirmation),
then there are different rules to the pet travel scheme rules. These are considered unaccompanied or traded animals.
Please note: Cats, dogs and ferrets travelling unaccompanied, or traded cannot enter Ireland directly from a third country. They must enter the EU through a Border Inspection Post (BIP). Please see point 4 and point 9 below.
Movement of cats, dogs and ferrets travelling unaccompanied, or traded, within the EU are subject to the following requirements:-
They must be microchipped
The microchip must be inserted before the rabies vaccination, and must be readable by a device compatible with ISO standard 11785. If the microchip cannot be read when you enter or return to Ireland, your pet could be put into quarantine or refused entry. You may carry your own hand-held scanner if the microchip is not readable by a device compatible with ISO standard 11785.
Have a valid rabies vaccination
The vaccination must be given after the microchip is inserted. The pet must be at least 12 weeks old before the vaccine is given and it must be given by an authorised veterinary practitioner. You must wait 21 days after the primary vaccination, or after the last of the primary course of vaccinations, before bringing the dog, cat or ferret to Ireland. A rabies vaccination with a 1 year or 3 year validity period is acceptable for entry into Ireland. Booster vaccinations (shots) are exempt from the 21-day rule, if there has been no break in coverage. If there has been a break in coverage, the next vaccination will be considered a primary vaccination, and the 21-day rule applies.
Must undergo a veterinary health check
Health check must be carried out by an authorised veterinary practitioner within 48 hours of departure. The health check must be recorded in the EU pet passport or Annex I health certificate.
Be accompanied by original, signed paper work
Animals coming from another EU country must be accompanied by a valid pet passport and an Intra Trade Animals Health (TRACEs) Certificate.
This must be obtained in the EU country of origin, and completed by an official government vet in the country of origin.
Animals coming from a non-EU country must be accompanied by a veterinary Annex 1 EU Health Certificate (pdf 595Kb) and may only enter the EU via an official Border Inspection Post (BIP).
There are no approved BIPs in Ireland for small animals. Therefore unaccompanied animals may not enter Ireland directly from a non-EU country.
A list of approved BIPs and the species they are approved for can be found here.
The person responsible for the movement must contact the authorities of the BIP to ensure they are aware of all requirements.
Tapeworm treatment for dogs
If you are coming from countries other than Finland, Norway, Malta or the UK (before Brexit), a vet must treat your dog for tapeworm (specifically Echinococcus multilocularis) and record the treatment in the pet passport or third-country official veterinary certificate each time you intend to travel to Ireland.
The treatment must contain praziquantel and must be administered by a veterinarian no less than 24 hours (1 day) and no more than 120 hours (5 days) before the scheduled arrival time of the dog in Ireland. Your dog may be refused entry or put into quarantine if you do not follow this rule.
Each animal must have access to food and water for the duration of the journey. Detailed guidelines on the welfare of these animals during transport are included on the DAFM website here.
Animals must be consigned out of the EU countries by an approved Type 2 transporter only. For list of type 2 transporters see here.
If you are intending to export dogs, cats or ferrets, your premises must be registered under EU law (“Balai”). Click here for Balai Registration of Dog Premises - Application Form.
You will also need to contact your local RVO to arrange for a TRACES certificate to be completed.
In the case of unaccompanied animals travelling from a third country into the EU via a BIP approved for the appropriate species, and not directly into Ireland, a successful rabies serological test (blood test) is required if travelling from countries other than
| Andorra | Gibraltar | Greenland and the Faroe Islands | Iceland | Liechtenstein | Monaco | Norway | San Marino | Switzerland | Vatican City State | Ascension Island | Antigua and Barbuda | Argentina | Aruba | Australia | Barbados | Bahrain | Belarus | Bermuda | Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (the BES Islands) | Bosnia and Herzegovina | British Virgin Islands | Canada | Cayman Islands | Chile | Curaçao | Fiji | Falkland Islands | French Polynesia | Hong Kong | Jamaica | Japan | Malaysia | Mauritius | Mexico | Montserrat | New Caledonia | New Zealand | North Macedonia, Russia | Saint Helena | Saint Kitts and Nevis | Saint Lucia | Sint Maarten | Saint Pierre and Miquelon | Singapore | Taiwan | Trinidad and Tobago | United Arab Emirates | United States of America (including American Samoa | Guam | Northern Mariana Islands | Puerto Rico | US Virgin Islands) | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Vanuatu | Wallis and Futuna |
The blood test must be completed at least 30 days after the valid rabies vaccination, with a standstill period of 3 months.
Your vet must send the blood sample to an EU-approved blood testing laboratory that is either inside or outside the EU.
The result of the blood test must show that the vaccination was successful (a rabies antibody level of at least 0.5 IU/ml).
Animals Failing Compliance Checks
It is an offence under the Pet Passport (No.2) Regulations 2014 to import, export or to attempt to import or export a dog, cat or ferret in contravention of the Regulations. Animals which fail the compliance checks or deemed to be imported/exported in contravention to the regulations, may at the discretion of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, be:
- returned to their country/premises of origin, OR
- placed into quarantine for the appropriate length and have the necessary vaccinations/tests required in order for the pet to become compliant with EU health requirements, OR
- in limited circumstances, euthanised
The measures referred to above shall be applied at the expense of the owner and without the possibility of any financial compensation for the owner and/or the authorised person.
Contact Details
Further enquiries to be e-mailed to: livetrade@agriculture.gov.ie
Telephone from within Ireland: Land line (01) 607 2827
Telephone from outside of Ireland: Land line 00 353-1-6072827
E-mail address: livetrade@agriculture.gov.ie
Telephone from within Ireland: Land Line (Dublin) 607 2827
Telephone from outside of Ireland: Land Line 00 353- 1- 6072827
Contact details for Dublin Airport
Mobile telephone number from within Ireland: 087 417 8986
Mobile telephone number from outside Ireland: 00 353 87 417 8986
Contact details forLissenhall Veterinary Hospital and Vets Direct
Lissenhall Vet. Hospital lissenhallvet@eircom.net ++ 353 1 8900375
Vets Direct: info@vetsdirect.ie ++ 353 87668 6278
