Transporting pets to Spain requires compliance with strict sanitary regulations designed to ensure the safety of both animals and people. Failure to meet these requirements can lead to serious consequences, including quarantine, the return of the animal to the country of origin, or even euthanasia. It is essential to prepare all the necessary documents in advance and make sure they comply with the current import regulations.
All up-to-date information is published on the website of the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Below we will look at the main rules for transporting animals to Spain in force as of September 2025.
What is meant by transporting a pet to Spain?
Transporting pets to Spain refers to situations where:
- No more than five pets are being moved. Exceptions are possible for participation in competitions, shows or sporting events, provided that the relevant documents are available for animals over six months of age.
- The transport has no commercial purpose and does not involve the transfer of ownership of the animal.
- The animal is accompanied by its owner or a person responsible for it designated by the owner. Transport of the animal separately is allowed if it takes place within five days after the trip of the owner or responsible person.
Failure to comply with these conditions automatically classifies the transport of animals to Spain as commercial. Commercial transport of animals is regulated by different rules, both by EU countries and by third countries.
Transporting pets to Spain requires compliance with rules laid down at the European Union level, which are common to all member states. When entering Spain with pets from non-EU countries, it is additionally necessary to take into account both EU requirements and those of the country of departure.
Spain takes the transport of pets very seriously, and owners must prepare all necessary documents in advance to avoid possible problems at the border and unnecessary stress for themselves and their animals.
Transporting animals to Spain from another EU country
Europeans regularly travel to Spain with their pets. The rules and procedures for import are not as complicated as they may seem at first glance.
Rules for transporting animals to Spain from the EU: dogs, cats, ferrets
When transporting animals to Spain from another EU member state (primarily dogs, cats and ferrets), the following requirements must be met:
- The animal must be identified by microchip or by tattoo (if the tattoo was applied before 3 July 2011 and remains legible).
- The pet must be vaccinated against rabies with a valid vaccine at the time of travel, and this vaccination must be recorded in its passport.
- A European Union pet passport is required for the transport of the animal. The following sections of the passport must be completed: “Owner”, “Description of the animal”, “Identification”, “Issuance of the passport” and “Rabies vaccination”.
Some sections, such as serological testing, tick treatment, echinococcus treatment, other vaccinations, clinical examinations and legalisation, are not mandatory for transporting pets to Spain from other EU countries.
It is important to note that puppies, kittens and ferrets under 15 weeks of age that are not vaccinated with a valid rabies vaccine are not allowed to enter Spain. The minimum age for rabies vaccination is 12 weeks, and at least 21 days must elapse after vaccination for it to become valid.
Rules for transporting animals to Spain from the EU: birds and other types of animals
If you are travelling with birds or exotic animals, pay attention to the special rules that apply.
To import pet birds (parrots, canaries, etc.) into Spain from EU countries, a veterinary certificate of the INTRA form, completed at least in Spanish, is required. This certificate must be issued no earlier than 10 days before the trip. Poultry species falling under Directive 158/2009/EC (for example, chickens, ducks) are not considered pet birds.
If other types of pets are being transported (for example, exotic animals such as rabbits, chinchillas, etc.), a veterinary certificate of the INTRA form, properly completed and issued within the prescribed time limits, is also required.
Potentially dangerous dog breeds
Special requirements apply in Spain to potentially dangerous dog breeds. These must be taken into account when moving to Spain with pets.
Under current legislation, the following breeds are considered potentially dangerous in Spain: Pit Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Rottweiler, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Tosa Inu and Akita Inu.
In addition, dogs with the following characteristics may fall under this category:
- Powerful musculature and athletic build.
- Strong temperament and pronounced bravery.
- Short coat.
- Parameters: chest circumference from 60 to 80 cm, height at the withers from 50 to 70 cm, weight over 20 kg.
- Large, massive head with a broad skull and strong jaws.
- Short, broad and muscular neck.
- Broad, deep chest with massive ribs.
Owning such dog breeds in Spain requires a special administrative licence. When outdoors, these dogs must wear a muzzle, and the lead may not be longer than two metres. Only one dog of this category may be walked at a time. A microchip is mandatory to ensure identification.
Returning to Spain with a pet from non-EU countries
If you have left Spain with your pets for a holiday outside the European Union and now intend to return, you must meet a number of general and additional requirements.
The general requirements are those listed above in the section “Rules for transporting animals to Spain from the EU: dogs, cats, ferrets” with regard to microchip, rabies vaccination and passport. Now let’s look at the additional requirements.
First of all, returning to Spain with pets is only possible through special points of entry approved for this purpose. You can consult the list of these points here. On arrival, you must inform customs officers that you are travelling with an animal and present all required documents.
For the countries listed in Annex II to Regulation (EU) No 577/2013, return is carried out under a simplified procedure if the basic requirements (microchip and valid rabies vaccination) are met. For other countries, additional conditions must be met:
- A serological test for rabies antibodies must be carried out in an authorised laboratory before the trip.
- The test result must be entered in the animal’s passport, and the antibody level must be equal to or higher than 0.5 IU/ml (0.5 UI/ml).
The serological test must be performed no earlier than 30 days after rabies vaccination. The animal may only be allowed to enter Spain three months after the date on which the blood sample was taken.
If a pet has left the EU for a third country and is returning, the three-month waiting rule does not apply, provided that the serological test was carried out before leaving the EU and the result was satisfactory. This information must also be duly recorded in the animal’s passport.
Transporting animals to Spain from non-EU countries
If we are talking about initial entry, for example transporting animals from Russia to Spain or from the United States to Spain, the procedure will be as follows:
- Use of the special entry points mentioned above.
- If there is no European passport, preparation and submission of the following documents:
- A veterinary certificate signed by a veterinarian in the country from which the animal is being imported. This document must be drawn up at least in Spanish (ideally in Spanish and English). The certificate is valid for 10 days from the date of issue. If the animal arrives in Spain by sea (for example from the USA or Canada), the validity period is automatically extended for the duration of the journey.
- A declaration in the form approved by the EU (also preferably in two languages).
- A certified copy of the animal’s identification and vaccination records.
Furthermore, the pet must meet the following requirements:
- Be identified by microchip or tattoo (if the tattoo was made before 3 July 2011).
- Be vaccinated against rabies with a valid vaccine at the time of travel.
- If the animal is imported from a country not listed in Annex II to Regulation (EU) No 577/2013, it must undergo a serological test for rabies antibodies in an authorised laboratory before departure.
We wish all owners and their pets easy and safe trips to Spain! Please remember that all current information on the rules for importing pets into Spain must be checked immediately before the trip on the official website of the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
