If you are still organizing the Easter holidays and there are furry friends in your family, you can include them so they can continue enjoying your company.
However, it is important to keep in mind that not all dogs can travel outside of Spain. Claudia Roldán Julià, Veterinary Specialist in Pet Travel Documentation at TomVets, explains to us that “in the case of dogs, depending on the breed, there are countries that do not accept potentially dangerous dogs. In addition, we must also consider that countries modify their pet import rules based on the socio-sanitary conditions of both the destination country and the traveler’s country of origin.
But rest assured, nowadays, with exceptions for some races, you can travel to all the common destinations of Spanish travelers. “Now, one thing is that it is possible and another is that it is easy to obtain the necessary documentation in some of them. When traveling outside Europe, there are countries that request documentation that requires time and money,” adds the veterinarian.
If this year you want to travel outside of Spain, you have to know that there are differences between traveling within or outside of Europe.
Roldán tells us that “to travel within Europe it is necessary to obtain a European Pet Passport, have the rabies vaccine up to date and a chip registered prior to the vaccine. In addition, it is recommended (and some European countries even require it) that have a veterinarian deworm and perform a health check in the days before the trip.
If, on the other hand, you decide to go further and leave Europe, the veterinarian specializing in travel documentation for pets explains that “outside Europe, with some exceptions, you need to obtain an Export Certificate issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fishing and Food through the CEXGAN system”.
Roldán continues: “To request this certificate you must go to a CEXGAN-accredited veterinarian, such as TomVets. Prior to the application, the accredited veterinarian must study the case to know the requirements of the destination specified by CEXGAN, and study the documentation and vaccines. that the pet has. With both information, it will issue the planning of vaccines, tests and/or documents determined by CEXGAN that are missing in order to obtain the certificate.”
Now we are one step closer to traveling with our furry friends!
Another doubt that arises when we plan a trip outside of Spain is knowing what means of transport we can take our furry friends on. Claudia gives us the following recommendation: “Dogs and cats can travel by car, boat, train and plane, but each transport company has its own rules when it comes to allowing pets. Therefore, the first thing we must do is make sure that the means of transportation we are going to use admits them.
The other question is which is the best carrier so that our animal companion feels as comfortable as possible. “When choosing the carrier, we will also have to consult with the transportation company, especially if it is an airline, since they may have their own requirements,” adds Roldán.
Claudia tells us that “on most airlines, an animal weighing less than 8 kg can travel in the cabin with standard carriers that can be easily found online. Those that exceed that weight must travel in the hold with another type of carrier. At TomVets we recommend avoiding, as much as possible, that your furry travel in the winery alone, since it is a quite traumatic experience for them.”
If you go with just enough time to get the documentation to travel, you have to know, above all, that your furry friend must have the rabies vaccine up to date. Therefore, if you do not arrive on time, it may be a good option to prepare for your summer vacation more in advance. Roldán tells us that “if you travel within Europe, a veterinarian can make you a passport instantly. The only thing is that you will only be able to travel if the rabies vaccine was previously up to date; otherwise, you will have to wait 21 days.”
Once outside Europe, Roldán advises us: “Get information from a CEXGAN-accredited veterinarian as soon as possible, since it will depend on the prior tests that need to be done.”
Claudia especially emphasizes that we must take into consideration that the time range is very wide.
From TomVets they recommend us above all not to trust what we read on the internet: “Most of the time, the information you will read will be wrong because you have to study each case one by one. Consult a veterinarian and make sure they are accustomed to to issue export certificates”.
Not being informed correctly can lead you to make the same mistakes as some of the cases that Claudia has encountered and that she shares with us in ‘Peludos’.
Roldán offers us one last piece of advice: “Keep in mind that in most cases it is not just missing the flight, but also having to wait a month to be able to travel and meet the requirements. An American couple had to extend their stay at the hotel for a month. Fortunately, they had the financial means to do it, but for most travelers it could be a serious problem.”
With all this information, we hope that you can enjoy a good vacation with your furry friends without having any scares or setbacks.
