Pet relocation guides

Moving with pets to 11 destinations

Structural guides to pet import rules for the most common relocation destinations. Each guide names the official authority, the categories you need to research, common pitfalls, and a generic pre-departure checklist. Not legal or veterinary advice — always verify with the destination's authority and your vet.

What these guides do and don't do

Rules change frequently. The guides surface the categories and the official authorities — they intentionally don't quote specific quarantine durations or recommend specific airlines / shippers. Use them as a planning framework, not a final checklist.

Portugal

Pet import rules for Portugal: EU pet passport or third-country equivalent, microchip and rabies timing, endorsed health certificate, breed rules.

Spain

Pet import to Spain follows EU rules: microchip, rabies shot, EU passport or endorsed third-country certificate. Breed and municipal rules add complexity.

Germany

Pet import to Germany follows EU rules with German specifics: microchip, rabies shot, EU passport or endorsed third-country certificate, breed rules.

United Kingdom

Pet import to the UK changed after Brexit: an Animal Health Certificate replaced the EU pet passport for EU entries. Strict rabies rules apply.

Ireland

Ireland applies EU pet movement rules. Microchip + rabies + EU passport (or endorsed third-country certificate). UK travel adds tapeworm and AHC layers.

United States

Pet import to the US follows CDC + USDA + state rules. Dog rules changed significantly in 2024 with stricter CDC requirements for high-risk countries.

Canada

Pet import to Canada follows CFIA federal rules. Pets from rabies-free countries face lighter rules than high-risk ones, and provincial layers apply.

Australia

Australia has one of the world's strictest pet import regimes: multi-month preparation, rabies serology, approved transport, post-arrival quarantine.

United Arab Emirates

Pet import to the UAE needs a Ministry import permit, microchip, rabies vaccination and titre test. Dubai and Abu Dhabi add their own municipal rules.

Singapore

Pet import to Singapore runs through AVS (NParks). Rabies titre testing is required from most countries; quarantine is waived from listed countries.

Japan

Pet import to Japan is strict and slow: microchip, two rabies vaccinations, titre test, a 180-day post-titre wait, and AQS notification.

Country not listed? The pet relocation cluster is starting with the most-asked destinations. Mundevo's broader country directory covers 31 countries with visa, tax, and cost data.