Bringing Dogs to Spain

[Libby]

Our dog has now completed all the necessary criteria for her pets passport but on some web sites it states that you still have to have an export licence as well which is issued by a Spanish Consulate ?

Thanks

[Andy1]

Cant remember the exact procedure, but once you have your moving dates (travel dates) you will have to contact DEFRA who will issue you an export cert which has a certain time limit on it to travel through France etc, I think it is 48 hours or so, best to contact them now for advise. We definately didnt get anything issued from Spain.

Not that the paperwork was looked at once during the whole journey anyway

[pwwm]

Andy is quite right, contact DEFRA and they will tell you what you need and yes, the vet but only an authorized vet by DEFRA, must do a check within 48/72 hours before leaving we bought two dogs with nothing from the Embassy and neither set of paper work was checked anywhere through France or Spain.
Good luck

ps Andy, how is the car situation?

[Libby]

Many Thanks Andy and pwwm for your replies, will contact Defra as advised

[FionaR]

It´s all about the blue pet passport again!! It's all changed again!! It's so much easier now, coming out to Spain is easier than going back to England.
As long as you have the pet passport, current vaccines incl rabies, (and rabies blood titre test if returning to England) then an export cert is no longer needed from defra (like I had to have when I brought my dog out!) or if travelling thro France nothing extra is needed. All you have to do is get the Ok to travel health bit filled in by your vet, or defra approved pet passport vet, before you travel (think this is valid for 10 days, but the only bit I'm hazy on!) and then you have as long as this health check is valid to get to Spain!
Check on www.defra.gov.uk if you're unsure of anything, but to be honest it's easy. It's the going back thing that gets slightly more complicated!!!
Safe journey!

[Libby]

Thanks Fiona

[pwwm]

I think you will find if travelling through France you must have the animal chipped and rabies done, we did not have pet passport as had no intention of taking the dogs back, but if in doubt contact DEFRA.

[stellastaff]

We brought our two staffies to spain via car on the ferry from dover to calais. All we needed was the pet passport which you cannot get without rabies jab, blood test and microchip-nothing else. It only becomes complicated if you wish to return to uk with them.

We had a DEFRA approved vet but I still contacted DEFRA-just incase!!

This was all done in Oct last year. Nobody stopped us and we were allowed to check on the mutts while on board the ferry, a member of staff took us down once we had left the port.

Just for the record, we were worried about how they would cope on such a long journey but we needn't had done. They slept most of the way and were good as gold-nothing like when they are at home!!!

[Libby]

many thanks for all your replies, it just confused me that I read on other sites that we needed an export licence as well, she's had all the shots/tests thats required according to Defra's regulations so we should be OK....will ring them before though just to double check!!!!

[kal111]

Hi
I emailed the Spanish Embassy to find out if you needed anything other than microchip, rabies jab and pet passport when bringing a dog to Spain. This is part of the reply -

Further to your query on the rabies vaccination, please be informed that if it is the first time that the dog has been vaccinated against rabies, the vaccine will not be valid until 21 days have elapsed since its administration.



Regarding your last query, please note that there is no time limit after you leave the UK and arrive in Spain, providing that it is covered by the validity's date of the required documentation.



In addition to the above, you must also bear in mind that if your dog comes under the category of potentially dangerous animals, there is some legislation in Spain that has to be complied with. You will find attached a copy of Royal Decree 287/2002, laying down the requirements to own canine animals deemed to be potentially dangerous, as well as a explanatory guide in English of said Royal Decree, which will help you identify if your dog’s breed is regarded as potentially dangerous. If this is the case, it is also advisable that before leaving the UK, you contact the local authorities in Spain where you will be with your dog, as required by the above mentioned Royal Decree, in order that you make sure that all the legal requirements are complied with. We attach the address of the competent local authorities in the 17 Autonomous Communities.


Dangerous dogs: explanatory guide on Royal Decree 287/2002

Royal Decree 287/2002 of March 22 regulates the requirements to own canine animals deemed to be potentially dangerous, developing the legislation established under Law 50/1999.
How do I know if my dog is classified as potentially dangerous?
The Royal Decree classifies the following dogs as potentially dangerous:
a. Those belonging to one of the following breeds and their crosses:
Pit Bull Terrier
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
American Staffordshire Terrier
Rottweiler
Dogo Argentino
Fila Brasileiro
Tosa Inu
Akita Inu
b. Those animals that have all or many of the following characteristics:
Strong musculature, powerful or athletic constitution, robustness, agility, vigor and endurance.
Strong character and marked courage.
Short hair.
Thoracic perimeter between 60 and 80 centimeters (24 and 32 inches), height at the shoulder between 50 and 70 centimeters (20 and 28 inches) and weight over 20 kg (44 lbs).
Voluminous, square, robust head, with a wide and large skull and muscular and pronounced cheeks. Strong and large jaws, robust, wide and deep snout.
Broad, short and muscled neck.
Broad, thick, deep chest, with arched ribs and short and muscled back.
Straight, parallel and robust forelegs and very muscular hindquarters, with relatively long hindlegs at a moderate angle.
c. Those dogs with a record of aggressive tendencies or prior attacks to humans or other animals.
What are the requirements necessary to own a potentially dangerous dog in Spain?
The requirements are:
Potentially dangerous dogs must be identified with a microchip. They also must be registered in the Town or City Registries created to that end. The dog owner must have a license, issued by the municipality, valid for five years. In order to qualify for a license, the owner must meet the following requirements:
Must be 18 years or older.
Must have a clean police record showing no convictions for the crimes of homicide, torture, assault, sex-related offenses, drug trafficking, association with illegal armed groups, or otherwise having been banned by court order of the right to own potentially dangerous animals. These requirements must be documented with the appropriate certificates issued by the police authorities with jurisdiction over the owner's place(s) of residence during the two years prior to the application for license.
Must be mentally and physically able to own and control potentially dangerous animals. This requirement will be documented with the appropriate certificates (certificate of physical aptitude and certificate of psychological aptitude) issued by authorized centers in Spain.
Must have proof of contract of an insurance policy on the animal(s) with a liability coverage of at least 120,000 euros.
The owner must report any changes to the information included in the license to the Town or City Registry within fifteen days of the effective date of the change.
What are the safety measures required by law?
The safety measures required by this legislation are the following:
When a potentially dangerous dog is in a public space, the owner or person responsible for the dog must carry the owner's license and the certificate of inscription of the dog in the Town or City Registry. In addition, the dog must wear at all times an appropriate muzzle, and must be restrained by a non-extensible leash or chain no longer than 2 meters (6,5 feet). At any given time, one person cannot lead more than one dog.
Potentially dangerous dogs located in an open, delimited space (land lot, porch, terrace, etc.) must be restrained by a chain or leash, unless the space is properly enclosed.
Finally, owners must report missing or stolen dogs to the Town or City Registry within 48 hours after the animal is determined missing.
In summary, following is a checklist with some of the requirements to take a potentially dangerous dog to Spain:
Before you leave the United Kingdom:
Before October 1st 2004, obtain a veterinary certificate (please refer to the “Zoosanitary rules governing the importation of pet animals into Spain” and the “Health Certificate for dogs and cats”);
Obtain certification of owner's police record.
Once in Spain:
Obtain certificate of physical ability;
Obtain certificate of psychological aptitude;
Purchase liability insurance;
Apply for registration at the Town or City Registry of Potentially Dangerous Animals and obtain the license.
Comply at all times with the safety measures.

Hope this helps.
Kal