Moving to Spain with a dog or cat is very doable — but it runs on strict animal-health rules. Your pet needs a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and the right paperwork, and the exact steps differ depending on whether you are coming from another EU country, from the UK after Brexit, or from the United States. This guide walks through the requirements, the journey and what to sort out once you arrive — then explains how pet insurance protects you for life in Spain.
For most families, the pet is not a detail of the move — it is part of the family, and leaving them behind is not an option. The good news is that Spain is one of the most pet-friendly countries in Europe, and bringing your pet to Spain is a well-trodden path. Thousands of dogs and cats arrive every year with their owners, from short flights across the EU to long journeys from the United States or Australia.
The reason the rules are strict is simple: rabies. The European Union has worked hard to stay effectively rabies-free in domestic animals, and the entire pet-travel system — the microchip, the rabies vaccination, the waiting period and the paperwork — exists to keep it that way. Get one step wrong or out of sequence and your pet can be refused entry, held in quarantine at your expense, or even sent back. None of that is a risk worth taking when a little planning avoids it entirely.
This guide covers the three things people most often get wrong: the order in which the microchip and vaccination must happen, the documentation difference between an EU pet passport and an animal health certificate, and the extra steps that apply if you are moving to Spain from the UK or the US. It then looks at the journey itself, what to do when you arrive, and why local pet insurance matters once your dog or cat is settled. Because requirements are updated periodically, we hedge deliberately throughout and point you to the official sources — treat this as a map, and confirm the current detail before you travel.
Spain follows the EU's harmonised rules for the non-commercial movement of pet dogs, cats and ferrets. Whatever your starting country, three building blocks are non-negotiable, and they must be done in the right order.
Your pet must be identified with a microchip that meets the international ISO 11784/11785 standard. If your chip pre-dates that standard or is a non-ISO type, you may need to bring your own compatible scanner. A tattoo is only accepted if it was clearly applied before 3 July 2011. The microchip is the anchor for everything else — the number is recorded on the vaccination record and on the travel document, so an official vet can confirm that the animal in front of them is the same animal the paperwork describes.
This is where sequence matters most. The pet must be microchipped first (or at the same appointment), then vaccinated against rabies — a rabies shot given before the chip does not count. The animal has to be at least 12 weeks old to be vaccinated, and you must then wait at least 21 days after the primary vaccination before travelling, to allow immunity to develop. If your pet is already vaccinated and boosters have been kept up to date without a lapse, no new waiting period applies; but if a booster is missed and the vaccination lapses, the next shot is treated as a primary vaccination and the 21-day clock starts again.
Finally, your pet needs an official document proving all of the above: either an EU pet passport or an EU animal health certificate, depending on where you and your pet are resident. Which one you need is the biggest practical difference between routes, so it has its own section below.
| Requirement | Detail | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Microchip | ISO 11784/11785 standard, fitted before or with the rabies shot | All pets |
| Rabies vaccination | From 12 weeks of age; wait at least 21 days after the primary dose | All pets |
| Travel document | EU pet passport (EU residents) or EU animal health certificate (from non-EU countries) | All pets |
| Tapeworm treatment | Only for dogs entering a small number of countries — not required for Spain | Dogs (specific destinations) |
| Number of pets | Up to 5 under the pet-travel rules; more may count as commercial movement | All pets |
Source: European Union — Your Europe, "Travelling with pets and other animals in the EU". Confirm current detail before travel.
These two documents do the same job — they prove your pet meets the rules — but they are issued in different situations, and confusing them is a classic cause of a refused boarding.
An EU pet passport is a small booklet issued only to residents of an EU country, by an authorised vet. It records your pet's identity, the microchip number, rabies vaccination history and other treatments. Once issued it is valid for the life of the animal, as long as the rabies vaccination is kept current. If you already live in an EU country and are moving to Spain, or you are simply travelling around the EU, the passport is what you use.
If your pet is coming into the EU from a non-EU country — which now includes Great Britain, as well as the United States, Canada, Australia and others — you generally need an EU animal health certificate instead. This is issued by an official (state-authorised) vet, must be issued no more than 10 days before your pet arrives in the EU, and is then valid for onward travel within the EU for up to 4 months (or until the rabies vaccination expires, whichever is sooner). You also complete a written declaration that the move is non-commercial.
Sources: European Union — Your Europe; GOV.UK, "Taking your pet dog, cat or ferret abroad". Confirm current validity periods before travel.
Brexit changed the process for pet owners in Great Britain, and this is the point that catches people out most. The old blue GB pet passport is no longer valid for travel into the EU. If you live in England, Scotland or Wales, you must not use a pet passport — even an EU-issued one — or your pet may be refused entry. (Northern Ireland is a special case and residents there can still use a pet passport.)
Instead, pet owners in Great Britain need an animal health certificate (AHC) for each trip into the EU. Here is the typical sequence for moving to Spain from the UK:
The AHC needs to be arranged fairly close to your travel date because of the 10-day window, so book the appointment with your official vet in good time. Note that no tapeworm treatment is required for dogs travelling to Spain — that requirement only applies to a handful of destinations such as Finland, Ireland, Malta, Norway and Northern Ireland.
Once you and your pet are settled, your dog or cat is living in Spain under Spanish veterinary care — which is where local, reimbursement-based pet insurance in Spain replaces any UK policy. More on that below.
Source: GOV.UK, "Taking your pet dog, cat or ferret abroad". Confirm current rules before travel.
Moving to Spain from the United States is common, and the framework is the same EU animal health certificate route — the difference is the endorsement process on the American side. In broad terms:
Because the endorsement has to be arranged inside a tight window, US owners usually plan the vet visit and the APHIS endorsement carefully around the flight. Airlines also have their own crate, breed and temperature rules that are separate from the government requirements, so check both. The definitive, country-specific steps and forms are published by USDA APHIS on its Pet Travel pages, and they are updated periodically — use them as your checklist.
The same non-EU AHC route broadly applies to pets coming from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and elsewhere, though some countries have additional pre-travel steps (for example, rabies antibody titre tests apply to certain higher-risk countries). Always check the rules for your specific departure country.
Source: USDA APHIS Pet Travel and European Union — Your Europe. Confirm current, country-specific steps before travel.
A couple of points that regularly cause confusion:
With the paperwork in order, the next question is how your pet actually travels. There are three broad options, and the best one depends on your pet's size, your route and your budget.
Small dogs and cats can often travel in the cabin within an airline-approved carrier, subject to weight limits; larger dogs usually travel in the temperature-controlled hold in an IATA-compliant crate, or as manifest cargo. Airline policies vary enormously on breed restrictions (brachycephalic, or flat-faced, breeds are often restricted), crate specifications, seasonal temperature embargoes and the number of animals per flight. Book the pet's place as early as you book your own seat, and confirm the crate meets the airline's exact specification.
Many people moving from the UK or elsewhere in Europe drive, using the Channel crossing and then the long road down through France into Spain, or a direct ferry (for example to Santander or Bilbao). Driving is often the least stressful option for a nervous dog, lets you control rest stops and water, and avoids the hold entirely. Plan pet-friendly stops and never leave an animal in a hot car — heat is a serious danger in Spain, discussed below.
If the logistics feel overwhelming — long-haul flights, crate hire, airport handling — professional pet-relocation companies can manage the whole journey door to door, including paperwork checks. They add cost but remove a lot of risk and stress, particularly for moves from outside Europe.
Getting through the border is not quite the end of the admin. Once you are living in Spain, there are a few local steps to settle your pet in properly. Exact requirements vary by autonomous community and even by municipality, so treat this as a checklist to confirm locally rather than a single national rulebook.
Source: Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and regional (autonomous community) animal-health authorities. Confirm local requirements on arrival.
Spain's warm climate is wonderful for pets and owners alike, but it comes with hazards that many arrivals have never encountered. Knowing about them in advance is part of a responsible move — and it is also exactly the kind of unexpected vet bill that insurance is designed for.
The pine processionary caterpillar is one of the most serious seasonal dangers to dogs in Spain. Contact — often a curious dog sniffing or mouthing them — can cause severe tissue damage to the tongue and mouth, and it can be fatal. The risk peaks in late winter and spring. Read our full guide on processionary caterpillars and dogs in Spain for the season, symptoms and first aid.
Leishmaniasis is a serious, sandfly-borne disease that is endemic across much of Spain, particularly in the warmer months. It is a genuine, ongoing risk for dogs, so prevention — repellent collars or spot-ons, and discussing vaccination with your vet — should be on your arrival to-do list. See our guide to leishmaniasis in dogs in Spain.
Spanish summers are hot, and heatstroke can kill a dog or cat quickly. Never leave a pet in a parked car, walk dogs in the cool of early morning and evening, and watch for warning signs. Our guide on heatstroke in pets in Spain covers prevention and what to do.
Once your pet is here, a UK or US policy no longer fits — you need cover that works with Spanish vets and Spanish costs. That is where pet insurance in Spain comes in. The Sanitas Salud Mascotas policy is a popular option for expats because it is straightforward and pairs naturally with the health cover many families already hold with Sanitas.
Salud Mascotas is a reimbursement policy: you pay your vet directly, then claim the money back. It reimburses 80% of eligible costs, up to €2,500 per year, subject to policy terms, limits and exclusions. It also includes a free choice of veterinarian and an annual preventive consultation, with cover across Spain and emergency cover in the EU subject to policy terms. It is designed for companion dogs and cats — not working or breeding animals.
Whether you have a dog or a cat changes the detail of what to look for, so we have dedicated pages on dog insurance in Spain and cat insurance in Spain. Both explain how the reimbursement model works and what the €2,500 annual limit means in practice against the kind of bills — processionary reactions, leishmaniasis treatment, accidents — that pets actually face here.
Once your dog or cat is settled in Spain, local pet insurance protects you against the vet bills that come with life here. Tell us about your pet and an English-speaking adviser will help you find a plan that reimburses your costs.
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