Travelling to Ireland with your pet

To enter Ireland from another EU country you need the EU pet passport, issued by an authorised vet (in Italy: the local health authority ASL or an accredited private vet).

It must show:

• your details and a description of the animal;
• the microchip number and the date it was implanted;
• a valid rabies vaccination.

Passports from Andorra, Switzerland, the Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Greenland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino and Vatican City are also accepted. Since 22 April 2026 an EU passport is only valid if the owner's main residence is in the EU: owners living outside the EU need the animal health certificate instead.

Your pet must be identified with a microchip that meets ISO 11784/11785. A clearly readable tattoo is also accepted if it was applied before 3 July 2011.

The microchip must be implanted before the rabies vaccination (the same day is fine, as long as it comes first): a vaccine given before the chip is not valid and must be repeated. If the chip is not ISO compliant, bring a compatible reader with you.

The rabies vaccination is mandatory and must be recorded in the passport or health certificate.

• It can only be given from 12 weeks of age and after the microchip.
• After the primary vaccination you must wait at least 21 days before travelling.
• Boosters given before the previous vaccine expires are valid straight away. A booster given after expiry counts as a new primary vaccination and the 21 days start again.

Check the expiry date in the passport before you book.

Ireland also follows the vaccine datasheet: if it says immunity develops after 30 days, you must wait 30 days.

To enter Ireland your dog must be treated against the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis with a praziquantel-based product.

• A vet gives the treatment and records it in the passport or health certificate.
• It must be given no less than 24 hours and no more than 120 hours (1–5 days) before the scheduled arrival.
• If arrival slips beyond 5 days, the treatment must be repeated.

Dogs arriving directly from Finland, Malta, Norway or Northern Ireland are exempt. Without correct treatment the dog may be refused entry or quarantined.

If you arrive in Ireland from an EU country (or Northern Ireland) you do not need to book a check in advance, but you may face spot checks.

Always carry the original documents (not copies) and make sure the tapeworm treatment is recorded in the passport. Note that the rules depend on the country you travel from, not where the pet lives. If your dog comes back from a holiday outside the EU, the rules for that country apply. A pet that does not comply may be refused entry or quarantined, with costs paid by the person in charge of it.

Ireland does not accept puppies and kittens that are unvaccinated or not yet protected by the rabies vaccine, even if they travel with their mother.

Since the vaccine is given from 12 weeks and becomes valid after 21 days, in practice your young pet must be at least 15 weeks old (about 105 days) to enter. If it comes from a non-EU country that requires a rabies antibody test, the real minimum age is much higher.

These rules apply to dogs, cats and ferrets travelling for non-commercial purposes (no sale or change of owner), with you or with a person you authorise in writing within 5 days of your own trip.

You can bring up to 5 pets. Above 5, the commercial rules apply, unless the animals are over 6 months old and taking part in a competition, show or sporting event (proof of registration needed). For other animals (birds, rodents, rabbits, reptiles) check the national rules.

For Ireland, if you travel with more than 5 pets for a show or competition, you must send written confirmation to livetrade@agriculture.gov.ie.