Which document does your pet need?
The document you need depends on where your pet lives, not on your own nationality. This trips up a lot of British owners on the Costa Blanca.
If your dog or cat lives here in Spain, it is resident in the EU, and the natural document is an EU pet passport. A vet in Spain issues it, and it stays valid for years as long as you keep the rabies vaccination up to date. You reuse the same passport trip after trip.
If your pet lives in Great Britain and travels out to visit Spain, that is a different situation: GB no longer issues EU pet passports, so those pets travel on an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) issued in GB for a single trip. This guide is written for pets that live here.
EU pet passport vs Animal Health Certificate
The two documents do the same job but suit different residents:
EU pet passport
For pets resident in the EU, including Spain. Issued once by an EU vet, reusable for years, updated each time the rabies vaccination is renewed. This is almost always the right choice if your pet lives with you on the Costa Blanca.
Animal Health Certificate (AHC)
For pets travelling from Great Britain into the EU. Issued by an Official Veterinarian in GB, valid for a single trip. If your pet lives in Spain you will not normally use this.
The requirements, step by step
Whichever document you carry, the underlying health requirements to move between Spain and the UK are the same:
A microchip. Your pet must be identified with a microchip, and every other step is recorded against that chip number.
A valid rabies vaccination. The microchip must be in place before or at the time of the rabies vaccination. After a first rabies vaccination there is a 21-day wait before travel. If the cover is already current and you renew it on time, there is no new waiting period.
A tapeworm treatment for entry to the UK or Ireland. This is the step people forget. More on the timing below.
To enter Great Britain or Ireland, dogs need a treatment against the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis, given and recorded by a vet in a set window before arrival:
- The treatment must be given 24 to 120 hours (1 to 5 days) before you arrive in the UK.
- It must be recorded in the passport or certificate with the date and time.
- It applies to dogs. It does not apply to cats.
Miss the window and your pet can be turned back at the border, so the dates need to line up with your actual travel plans.
Book an appointment · 865 78 00 50Getting the timing right
Most travel problems are timing problems, not paperwork problems. Two dates matter most:
The rabies date, if your pet is not already covered: allow the 21-day wait after the primary vaccination before you travel. The tapeworm date, for the UK and Ireland: a vet must give it inside the 24-to-120-hour window before arrival, which usually means a clinic visit in the last few days before you leave.
If you are travelling in the busy summer or Christmas periods, book that final visit early. Appointments fill up, and the tapeworm window does not bend.
How we help at the clinic
We look after pet travel paperwork for families in and around Benidorm all year round. At the clinic we can:
Issue an EU pet passport for your dog or cat and keep the rabies record current. Give and record the tapeworm treatment inside the correct window for entry to the UK or Ireland. And check your dates against your travel plans so nothing is out of sequence.
Come in well before you travel, especially if the rabies vaccination has lapsed or your pet has never had one. Bring any existing documents and your travel dates, and we will map out what is needed.
One honest caveat: entry rules are set by the destination country and your transport company, and they change from time to time. We prepare the Spain-side documents correctly, but always confirm the current requirements on the official sources above and with your airline or ferry before you book.
Frequently asked questions.
My pet lives in Spain. Do I need an Animal Health Certificate?
Usually not. The Animal Health Certificate (AHC) is the document for pets travelling from Great Britain, where the EU pet passport is no longer issued. A dog or cat resident in the EU can travel on an EU pet passport, which a vet here in Spain can issue and which stays valid for years as long as the rabies vaccination is kept up to date.
What does the UK require that the rest of the EU does not?
Entry to the UK and Ireland requires a tapeworm treatment against Echinococcus, given and recorded by a vet in a set window before you arrive (currently 24 to 120 hours, that is 1 to 5 days). It does not apply to cats. You also need the microchip and a valid rabies vaccination.
How far ahead should I come to the clinic?
If your pet has never had a rabies vaccination, plan well ahead: after the primary vaccination there is a 21-day wait before travel. If the rabies cover is already up to date, the main thing to time is the tapeworm treatment in the days just before departure. Come in early so we can check the dates against your travel plans.
Can you guarantee my pet will be allowed to travel?
We prepare the Spain-side paperwork correctly and advise on timing, but the final requirements are set by the destination country and your transport company, and they can change. Always confirm the current rules on the official sources and with your airline or ferry before booking.
Sources.
- GOV.UK — Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain — Official UK entry requirements.
- GOV.UK — Pet travel to and from Great Britain — Documents and rules for GB pet owners.
- Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación — Movement of pets from Spain (CEXGAN / EU pet passport).
- ICOVAL — Official College of Veterinarians of Alicante.
Planning a trip to the UK with your pet?
We issue EU pet passports and handle the tapeworm treatment and timing for entry to the UK and Ireland. Come in well before you travel.