Pet Travel to Ireland (the Republic of Ireland)

Thinking about a change of scenery? Ireland is the perfect place with its rolling hills and spectacular countryside, friendly people and varied nightlife and activities. But none of this is quite as enjoyable without your faithful furry friend by your side.

Taking your pet abroad with you to start a new life can be a bit of a minefield to negotiate – but it’s definitely worth it.

Pet-Friendly Ireland

Ireland’s beautiful scenery and wide-open spaces are the perfect place for your dog or cat. They’ll have lots of space to play and a whole new world to investigate.

Ireland is also well known for being incredibly pet-friendly. There are lots of activities, restaurants and days out that encourage you to bring your pet along, and there are more pet-friendly opportunities opening up all the time.

Before you make the move though, let’s take a look at what you need to do to have your pet moving with you.

Vaccinations for Ireland

Rabies is always the most important vaccination for any travel. Your dog won’t be able to have this until they’re at least 12 weeks old, meaning that you won’t be able to travel before then.

You must also wait until immunity has developed after the vaccination – which takes approximately 21 days. Make sure you don’t plan to take a puppy to Ireland, as you may be disappointed. It will be at least 5 months before they are able to travel.

You should also ensure that their annual CAV vaccinations are up to date and on record. These defend again distemper, parvovirus and leptospirosis for dogs. The equivalent cat vaccinations defend against feline influenza and enteritis.

Pet Microchipping

Having your pet microchipped is a great idea, even if you’re not travelling abroad. The chip keeps your pet safe and means that any vet can track the address of the owner if they get lost.

Your microchip must comply with ISO standard 11785 to be compatible with devices in Ireland.

It’s also important that you keep your contact details up to date so that your pet can be delivered back to you if they do go missing.

Tapeworm Treatment

When you travel to Ireland, unless you’re travelling from Northern Ireland, you will need to have your pet treated for tapeworm no more than 5 days prior to your arrival. This treatment should be shown on your AHC.

Are Pet Passports Still Valid?

Pet passports were documents that contained your pet’s up to date information and showed where they’ve been over the past few years – just like our passports. They allowed people to travel with their pets within EU countries.

Pet passports are still valid in Ireland. However for their close neighbors, due to Brexit, the pet passport is no longer valid in UK  (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) and has been replaced by the Animal Health Certificate (AHC) same as is used in the rest of the world.

This certificate is provided by your vet and will show all of the pet’s vaccinations and their most recent health checks.

You will require your vet to complete a full health check no more than 10 days prior to travel. The results of the check will be signed onto your AHC for you to take with you. This shows that your pet was completely healthy at the time of travel.

Travelling by Air or Sea

If you plan to travel to an Irish airport or to a port via boat with your pet, then you will need to contact the airport or port authorities at least 24 hours prior to your arrival. The earlier the better. This is so that they can prepare to check over your documents and release your pet to you as soon as possible.

You can only travel to a select few airports and ports in Ireland with pets because of the facilities required. If you’re travelling with a pet, you’ll need to make sure that your flight or boat lands at one of the following places:

• Dublin Airport
• Dublin Port
• Shannon Airport
• Cork Airport
• Ringaskiddy Port
• Rosslare Eurport

Upon arrival, your pet will go through a compliance check to ensure all of their vaccinations are valid, that they’ve been signed off as fit and healthy to travel and that they are registered against you as the owner. If any of the information doesn’t tally up, then your pet may be sent home again.

To help with the pet travel process and for pulling together the right documents, our pet relocation specialist service is happy to assist you. Our team members understand the different regulations for travelling to various countries and can assist in collating the information and supporting your pet on their journey.