Maybe you want to bring the animal member of the family to Spain with you too. Here's how to do it.

If you plan to take a pet (animal de compañia or mascota) to Spain, it’s important to check the latest regulations. Make sure that you have the correct papers, not only for Spain, but for all the countries you will pass through to reach Spain. Particular consideration must be given before exporting a pet from a country with strict quarantine regulations, such as Britain.

Bringing a pet from the UK

If you need to return prematurely, even after a few hours or days in Spain, your pet must go into quarantine, e.g. for six months in the UK. However, on 28 March 2000, the UK introduced a pilot ‘Pet Travel Scheme (PETS)’ which replaced quarantine for qualifying cats and dogs. Under the scheme, pets must be microchipped (they have a microchip inserted in their neck), vaccinated against rabies, undergo a blood test and be issued with a ‘health certificate’ (‘passport’). Note that the PETS certificate isn’t issued until six months after the above have been carried out!

The scheme is restricted to animals imported from rabies-free countries and countries where rabies is under control – 22 European countries plus Bahrain, Canada and the USA. However, the current quarantine law will remain in place for pets coming from Eastern Europe, Africa (including the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla), Asia and South America.

 The new regulations cost pet owners around GBP 200 (EUR 300) (for a microchip, rabies vaccination and blood test), plus GBP 60 (EUR 90) a year for annual booster vaccinations and around GBP 20 (EUR 30) for a border check. Shop around and compare fees from a number of veterinary surgeons. To qualify, pets must travel by sea via Dover, Plymouth or Portsmouth, by train via the Channel Tunnel or via Gatwick or Heathrow airports (only certain carriers are licensed to carry animals). Additional information is available from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA, formerly MAFF by phone (UK 0845-241 1710) or via e-mail (pets.helpline@defra.gsi.gov.uk).

Entering Spain with a pet

A maximum of two pets may accompany travellers to Spain. A rabies vaccination is usually compulsory, although this doesn’t apply to accompanied pets (including dogs and cats) entering Spain directly from Britain or for animals under three months old. However, if a rabies vaccination is given, it must be administered not less than one month or more than 12 months prior to export.

A rabies vaccination is necessary if pets are transported by road from Britain to Spain via France. Pets over three months old from countries other than Britain must have been vaccinated against rabies not less than one month and not more than one year before being imported. If a pet has no rabies certificate it can be quarantined for 20 days.

Two official certificates are also required: one signed and stamped by a vet declaring that the animal has been vaccinated against rabies and the second which is a signed declaration by the owner of the pet stating that the animal has been under his supervision for three months previous to import into Spain. Both certificates are in Spanish and English and are valid for 15 days only after signing. The certificates can be obtained from Spanish consulates abroad and can also be downloaded from Spanish consulate websites. Some animals require a special import permit from the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture and pets from some countries are subject to customs duty.

British pet owners must complete an Application for a Ministry Export Certificate for dogs, cats and rabies susceptible animals (form EXA1), available from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), Animal Health (International Trade) Area 201, 1A Page Street, London SW1P 4PQ, UK ( 0870-241 1710). A health inspection must be performed by a licensed veterinary officer, after which you receive an export health certificate, which must be issued no more than 15 days before your entry into Spain with your pet.

If you’re transporting a pet to Spain by ship or ferry, you should notify the ferry company. Some companies insist that pets are left in vehicles (if applicable), while others allow pets to be kept in cabins. If your pet is of nervous disposition or unused to travelling, it’s best to tranquillise it on a long sea crossing.

A pet can also be shipped to Spain by air. Note that animals are permitted to travel to most airports in Spain.

Vaccinations

If you intend to live permanently in Spain, most vets recommend that you have a dog vaccinated against rabies before arrival, which saves you having to get your dog vaccinated on arrival. Dogs should also be vaccinated against leptospirosis, parvovirus, hepatitis, distemper and kennel cough, and cats immunised against feline gastro-enteritis and typhus.

Note that there are a number of diseases and dangers for pets in Spain that aren’t found in most other European countries. These include the fatal leishmaniasis (also called Mediterranean or sandfly disease), processionary caterpillars, leeches, heartworm, ticks (a tick collar can prevent these), feline leukaemia virus and feline enteritis. Obtain advice about these from a veterinary surgeon (veterinario) on arrival in Spain.

Take extra care when walking your dog, as some have died after eating poisoned food in rural areas. Poisoned bait (e.g. meat laced with strychnine) is laid in some areas by hunters and poachers to control natural predators such as foxes, wolves and lynx (poisons are also laid in some urbanisations to keep down the feral cat population).

Vets and health insurance

Veterinary surgeons are well trained in Spain, where it’s a popular profession, and emergency veterinary care is also available in animal clinics (clínica veterinaria), many of which provide a 24-hour emergency service. Veterinary surgeons and animal clinics advertise in English-language publications in Spain.

Health insurance for pets is available from a number of insurance companies. The premium is around EUR 75 a year for a dog and EUR 40 for a cat, which covers owners against veterinary fees (e.g. up to EUR 1,500 a year), travel abroad, complementary medicine, third party liability (e.g. EUR 50,000), accidental death and theft.

Kennels and catteries

There are kennels and catteries (residencias para animales de compañía) throughout Spain, many of which advertise in Spanish English-language publications in resort areas (make sure they’re registered and bona fide establishments). Book well in advance if you plan to leave your pet at a kennel or cattery, particularly for school holiday periods. Fees are around EUR 4 a day for a cat and from EUR 6 a day for a dog, depending on its size (there may be a small discount for more than one pet). Pets must be vaccinated.

There may be discrimination against pets when renting accommodation, particularly when it’s furnished, and the statutes of community properties can legally prohibit pets. Many hotels accept pets such as cats and dogs, although they aren’t usually permitted in restaurants, cafés or food shops (except for guide dogs). Two guides to hotels accepting dogs and other animals, Viajando con Perro (Seiquer SL) and Guía Atuim (Cierto Punto), are available from bookshops. Numerous websites including www.onlydog.com and www.perros.com also provide information.

Registering pets

All dog owners are required to register their dogs and have them either tattooed with their registration number in an ear or have a microchip inserted in their neck (it’s a painless process, apart from the bill). Registration costs around EUR 15 to EUR 30 and there are fines for owners who don’t have their dogs registered. Regardless of whether your dog is microchipped, it’s advisable to have it fitted with a collar and tag with your name and telephone number on it and the magic word ‘reward’ (recompensa).

All municipalities have rules (ordenanzas) regarding the keeping of dogs, which require a health card if they’re older than three months. In public areas, a dog must be kept on a lead (and muzzled if dangerous) and wear a health disc on its collar. Dogs are prohibited from entering places where food is manufactured, stored or sold; from sports and cultural events and are banned from beaches.

In response to several killings and maiming by dogs in Spain, the government introduced extensive legislation for dangerous dogs with strict regulations regarding ownership of such dogs. Under the legislation there are eight breeds defined as ‘dangerous’: Akita, American Staffordshire Terrier, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Japanese Tosa, Pit Bull, Rottweiler and Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

It’s common in Spain for owners to let their dogs roam free (in Spain dogs go for walks on their own), although owners of unsupervised dogs are held responsible for any damage they cause. Dogs that chase cyclists and mopeds are a nuisance in some towns and Spain has a growing problem with bands of wild dogs attacking sheep and other domestic animals (stray cats are also a problem in many areas).

One of the most unpleasant consequences of dog ownership in Spain is the vast amount of excrement deposited on Spanish streets, which is an increasing health hazard, particularly for young children. You must always watch where you walk in Spain and keep an eye on children. It’s illegal not to clean up after your dog in a public area, although few people do so.

This article is an extract from Living and Working in Spain, by David Hampshire. Published by Survival Books.