Are you planning to travel to the Costa Blanca with your pet? Make sure their pet passport is ready. New European Union rules coming into force this month will tighten controls on pet travel between EU countries.
From 22 April, all dogs and cats travelling between EU member states must have an European pet passport. The aim is to improve animal welfare, strengthen health checks and make it easier to track pets travelling across borders.
What is a European pet passport?
The European pet passport is more than just a travel document. It contains key information about your pet, including:
- Microchip number
- Owner details
- Vaccination history
- Veterinary treatments
- Vet certification
This passport will now be mandatory for non commercial travel between EU countries.
Why the rules are changing
The new requirements form part of Regulation (EU) 2016/429, updated in 2026, which aims to harmonise pet travel rules across the European Union.
Authorities say the changes will:
- Improve health and safety checks
- Reduce illegal animal trafficking
- Prevent document fraud
- Help monitor animal movements across Europe
The updated rules also aim to reduce the risk of diseases spreading between animals and, in some cases, to humans.
What this means for Spain
For many pet owners travelling to Spain, the impact will be limited. Most dogs and cats already have a European pet passport, which is usually issued by a vet when the animal is microchipped.
However, travellers still need to make sure they meet all requirements before travelling.
Pets must:
- Be microchipped
- Have a valid rabies vaccination at least 21 days before travel
- Be at least 12 weeks old
- Be declared fit to travel by a vet
- Have any required parasite treatment before travel
- Fines and travel problems
Failure to comply with the rules can lead to serious consequences. Pets may be refused entry, placed in quarantine or returned to their country of origin.
Owners may also face fines. In Spain, penalties can reach up to €50,000 in the most serious cases.
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