Pet Travel and EU Pet Passport
From the 1st January 2012 there will be harmonised conditions for pet dogs, cats and ferrets that travel throughout the entire EU, including Ireland. Pets entering Ireland from the EU will require:
- Passport/certificate showing identification
- Subsequent rabies vaccination at least 21 days before entry
- Specific tapeworm treatment of all pet dogs
Pets travelling from other qualifying (low risk) countries can also travel into Ireland on the same conditions as set out above.
Pet entry requirements into Ireland from the UK:
From the 1st January 2012 the requirement is that all pets travelling from the UK to Ireland should be microchipped and accompanied by a pet passport.
As both Ireland and the UK have had no indigenous rabies for many decades, compliance checks on pets travelling between the two countries will not be applied. Pet owners travelling with their pets should therefore not experience any change on the ground from the 1st January.
Pets travelling from other non-qualifying (high risk) countries can also travel into Ireland without quarantine provided the pet has a passport/certificate showing identification and a subsequent rabies vaccination. At least 30 days after rabies vaccination a pet must be blood tested to confirm a neutralising antibody titration at least equal to 0.5 IU/ml. A pet may enter Ireland only when at least three months has expired since a successful blood-test.
