Taking dogs to Ireland [Pet Passport 2023]

Taking dogs to Ireland is pretty straightforward. Firstly, you need to ensure you have to correct documentation for an Ireland Pet Passport, or EU Pet Passport. Dogs are eligible for an EU Pet Passport which allows them to travel freely within the EU. Secondly, you will need to organise travel. You can either enter Ireland in a car, ferry or by air. Traveling by car or ferry is more straight toward than traveling by air. This is because airlines have strict rules and requirements for taking pets on their planes. 

In this article, we will discuss in detail the process of taking a dog to Ireland. Additionally, we will walk you through how to obtain an Ireland pet passport and all the documents required.

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What is an Ireland Pet Passport?

An Ireland Pet Passport is a compilation of documents that your dog needs in order to travel to Ireland. With an EU Pet Passport, dogs are able to travel throughout the EU without enduring a quarantine period. Dogs will require a microchip and rabies vaccination at minimum, proof of both is needed in order to obtain an EU Pet Passport. All documents must be issued by an accredited veterinarian. Essentially, a pet passport demonstrates that your dog is fit and healthy to travel.

The documents required to travel with dogs depends on which country you are travelling from, and which country you are travelling to. Each country has different rules and requirements to export and import dogs. Requirements and restrictions also vary between pet species. We will discuss the requirements to travel with dogs to Ireland in detail below.

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What does an Ireland Pet Passport contain?

An Ireland Pet Passport contains all the documents required to travel with your dog. It will basically prove that your dog is fit and healthy to travel.

An Ireland Pet Passport  contains the following information:

1. Details of ownership (name, address, passport number, telephone, etc.)
2. Description of the animal (name, species, breed, date of birth, etc.)
3. Official veterinarian’s details
4. Microchip information
5. Rabies vaccination certificate
6. Rabies antibody titer test results
7. Parasite treatment records
8. Additional vaccination and treatment records
9. Pet photo (optional)

At minimum, your Ireland pet passport will contain those listed 1-5. These are compulsory in order to travel within the EU. Those listed 6-9 are potential requirements that your dog may need if you are traveling from outside the EU or from certain countries.

All records are signed and stamped by your official EU veterinarian with official stickers from the medication used.

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What is the process of taking a dog to Ireland?

VISIT THE VET

You will need to visit the vet to obtain your dog’s pet passport.

Before booking your appointment, check that your chosen vet is authorised to issue EU Pet Passports. Not all of them are.

At your appointment, your vet will administer your dog with a microchip and rabies vaccination, if your dog hasn’t already had them. They will also perform a basic health examination to ensure your dog is healthy enough to travel. Once the veterinarian is satisfied that your dog is ready for travel, they will review all the paperwork and complete the pet passport booklet.

You will need to bring the following with you to the vet appointment:

• Your passport
• Your local address
• Microchip information (if your dog already has one) – date of implantation, chip number and issuing company information (this info is also on the Annex IV)
• Dog’s rabies certificate or rabies titre test results no less than 21 days old (if your dog has one)
• Annex IV form completed by your home vet and endorsed by your country’s official veterinary regulatory body (if you are from outside the EU)
• Dog photo (optional but recommended) – the size should be 2 x 2 inches (5cm x 5cm). It is better to have one as you do not want to give any customs official a reason to deny your dog entry into a country.

If your dog hasn’t yet been microchipped or vaccinated against rabies, don’t worry, your vet will complete these at the appointment.

ORGANISE TRAVEL

For a stress free journey, you will then need to plan out how you are traveling to Ireland. The easiest option is to travel by car and ferry, however you can also travel by air. Traveling by air is far more complicated as airlines have very specific rules and regulations when it comes to traveling with dogs. Additionally, some airlines even prohibit certain dog breeds from boarding their planes.

When importing dogs to Ireland, you must:

1. Enter Ireland through Cork, Dublin or Shannon Airport, or Cork or Rosslare Port.

There are compliance checks that may need to be completed when dogs enter Ireland. These can only be done at these specific ports of entry.

You can enter Ireland from any port if traveling to Ireland with a dog from EU states, as well as Andorra, Switzerland, Croatia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway and San Marino, you can enter at any port.

If you are traveling from any other country, you must enter through Cork, Dublin or Shannon Airport, or Cork or Rosslare Port.

2. Inform the Department of Agriculture in Ireland, if required. 

All dogs traveling from outside the EU must provide advanced notice to:

• Dublin airport                     petmove@agriculture.gov.ie
• Shannon airport                 PetsShannon@agriculture.gov.ie
• Cork airport                        corkpetmove@agriculture.gov.ie
• Ringaskiddy port, Cork      corkpetmove@agriculture.gov.ie
• Rosslare ferry port             rosslare.europort@agriculture.gov.ie

3. Organise compliance checks for your dog in advance of your arrival to Ireland.

Upon arrival in Ireland, all dogs will undergo a health check. They must be found free of any evidence of disease communicable to humans. If your dog is not in apparent good health, further examination by a licensed veterinarian may be required, at your expense.

You can email your port of entry (see contact email addresses above) and must include the following information:

• Date and time of arrival;
• Airport;
• Name;
• Flight Number;
• Number of animals to be checked; and
• Paperwork the dog will be travelling with e.g. EU Pet Passport or EU (Annex III) Health Certificate.

If you do not follow these rules, or your dog fails the compliance checks, you risk being refused entry. Alternatively, your dog may be placed into quarantine for the necessary tests or vaccinations. In very limited circumstances, your dog may be euthanised.

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Travelling to Ireland in a car or ferry

You can take your dogs to Ireland on a ferry, with or without a car. However, some ferry companies do not allow foot passengers to bring dogs on board. Therefore you may only be able to transport dogs to Ireland in a car. 

Some companies will charge extra to bring your dog on board, while others don’t.

Whichever option you choose, be sure to let the company know that you will be bringing your dog with you. It is best to do this well in advance to ensure for a smooth journey.

Many ferry companies require dogs to stay inside vehicles, which is why foot passengers are not permitted to bring dogs.

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Travelling to Ireland by air

Traveling to Ireland with dogs by air is far more complicated than traveling by car or ferry. This is because airlines have strict rules, regulations and restrictions when it comes to traveling with dogs. Many airlines will not allow dogs to travel on their planes at all, however there are some that will.

Traveling via air is far more expensive too, as you will need to pay extra to ship your dog. The price will vary between airlines, and depending on the weight and size of your dog.

1. Before booking your flight, be sure to check out different airline’s policies to ensure that you are able to take your dog with you.

Some airlines may allow your dog to travel in the cabin with you, where others will require dogs to travel in the cargo area of the plane. If you have a small dog, then you may be able to take them in the cabin with you. However, if you have a large dog then he will need to fly in the cargo.

2. All dogs must enter Ireland through Cork, Dublin or Shannon Airport. 

All dogs must enter through these airports, and must undergo a compliance check. They will check all of your documents and do a health check on your dog. You must organise this with your port of entry.

3. When booking your flight, inform the airline that you will be bringing your dog with you.

Do this as soon as you book your flight, as airlines often have limitations on how many dogs they can ship at any given time.

4. Be sure to get an appropriate travel carrier and get your dog used to spending time in it.

Different airlines have different size and weight restrictions when it comes to dog travel carriers. Be sure to check those of your chosen airline. If traveling in the cabin of the plane, the carrier must be small enough to fit underneath the seat in front of you.

To ensure that the journey is as stress-free as possible for your dog, ensure they are comfortable in their travel carrier. You can do this by taking your dog on short journeys in it’s travel carrier. Take your dog out to lunch with you in its carrier, or take it to your friends house for a coffee. This way the longer journey will not be so stressful.

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What are the requirements for taking a dog to Ireland?

In order to get an Ireland Pet Passport, your dog requires the following:

1. 1. Microchip
   2. Rabies vaccination certificate

REQUIREMENT 1: MICROCHIPPING

All dogs must have a microchip in order to obtain an Ireland Pet Passport. 

A microchip is a electronic chip that holds a unique number traceable with a chip reader. It is place just under your dog’s skin in between its shoulder blades. 

We recommend that this is the first step in the process of obtaining an Ireland Pet Passport. This is because if your dog isn’t microchipped before they get their rabies vaccination, then the vaccination may not be valid. This would therefore mean your dog would have to get vaccinated again.

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REQUIREMENT 2: RABIES VACCINATION

All dogs must be up to date on their rabies vaccinations. 

In order to get an Ireland Pet Passport, you must be able to prove that your dog has had their rabies vaccination within the past year, but at least 21 days before your arrival in Ireland.

Ireland accepts the 3 year rabies vaccination for dogs. However, it should only be applied as a booster (not the initial vaccination).

It may be possible that you require the following:

1. Tapeworm treatment
2. Rabies titer test / rabies blood test
3. Distemper vaccination
4. Health certificate

REQUIREMENT 3: TAPEWORM TREATMENT

Dogs will need a tapeworm treatment if traveling from any country other than UK, Finland, Malta or Norway. This only applies for dogs.

All dogs must be wormed by a vet, with this recorded in their pet passport.

The treatment must contain praziquantel and must be administered by a veterinarian. This needs to be done between 5 days (120 hours) and 24 hours before returning to the UK, based on your arrival time in Ireland. If you fail to have your dog treated within this time scale, then he or she may be put into quarantine for up to 4 months.

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REQUIREMENT 4: RABIES TITER TEST

All dogs traveling from a high-risk rabies country, must pass a rabies titer test (rabies blood test).

A rabies titer test is a blood test to see whether your dog’s rabies vaccination was successful. Your veterinarian will need to take a blood sample at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination. The sample will then be sent to an EU-approved blood testing laboratory. The blood rest results must show that the vaccination was successful – i.e. your dog’s blood must contain at least 0.5 IU/ml of the rabies antibody.

You must wait 3 months before your dog can enter Ireland. If you do not wait 3 months, then your dog will be quarantined in Ireland for the remainder of the time.

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REQUIREMENT 5: DISTEMPER VACCINE

All dogs taken to Ireland from outside the EU, for commercial reasons, must be vaccinated against distemper. 

This applies if you are traveling to Ireland from a rabies-free, rabies-controlled or high-risk rabies country.

Commercial reasons include taking dogs to Ireland for resale or adoption, or if you are not traveling with your pet within 5 days.

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REQUIREMENT 6: HEALTH CERTIFICATE

You will need a health certificate if:

1. You are taking dogs to Ireland from outside the EU, for non-commercial reasons; or
2. You are taking dogs to Ireland for commercial reasons

Commercial reasons include taking dogs to Ireland for resale or adoption, or if you are not traveling with your pet within 5 days.

An official veterinarian must complete an EU Health certificate for Ireland, in English, or translated to English.

Your health certificate must be endorsed by your home country government agency responsible for the import and export of pets. For example, in the US you will need to have your health certificate endorsed by the USDA. In Canada, this will be the CFIA.

The form is to cover transport of up to 5 dogs and is valid for 4 months, as long as your dog’s rabies vaccinations are in date.

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How much does it cost to take a dog to Ireland?

The cost of an Ireland Pet Passport is usually around £60-£100. The cost is broken down into the following costs:

• Microchipping – £0-20
• Rabies vaccination – £0-20+
• Pet passport application – £60

Firstly, different countries and veterinary clinics will have different pricing for a pet passport. If you wish to save money, check the prices of a few different veterinary clinics. Some will also offer pet passport packages.

If your dog already has a microchip, and a recent rabies vaccination, you will probably pay less for your Ireland pet passport. This is because you will only be paying for the health check and the documents.

For more information on the cost of an EU Pet Passport, check How much does an EU Pet Passport cost?.

For information on how to get free microchipping in the UK check How to get Dog Microchipping for Free in the UK.

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Taking dogs to Ireland for commercial reasons

Any dogs being transported for commercial reasons, such as adoption and re-sale, require the following:

1. Microchip;
2. Valid rabies vaccination;
3. Undergo a health examination and be accompanied by an Annex I Health Form;
4. Be accompanied by original paperwork, signed by a licensed vet; and
5. A successful rabies titer test result.

Dogs are only permitted to enter Ireland from a high-rabies country if they are accompanied by their owner or a legal representative of the owner.

DOCUMENT ENDORSEMENT

A licensed veterinarian must complete the English version of the commercial EU health certificate for Ireland within 48 hours of entry. If your dog is traveling from the US or Canada, the veterinarian must be accredited by the USDA or CFIA respectively and the commercial EU health certificate must be endorsed by the local USDA or CFIA office unless the certificate is completed by a military Veterinary Corps Officer or GS-0701 series civilian government veterinarian employed by the military. If traveling to Ireland from another country, then the forms must be endorsed by the government agency responsible for the import and export of animals.

ADDITIONAL VACCINATIONS & TREATMENTS

All dogs must be vaccinated against distemper. If traveling from a country other than the UK, Finland, Malta or Norway must also be treated against tapeworms.

If your dog is entering Ireland from a rabies-controlled country, it must enter through an approved Border Inspection Post (London Heathrow or Gatwick Airports). You must give them at least 24 hours prior to arrival.

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Which dog breeds are banned from entering Ireland?

The following breeds of dogs or their crosses are not banned but are controlled while in Ireland:

• American Pit Bull Terrier;
• English Bull Terrier;
• Staffordshire Bull Terrier;
• Bull Mastiff;
• Doberman Pinscher;
• German Shepherd (Alsatian);
• Rhodesian Ridgeback;
• Rottweiler;
• Japanese Akita; and
• Japanese Tosa.

Owners of these dog breeds are responsible for their dog’s actions, and are liable for injuries or attacks. In public places, they must be on a strong, short lead. The person holding your dog must be over 16 years old, and your dog must be muzzled. The court, if they deem the dog as dangerous, sadly has the power to have your dog euthanised.

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Frequently Asked Questions [FAQs]

Can I take my puppy to Ireland?

Yes, as long as your puppy is at least 4 months old. This is because Ireland requires dogs to be vaccinated against rabies, which can only be administered to dogs over the age of 3 months. You must then wait 21 days after the vaccination, before entering Ireland. Additionally, proof of age should be available.

Can I travel without an Ireland Pet Passport or EU Pet Passport

Yes, you may enter Ireland without an Ireland Pet Passport or EU Pet Passport as long as you have an EU Health Certificate (also known as EU Annex III Health Certificate.

What if I lose my Ireland Pet Passport?

If a passport is lost or stolen, it can be replaced as long as you have evidence of the animal’s vaccination record and blood test result (if applicable). Both records must also show your dog's microchip number. Details of the lost or stolen passport, including its serial number, country and date of issue (if known) should be recorded on the Pet Passport Control Sheet. We recommend that you scan photos of your pet passport in case you lose it.

Can I take my dog in the plane cabin with me?

It is a possibility yes. If you are the owner of a small dog, then you may be able to take them in the cabin with you. However, only some airlines will allow this.

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Bottom Line

Taking dogs to Ireland is pretty straightforward. If you are taking a dog, you will need to get them an Ireland Pet Passport or an EU Pet Passport. This involves getting your dog microchipped and vaccinated against rabies at the vet. If you are taking a dog to Ireland for commercial reasons, you may also need a health certificate and distemper vaccine, depending on where you are traveling from.

Traveling to Ireland with dogs in a car or ferry is far simpler than flying. This is because airlines have strict rules and regulations in place for those traveling with dogs. If you are planning on flying with dogs to Ireland, ensure you select an airline that will permit the transport of your dog, and plan your trip well in advance.

Hope you have found this helpful. Happy travels!

If you are looking for information on taking other pet species to Ireland, check, Pet Travel to Ireland [Pet Passport Ireland]