Taking your dog to Europe

Everything you need to know.

When I had Rhubarb we used to take her everywhere, even on our summer holidays. One epic year, when Maggie was 2, we drove all the way to Ibiza. Rhubarb was confined to the car on the Channel ferry and, even worse, to a cage on the boiling hot deck of the ferry that took us from Valencia to Ibiza.

Parts of Europe (Spain in particular) just weren't set up for travel with a dog.

Fortunately things have changed a lot since then. On that epic car journey we spent a joyful few days driving through France and Spain, visiting friends along the way. Even when we stayed in gites (I remember one particularly grand castle in the Loire) Rhubarb was welcomed by strangers into their own homes.

I'm delighted to say that your dog will get just as warm a welcome these days. But the paperwork has changed too.

The Paperwork

That EU pet passport in your drawer? No longer valid. As of April 2026, the loophole is officially closed.

Here's what you need now:

• Microchip - done before or at the same time as the rabies jab.

• Rabies vaccination - at least 21 days before travel (don't leave this to the last minute.)

• Animal Health Certificate (AHC) - signed by a DEFRA-authorised vet within 10 days of departure. Costs £80–£300 so shop around.

• Good news: once you're in Europe, the AHC is valid for six months - longer trips and country-hopping are covered.

• Coming home: tapeworm treatment from a vet, 1–5 days before you arrive back in the UK. Vets near Calais and the ferry ports do this as a walk-in.

  
  
  
  
  
  

  

Getting There

Things have come a long way since a terrified Patterdale in a cage on a sun-baked Spanish ferry deck.

• Eurotunnel LeShuttle - the gold standard. Dog stays in the car the whole time. 35 minutes, Folkestone to Calais. From £24 each way per pet. Microchip scan and paperwork check before you board, and there's an exercise area for a final wee.

  
  

• Ferries - Stena Line (Harwich to Hook of Holland) has proper pet-friendly cabins and a TV channel to watch your dog from elsewhere on the ship - either reassuring or anxiety-inducing depending on your temperament. Brittany Ferries (to St Malo, Roscoff, Caen) has pet cabins with laminate floors and a dog welcome pack. Dogs have to be muzzled in public areas, so bring a basket muzzle.
  

• Flying - complicated. Small dogs can fly out of the UK in the cabin, but you cannot fly a dog into the UK in the cabin. At all. They'd come back as cargo.

  
  

What to Pack (That You Probably Haven't Thought Of)

• A basket muzzle - even if your dog has never worn one. In Italy you're legally required to carry one at all times. In Croatia, Slovenia and on ferries, they need one on public transport. Important: make sure you start training your dog to wear one at least a week before they'll need it.

• A short lead - 1.5m max for Italy, where it's the law. Your extending lead is not the one for European cobblestones.

• A car harness or travel crate - legal requirement in France, sensible everywhere else.

• A cooling mat - Southern Europe can get very hot by mid-morning, and some British dogs may have a hard time acclimatising.

• A travel water bowl - obvious, and yet somehow the thing people forget most often. I highly recommend this one - folds down to the size of a wallet and fits in your pocket.

Where Dogs Are Actually Welcome

Not just "technically allowed," but actually welcome.

France - restaurants, cafés, shops. Often a bowl of water is produced without you even asking. I can vouch for this personally.

Italy - possibly the most dog-friendly country in Europe. In cafés, gelaterias, bars and many shops your dog will be greeted before you are. Dedicated dog beaches with shade, showers and dog pools. Just carry that muzzle and keep the lead short.

The Netherlands - quietly brilliant. Amsterdam's parks have proper off-lead areas. There are dog cafés where your dog gets their own menu.

Croatia & Slovenia - wonderful but slightly more formal. Leads on, muzzles on public transport. But Croatia has designated dog beaches on the Adriatic, and Slovenia's Lake Bled lets dogs on the boat to the island.

Honestly, it puts the UK to shame.

And What About the Beaches?

Main beaches across Europe often ban dogs in peak summer. But don't let that put you off.

Or just do what the locals do and take your dog to the beach at sundown. It'll be cooler and you may even get the beach to yourselves. When can you ever say that about a European beach in the height of summer?!

To find specific dog-friendly beaches wherever you're headed, EmmèneTonChien has a searchable guide covering France, Spain, Italy and beyond, updated every year by actual dog owners.

The Single Best Piece of Advice

The longer you go for, the better. Your dog gets to settle in. You stop worrying. And by day three you'll wonder why you ever went on holiday without them.

Now go and book something!