Yesterday I was chatting with a friend who's still in the US about moving abroad. She wishes she could make the leap but doesn't think she can move with her dog, an older, sweet female Black Mouth Cur weighing approximately 60 pounds. She's worried about breed restrictions, doesn't want her to fly cargo, prefers non-stop flights, and is concerned about finding quality vet care and dog products overseas.
I started to talk her through all the things to consider and assure her that she absolutely can make the move with her pup. It dawned on me that even highly successful, intelligent people like my friend struggle to know where to start when it comes to international pet relocation.
That was the basis behind the creation of this post. I want to help people relocating with dogs and cats from the US tackle the logistics of such a stressful move. For us, it wasn't even a question of whether or not the dogs would be moving too. Either they came, or we stayed. It was that simple. That meant a lot of planning, strategizing, and anxiety to pull it all off. We're sharing our first-hand insight and practical steps to guide you.
Over the years in this blog, I have shared several of our cross-country moves and, most recently, the major move from Colorado to Spain. Now I want to share some key insights into moving abroad with pets. I had planned to include the process of vaccines and finding and booking flights, but that topic is so complex it needed its own post. For detailed considerations for flights, read out lessons learned in the last post: Relocation Abroad with Pets: Booking Flights & Carriers.
Perhaps the most important decision that guides all others is: Where do you want to go?
For many Americans, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand sound enticing because the first barrier you may face is the language barrier. For your four-legged friend, there may be more important barriers to consider, and all of those countries have them.
A Note About Breed Restrictions
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Laws and regulations vary from country to country, and sometimes region to region. The European Union, for example, does not have a unified Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) regarding restrictions or even what veterinary treatments are required prior to entry. Many people in the US assume Pit Bulls are banned throughout Europe.
Countries with Breed Bans
Currently in Europe, only Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Norway and the United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) have import bans on certain breeds. Elsewhere in the world, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Turkey also ban the import of certain breeds.
To make matters worse, France's ban is more vague and classifies "attack dogs" like Pit Bull types and Tosa types as banned. If your dog resembles a banned breed (which is highly subjective), you will have to go to lengths to prove they are not.
The list below provides a general overview, but many countries have extended restrictions. For a complete, detailed breakdown of Banned Breeds, Restricted Breeds, and local municipality rules, please visit our Comprehensive Global BSL Resource Page.
| Country/Region | Core Banned Breeds (No Entry/Import) | Legislation Note |
| Australia | Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro. | Strict import ban. |
| Denmark | Pit Bull Terrier, Tosa Inu, Fila Brasileiro, Dogo Argentino, American Bulldog, etc. | 13 breeds banned. |
| France | Pit Bull Types, Tosa Types, Boerbull/Mastiff Types (Category 1). | Entry is strictly prohibited for these types. |
| Germany (Federal Law) | Pit Bull Terrier, American/Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Bull Terrier. | Import is banned. State laws may add more restrictions. |
| Ireland | American XL Bully (Import Ban). | Ownership ban with strict exemption criteria for pre-existing dogs. |
| Norway | Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Tosa Inu. | Importation is forbidden. |
| United Kingdom (UK) | Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, American XL Bully. | Banned "types" under the Dangerous Dogs Act. |
What do I mean by ban?
The laws in these countries simply prohibit the import/entry of these breeds. This includes touching down only for a layover. If your dog is found to be an illegal import, it may be subject to immediate seizure or confiscation at the border with devastating consequences. You may have to send them back (on your dime), or worse, they may be euthanized. While, for people like me, this sounds simply medieval and cruel, it is a reality and there is no chance I would take the risk if I had a dog on the list.
Countries with Breed Restrictions
How is a breed restriction different? Some EU countries, like Spain and Portugal, do not ban the ownership of any breeds, but due to the legal imperative to obtain ownership authorization, it makes the process of moving from the US with certain breeds more complex.
Here is an example: Prior to keeping a Perros Potencialmente Peligrosos (PPP) breed in Spain, you must have a license, which first requires you to establish residency. Then you must undergo an exam and obtain liability insurance. While there may be additional requirements, such as sterilization, these are typically handled after you have established residency and begun the local licensing process, not prior to landing.
Also, certain breeds may be handled differently:
- Parts of Germany, France, Ireland, Portugal, and Spain require a muzzle and short lead on certain breeds, but, just like in the United States, the rules vary from state to state and city to city.
- In some parts of Germany, this requirement may be lifted if the dog passes a certain psychological test.
- In Spain, the requirement extends to dogs with very large heads or strong jaws, among other things.
- Austria requires mandatory training courses for the owners of certain breeds.
- Both Poland and Romania also require a license or registration for certain breeds.
My advice if you plan to move to a country in Europe: look at their list of banned breeds (Ireland, UK, France, Norway, and Denmark), restricted breeds, and mandatory licensing requirements (like Spain's PPP or Germany's "dangerous breeds") first.
My hero of the day is Italy, who since 2009 has placed no bans or restrictions on having any particular breed. Instead, their laws put responsibility on the owner and restrictions depend on the behavior of the dog.
Quarantine
Questions I get a lot are if or how long we had to quarantine our dogs. The short answer is no. We met all the requirements to move to the EU without quarantining.
No Quarantine (Generally)
Generally, EU member states and Canada do not require a mandatory quarantine. The UK (which is no longer part of the EU Pet Travel Scheme) also generally requires no quarantine if the rigorous protocal is follwed, but they conduct mandatory and highly strict compliance checks at the border that can lead to immediate seizure if any paperwork is flawed or incomplete.
The Rabies Caveat: We learned when getting ready for our move to Spain, dogs are subject to the 21-day rabies waiting period upon arrival (aka quarantine) if the vaccine was administered less than 21 days prior to our entry into the EU.
Mandatory Quarantine
Countries that always place dogs (and sometimes cats) in quarantine are: Australia, Fiji, Iceland, Japan, New Zealand, and Singapore. Why, you ask? In some countries it's because the country has zero cases of rabies and wants to keep it that way. Others are just extremely cautious.
The duration of quarantine varies widely. It can be anywhere from 12 hours to 180 days in Japan, or an average of 10 days in Australia and New Zealand.
It is important to understand what you might be faced with when moving to these countries and plan accordingly. I once read about a family that moved to Australia, and their final destination was more than 10 hours driving from the point of arrival. They had to leave their dog and then return in 10 days to pick him up. In a situation like that, it might be easier for someone to stay behind and drive the dog home when he's released.
Keep in mind things can change quickly. Remember 2020? Another example was when the UK had an outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth Disease in 2001. They imposed a temporary ban on the entry of all animals, including pets. This is why I highly recommend reviewing both breed restriction and quarantine guidelines when you are at the point of scheduling travel to avoid any surprises.
Now that we've dove into whether or not your buddy is allowed in, and if they will have to quarantine, let's look at what happens once you are settled.
Join me for the next post in the series, Relocation Abroad with Pets: Life After Landing & Vet Care, where we tackle the day-to-day logistics, including the bureaucratic shock of getting an EU Pet Passport, finding local dog food, and the surprising differences in European veterinary care.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing!