The European Union updates the rules for traveling with pets.

The European Union has updated the rules regarding the non-commercial movement of pet animals, in a move aimed at enhancing the safety and health of animals and clarifying the requirements applicable to owners and national authorities for dogs, cats, and ferrets traveling within the EU or entering the Union from third countries.

In short

The EU has integrated the rules for the non-commercial movement of pet animals into the animal health legislation and clarified their application. Dogs, cats, and ferrets can continue to travel between member states or enter the EU if they meet requirements such as rabies vaccination and, in certain cases, rabies antibody testing. The new rules explicitly state that a maximum of five pets per vehicle is allowed. The update clarifies the rules for the transit of animals through the EU between two third countries and the procedures applicable if an animal is refused entry by a third country and is returned to the Union. New health certificates will become mandatory from October 1, 2026, and new identification requirements and updated passports will become mandatory from January 1, 2028. According to the rules in force until now, dogs, cats, and ferrets could travel with their owners to another member state of the Union or could enter the EU from a third country if they met certain health conditions. These include, for example, vaccination against rabies and, when the animal comes from a third country, performing a rabies antibody test.

Owners traveling from a member state or from Northern Ireland to another member state or to Northern Ireland must continue to ensure that the animal has a valid European pet passport. In the case of entry from a third country, a valid EU veterinary health certificate is required.

The announced update clarifies several practical aspects of the application of the rules. The text specifies that a maximum of five pets per vehicle is allowed. It also explains under what conditions animals can transit the territory of the Union when transported from one third country to another.

The new rules also establish the procedures to be followed when a pet is refused entry by a third country and is returned to the European Union. This point aims to clarify the responsibilities and administrative steps in such situations.

The update also strengthens the requirements regarding animal identification. In particular, the new rules specify what information must be included in identification documents, including the country code of origin of the pet.

Although most of the new requirements apply from now on, some changes will come into effect gradually. New health certificates for animals will need to be used starting from October 1, 2026. New animal identification requirements and updated passports will become mandatory from January 1, 2028.

Through this revision, European institutions aim to both enhance the safety and health of animals and to provide clearer and more coherent enforcement of the rules by owners and national authorities. The update is also presented as a result of the practical experience gained by member states in implementing existing norms.

The rules regarding the non-commercial movement of pet animals apply specifically to dogs, cats, and ferrets traveling with their owners between member states or entering the European Union from outside the community bloc. The announced revision integrates them more clearly into the general framework of European animal health legislation.

The update does not change the basic principle of the current regime; animals can continue to move if they meet the relevant health and documentation requirements, but it adds clarifications regarding documents, identification, transit, and the handling of cases where animals are returned to the Union from third countries.