Travelling with dogs and cats

When planning to travel with your four-legged friends, it is a good idea to organise yourself in advance, both to contact pet-friendly operators and to comply with national and local health regulations. In addition, if travelling by plane, train or ship, it is a good idea to find out about the various regulations, which may vary considerably over time and from company to company. 

In general, in ITALY the vaccination booklet is required, sometimes accompanied by a certificate of good health and, where required, a rabies vaccination certificate. To travel on certain types of trains (e.g. high-speed trains) with your dog, you must also show a certificate of registration with the dog registry office. 

If travelling ABROAD, identification of your pet (dog, cat, ferret) by microchip and possession of a passport issued by the local health services are mandatory. Remember that not all foreign countries have the same rules: some, for example, still require quarantine (e.g. Australia, Japan), while others require a blood sample for rabies antibody titration, to be taken six months beforehand (e.g. England, Sweden). 

As far as non-EU countries are concerned, it is advisable to obtain information on health regulations directly from the respective consulates. When travelling by CAR, it is important to accustom your animal before travelling long distances. To stabilise learning, it is good to make a short car journey at least once a week, especially in the first six months of life. To help tranquillity, there are pheromone-based formulations on the market that reduce your pet's stress. In cases of extreme agitation, there are drugs belonging to the tranquilliser family that can be administered shortly before departure. However, all these products must be evaluated and prescribed by your vet who, after examining your dog or cat, will decide on the various possibilities, depending on the various clinical situations (age, state of health, duration of the trip, etc.).