Taking your dog to Europe
LeShuttle ferry and flying explained
A holiday abroad with your dog starts well before the bags are packed. Choosing how to travel, arranging the right veterinary paperwork and planning the journey home all deserve a place on your holiday checklist.
This guide covers ordinary pet holidays from Great Britain — England, Scotland and Wales — to the EU. Northern Ireland and European destinations outside the EU have separate requirements. Check every country on your route, including those you only pass through. [1]
Start with your dog and your route
Think about the whole journey: the drive to the port, the crossing, the onward travel and the weather when you arrive. A short crossing may suit one dog; staying together in a ferry cabin may suit another. Speak to your vet about fitness to travel, anxiety, medication and protection against parasites at your destination.
Before booking, confirm that your dog is accepted on both outward and return journeys, and check the accommodation’s dog policy. Ask about charges, size or number limits, and any areas where dogs are excluded.
Arrange the veterinary essentials
Your dog must be microchipped before, or at the same time as, its rabies vaccination. If the order is wrong, the vaccination must be repeated. Dogs must be at least 12 weeks old for the vaccination. [1]
After the initial rabies vaccination course, allow at least 21 full days before travel. Some vaccines need longer, so ask your vet for the earliest eligible date. A booster given before the previous cover expires does not normally trigger another waiting period. [1]
Residents of Great Britain need an Animal Health Certificate, usually shortened to AHC, for each separate trip to the EU. A pet passport is not a replacement for this, even if an EU vet issued it. [1]
Book with an Official Veterinarian who can issue the certificate, taking proof of microchipping and vaccination history. EU entry must be within 10 days of issue, with the issue date counted as day one. Arrange the appointment around the date you enter the EU, rather than simply the date you leave home. [2]
Choose how to cross
LeShuttle through the Channel Tunnel
LeShuttle carries you and your vehicle between Folkestone and Calais. Your dog stays with you during the approximately 35-minute crossing. Pet Reception checks are required on both sides; the operator currently asks pet travellers to arrive at least 90 minutes before departure. There are pet exercise areas at the terminals. [3]
For owners who want to stay with their dog, this is an option worth comparing with the total driving time at either end. Include your dog in the booking and follow the operator’s current check-in instructions.
Taking a ferry
The dog’s experience depends on the exact ship and sailing. Brittany Ferries, for example, offers travel in a vehicle, a kennel or a pet-friendly cabin, depending on the route and ship. Pet accommodation is limited, particularly during summer, so check availability early. [4]
Ask where your dog will stay, whether you can remain together, when you can visit, where toilet breaks are possible and whether a muzzle is required. If your dog must remain in the vehicle, check the operator’s access arrangements and consider whether the crossing and conditions suit your dog. Foot-passenger arrangements also need checking for the specific route.
Flying with your dog
Airline rules vary by route, aircraft, dog size and breed. Some permit eligible small dogs in an under-seat carrier; larger dogs may need to travel in the hold or as cargo. For example, KLM’s cabin limit is 8kg for the dog and carrier combined, with carrier dimensions and other conditions also applying. This is a KLM rule, not a universal allowance. [5]
The return journey needs particular attention. GOV.UK says pets entering Great Britain by air must travel as cargo, except on chartered private aircraft or when travelling with a guide or assistance dog. Do not assume that a cabin booking out of Britain means a cabin return is available. Confirm an approved route and the full arrangements before paying. [6]
What about Eurostar
LeShuttle and Eurostar are different services. Ordinary pet dogs cannot travel on Eurostar trains to or from London. Assistance animals have separate arrangements. [7]
Plan the journey home before you leave
For holidays in countries such as France or Spain, your dog will need a vet-administered tapeworm treatment before returning to Great Britain. It must be given at least 24 hours and no more than 120 hours before arrival in Britain. The vet must record the product, treatment date and time, and stamp and sign the travel document. Giving a worming tablet yourself does not meet this requirement. [8]
Book the appointment before you leave home where possible, and leave room for travel disruption within the permitted window. If a delay takes you beyond 120 hours, contact your travel company and vet because another treatment may be needed. [8]
Treatment is not required for direct arrivals in Great Britain from Finland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Malta or Norway. On some short trips, treatment before departure can cover the return, but the same timing rules still apply. Ask your vet to check the dates. [8]
Check requirements for your destination
Dogs travelling to Ireland, Finland, Malta or Norway need recorded veterinary tapeworm treatment 24–120 hours before arrival. Northern Ireland has separate arrangements, including an exemption when using its pet travel document. [9]
Current GOV.UK guidance gives an AHC six months’ validity for onward EU travel after entry and six months for return to Great Britain, provided the rabies vaccination remains valid. Older guides may still quote four months. A new separate trip from Great Britain to the EU needs a new certificate. [1, 2]
Your holiday preparation checklist
- Confirm your dog’s eligibility and pet space on both journeys before committing to bookings.
- Book the rabies vaccination and AHC appointments with enough time for all waiting periods.
- Arrange any required outward tapeworm treatment and the return vet appointment.
- Check overseas pet insurance, medication supplies and local emergency vet details.
- Check local breed restrictions, lead and muzzle rules, and seasonal beach access.
- Pack travel documents, water, bowls, familiar bedding, waste bags and suitable restraint or carrier.
- Budget for veterinary appointments, certificates, pet transport and accommodation charges.
Thinking about a European break with your dog? Message Wanderlust and Wags with your destination ideas, dates and who will be travelling, including your dog. We can start exploring holiday options, while your vet confirms the health requirements for your trip.
Requirements can change. Check current government, destination and operator guidance before booking and again before departure. This guide covers holiday travel, not rescue imports, rehoming or commercial animal movements.
Source links and publishing notes
All sources checked 22 October 2026. Numbers in the journal draft identify the sources below. For the published article, turn the references into descriptive links and retain the last-checked date. Recheck guidance if publication is delayed.
1 GOV UK taking your pet abroad
2 GOV UK getting an Animal Health Certificate
3 LeShuttle travelling with pets
4 Brittany Ferries pet accommodation
5 KLM pet reservations
6 GOV UK approved travel routes and flying
7 Eurostar travelling with pets
8 GOV UK return tapeworm treatment
9 GOV UK outward tapeworm treatment