Travelling from EU countries to the Netherlands with your cat or dog

ID, Pet Passport and rabies vaccination

Dogs and cats from the other EU Member States, including Andorra, the Faeroes Island, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, the Vatican City State, and Switzerland may enter the Netherlands through any border crossing, as long as they comply with the following requirements:

ID, Pet Passport and rabies vaccination:

• The animal must first have an ID. This must be a microchip (or a readable tattoo applied before July 2011).
• The animal must have an EU Pet passport. The passport must be issued by a veterinarian
• All animals older than 3 months must have been vaccinated against rabies which is certified by a veterinarian in the passport.

It is important, that the date of identification is prior to or the same as the first rabies vaccination, which is entered into the EU Pet passport.

Valid rabies vaccination

The primary rabies vaccination must be given at an age of at least 12 weeks and at least 21 days prior to departure. Therefore importing animals younger than 15 weeks is not possible in the Netherlands. If the animal already has a rabies vaccination, which is still valid, it is not necessary to revaccinate.

If the animal is revaccinated in accordance with the recommendations of the manufacturer of the vaccine, departure may take place immediately.If your animal was vaccinated in another EU Member State than the one you are departing from, make sure to ask the veterinarian about the recommendations of the rabies vaccination which is used.