Moving to Europe with pets: the complete checklist

A move abroad has a hundred moving parts, and the pet is the one that cannot be boxed, shipped or sorted later. The good news: the pet timeline is entirely predictable. Work backwards from moving day and every step lands in order. Here is the checklist we would give a friend relocating to anywhere in the EU.

Eight weeks out, or earlier

• Check the microchip. Ask your vet to scan it and confirm the number matches the records. The chip must have been fitted before, or at the same time as, the rabies vaccination.
• Sort the rabies vaccination. If your pet is not vaccinated, or the booster has lapsed, do it now. You cannot travel until 21 full days after a first vaccination, so this jab is the foundation the whole timeline stands on.
• Check breed rules for your destination and every country you pass through. France bans certain category 1 types even from transit, and Spain has licensing rules for listed breeds. Do this before committing to a route. Our Spain guide covers the details for that journey.
• Decide how the pet travels. With you in the car, by road with a transporter, or by air. Our comparison guide gives the honest trade-offs.

Four weeks out

• Book the Animal Health Certificate appointment with a vet who has Official Veterinarian status, for a date within 10 days of travel. Not every practice issues them, so confirm when booking. Budget £100 to £250. The AHC guide explains the whole document.
• If the pet travels separately from you, plan around the five-day rule: you must travel within five days either side of the pet's journey, the transporter needs your written authorisation, and a vehicle carries at most five pets under these rules. Keep your own travel booking handy as evidence.
• Plan the first vet visit at the destination, especially if a return trip is possible: dogs coming back to the UK need a tapeworm treatment 24 hours to 5 days before arrival.

The final ten days

• The AHC is issued. Check every detail against the microchip.
• Confirm the crossing booking includes the pet. The Eurotunnel guide explains what happens at the terminal.
• Pack a pet bag: familiar bedding, usual food, water bowl, lead, any medication, and copies of every document.
• Feed lightly before a long drive, and keep the routine as normal as possible. Pets read our stress; a calm owner is the best travel aid there is.

Moving day

The pet's day should be boring. A familiar car or a friendly driver, water at every stop, and the shortest possible gap between leaving the old home and arriving at the new one. Door to door beats every alternative here, which is why road transport is the default for EU relocations.

How we fit in

We drive relocations from any UK address to Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Spain and anywhere in the EU. You can ride along, or fly out and let us bring the pet under the five-day rule with every document checked in advance. Either way, the checklist above stops being your problem and becomes our job.

This guide explains the rules in plain English and was checked against official guidance when last updated. Rules change: always confirm current requirements on gov.uk before you travel. Nothing here is legal or veterinary advice.