Traveling abroad with a dog is excellent – but requires a lot of preparations. It's about keeping track of rules, papers, and diseases.
The first thing to do before embarking on a journey is to find out what rules apply to bringing the dog to where you're going, emphasizes Janina Pfalzer, press officer at the Swedish Kennel Club (SKK).
It can really vary. If you're planning to make stops along the way, you should check what applies there. The rules have a tendency to change, so you should check every time you travel, she says.
There may be rules about muzzle requirements, vaccination requirements, or deworming. Pfalzer recommends taking a look at the Swedish Board of Agriculture's website, which collects information, or contacting the embassy of the country you're visiting in Sweden.
Keeping track of diseases
Other countries have diseases that don't exist in Sweden. Therefore, it's essential to find out which ones and if the dog needs to be vaccinated or take prophylaxis.
Then there are dogs that are not welcome, even if they have all vaccinations and papers in order.
Denmark, for example, has a list of 13 breeds that are prohibited, including the American Staffordshire, which is quite common in Sweden. There are sad court cases where the authorities simply take the dogs, warns Janina Pfalzer.
A dog that's going to travel should also be ID-marked, either with a chip or tattoo. It should have a valid rabies vaccination and a valid passport.
It can only be issued by a veterinarian, and you as the owner must sign, otherwise, it's not valid.
Think about the return journey
Before you leave, you should also think about the return journey. Even if the dog normally lives in Sweden, you need to "declare" it when you come back, i.e., go through the red channel at customs and show your passport with rabies vaccination. You can register your arrival in advance with the Customs Agency and then you can go through the green channel.
Janina Pfalzer emphasizes the importance of not being careless or thinking that everything will sort itself out on the spot.
Say you're traveling and can't get into the country you're going to – then you have to go back to Sweden, and it's the same rules here. If you don't have a passport or rabies vaccination, it's quarantine or euthanasia at the border.
But if you've got everything under control, it's just a matter of traveling. Dogs usually think it's fun to join in on adventures.
Dogs like to be with and they like to be together with their owner.
