We have prepared information to help you prepare for your travel with your best friend. We are happy to receive any suggestions you may have on this subject. For suggestions or comments, please send us an e-mail at: info@hotdogholidays.
We hope you will find this information useful and wish you a pleasant journey!

Index:

1. Should I take my pet along?
   
2. Travel checklist: what do I need to pack?    
3. Petiquette: how to make sure your pet is charmer on holiday 
4. Travel with a pet within EU countries
5. Travel with a pet from a third country to a EU country
6. Various information travel within EU countries
7. Travel with a pet to and from the UK
8. Information on races per country
9. Pet friendly beaches

Even though we think a pet has a right to a holiday once in awhile, it is sensible to consider the implications of bringing your best friend on the holiday you have planned. Not every dog is suitable for travel and not every holiday is suitable for a dog. Take the following into account when planning your holiday:

• Can I leave my dog alone in the hotel room without him making to much noise or damage? It is unavoidable that you will have to leave your dog alone, even though it is only for a short time. For example, in most countries dogs are not allowed in public places like restaurants. It is important for your own freedom of movement as well. It should be a pleasure but not a burden to bring your pet along!
• What are the activities you plan for your holiday? For example, if you plan to spend a lot of time on the beach, it is important to know if there is a beach that allows dogs. If you are a lover of cultural or nautical activities, it is wise to plan your activities well and spread them over the duration of the holiday so that you do not have to leave your dog alone for too long. It goes without saying that the best activities include long walks discovering the beauty of nature!

In other words, if you wish to bring the whole family with you on your trip, you will have to adjust your journey and activities a little. Your pet will be very grateful!

If you are traveling abroad for the first time with your pet you are bound to feel a little anxious.
These are some items you can pack when you travel with your pet:

• Medications. Before you leave, consult with your vet. Pick up refills of any medications your pet will need while you are away.. And find out whether or not there are any concerns about the area to which you are traveling. You might want make extra preparations when traveling to areas with fleas or ticks. You also need to check your pets documents and vaccinations.
• Kennel or carrier. Some places ask that you kennel your pet if you are going out and leaving him in the room. The kennel is also a safe way for your pet to travel; please don't let your dog ride loose in the back of a pickup truck; he could fall out and suffer serious injuries. If you travel by airplane you are obliged to take a carrier or kennel, whether your dog stays with you in the cabin or travels in the heated luggage cabin. Ask the airline for more information on traveling with pets.
• Food (and maybe even water)! Keeping your pet on the same diet that he's accustomed to will help to prevent the dreaded "messy butt" or vomiting. If your pet has a sensitive stomach, you may also want to bring water.
• Food and water bowls.
  
• Stain remover/cleaning supplies.. just in case! Please be courteous and clean up as much pet hair, etc. as you can. A good quality lint brush or pet hair roller is always useful!
• Plastic bags so that you can pick up after your pet.
• Grooming tools - including a comb and/or brush, nail clippers, pet shampoo, and anything else your pet needs. Your active pet may end up needing a bit of a "touch-up" after a happy day hard at play!
• Extra towels - for wiping those muddy paws and wet or dirty bodies!
• Collar and leash(es). If you are traveling to a remote area, consider bringing an extra leash - just in case one of them breaks.
• Bedding. Your pet will feel at ease in a strange place when he has his own bedding.
• Identification. Be sure to record the license numbers, tattoo numbers, and microchip numbers of your pets and bring this list with you.
• Vaccination records and other documents. If you are traveling to another European country, be sure to check what types of vaccinations your pet will need. Bring an up-to-date record with you. Also check with both your home country and the countries you cross or stay in to see whether or not there are any special requirements for either traveling into the country, or returning to your own.
• Recent photo. If your pet is lost while you are traveling, the photo will come in handy when describing him to others.
• First aid kit.

The future of all people traveling with pets depends on us all! As lovers of pets and travel we have a great responsibility to improve the image of the traveling pet. Unfortunately it is often the case that hotel or house owners cease to allow pets in their establishment after just one negative incident. And that would be a shame! Some tips to make sure your pet is a charmer on holiday:

• Make sure you leave your accommodation as you found it and how you would like to find it. It is a privilege to take your pet, don't lose it.
• Keep your pet under control at all times. Other guests may not want to be licked to death by your pet, even if you feel its affectionate.
• If you wish to take a day trip out or visit tourist sites make arrangements for your pet. Don't leave him home alone. Who knows what he could get up to. A good tip is to find a local kennel with space for a day. Some accommodations also offer dog sitting service.
• Respect any restrictions from accommodation owners. You aren't the first guests and you won't be the last but they don't have to take your pets.
• Please clean up after your dog at all times. There is nothing worse than stepping in something especially when children might be about.
• Be aware of being in a foreign country, other cultures may view your dog very differently and be far less tolerant.
• Always comply with local regulations, no dogs on beaches or dogs on a lead, or you may find the local justice system has you tied up whilst on holiday.
• This also applies to respecting other peoples customs. I.E. French restaurants may allow a dog in but only well behaved dogs.

Your pet is an ambassador of all traveling pets!


Owners of dogs and cats can travel more easy within the European Union, Norway and Switzerland from the 1st of October 2004.
The new laws state that -amongst other things- your pet needs a EU-passport and has to be vaccinated for rabies.
The laws for traveling with noncommercial owned dogs and cats are regulated within the European Union; for all countries the same laws apply since the 3rd of July 2004. The European Pet Passport has been obligatory since October 1st 2004.

General rules
For the transport of pets in the EU the following general rules apply:

• Dogs and cats need a valid EU-passport if they travel to foreign countries. This passport includes a description of the animal, its name and the address of the owner as well as proof of vaccination against rabies. This new document will replace all other documents that have been used in the past for the transportation of pets. Please ask your vet for more information on how to obtain such a passport.
• Dogs and cats need to be vaccinated against rabies. Your vet can do this. Your vet will also be authorized to register the vaccination in the EU-passport.
• Owners are obligated to place an identification on their pets. Apart from the 'electronic transponder' (chip) a tattoo also complies to the general regulation. Both of these identification methods can be done by your vet.
• Those who travel to the UK, Ireland, Sweden or any other country that is not a part of the European Union, are obliged to bring documentation of a blood test done of their pets. This blood test must be done several months before departure.

Specific information
For the transport of noncommercial kept pets between all EU member states the following conditions apply:

• Pets need to have been vaccinated against rabies and be identifiable with the aid of a transponder chip or tattoo. The chip must comply to the ISO-norm 11784 and appendix 1 of ISO-norm 11785. There are several organizations where you can register the electronic identification number. A good registration assist the search of your pet when he or she is lost or has run away.
• The new EU-passport consists of 2 parts. One standardized part, with information about the general conditions as the identity of the animal and information on the vaccinations and other treatments or medical information. The second part can be compiled by the publisher.
• Pets younger than three months old do not have to be vaccinated, but the owner must be able to prove that the pup has been living in his place of birth up to the journey and that he has not been in contact with animals that may have rabies. Your vet can inform you on how to obtain such a document. The pup can also cross the border if it is accompanied by its mother on which it still depends. Each member state still has the right to refuse entrance of a pup; especially in countries as France, the UK, Ireland and Sweden it will probably be difficult or impossible to enter with your pup of under 3 months.
• The above mentioned rules also apply when traveling with pets from other countries where the rabies status is the same as in the countries of the EU. At the moment this includes the following countries: Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino, Vatican City. This list is also shown on www.minlnv.nl and will be adjusted when the situation changes.
• Extra conditions with regard to international transport::
• When traveling to Ireland, Sweden and the UK there are extra demands the dogs and cats need to comply with, namely a blood test that proves the animal has been vaccinated against rabies.
• this test needs to have been done within a certain period that has been stated in the international rules. For Ireland and the UK this means that it must have been done 6 months prior departure, for Sweden 4 months before departure.
• Young animals are only allowed in these countries if they comply to all above mentioned demands. In practice this means that animals younger than 8 to 10 months are generally not admitted in these countries.
• Until the 3rd of January 2009 each member state of the EU may state additional conditions and rules with regard to echinococcus and ticks. It is most probably that countries like Sweden will demand that your pet has been treated for echinococcus and ticks.

For traveling with noncommercial kept dogs and cats from other countries to a EU member state more or less the same rules apply.

• To travel from Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino, Vatican City to a EU member state the same rules apply as travel between member states.
• If a dog or cat from a country where rabies exists, it is obligatory to have proof that your pet does not have rabies by means of a blood test that has been done at least 3 months before departure. This tests only needs to be done once, provided that the dog or cat is vaccinated each year after that.
• For a dog or cat from a country where rabies exists to Ireland, Sweden and the UK the quarantine period of 6 months is still obligatory.
• If an animal goes on holiday from the EU to a country where rabies exists, the animal needs to undergo a blood test before departure. This ensures that the required blood test to get back into the EU country is done on time.

Complete harmonization of these rules, including Ireland, Sweden and the UK will be considered again in the year 2008. The above mentioned three countries want to ensure themselves first that they are protected against rabies with these new regulations first.



What if my papers are not correct?
If you do not have the proper documentation for your pet, the customs officers have the right to detain the animal.  
Consequences may be: 

1. The animal will be placed in quarantine until it complies with the stated health regulations of that country;
2. The animal will be sent back to the country of origin. 

In the worst case -if quarantine and sending back are no option- the animal can be euthanised. If this occurs, all extra costs for this operation are billed to the owner of the pet.

What about the old passport / vaccine registration?
The EU-passport is obligatory for any dog or cat that travels to another country. The vet can register the valid vaccinations from your old registration book to the new passport. It is recommended to save the old registration book or pet passport.

Commercially kept pets
For the international transport of commercially kept dogs and cats there already exists harmonized regulations and demands (Guideline 92/65/EEG). The demands for noncommercially kept and commercially kept animals will be more or less the same. For example, the rabies vaccination is the same for both groups of pets. The rule that your pet needs to have had a clinical examination by a certified vet still exists. In the new EU-passport the vet can make all the required notes.

The Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) became operational on 28 February 2000. The scheme allows cats and dogs, meeting certain conditions, to enter the UK without having to undergo quarantine. You can find complete information on the British Embassy web site.

The general conditions of the PETS scheme:

• Only applies to pet cats and dogs
• Is limited to animals coming from countries and territories mentioned in the web site of the British Embassy.
• Will only operate on certain sea, air and rail routes to England

Pet cats and dogs will not be able to enter the UK under the PETS scheme unless they meet certain conditions. They must:
1. be fitted with a permanent number microchip;
2. have been vaccinated against rabies using an approved vaccine (and have booster vaccinations at the required intervals) in a qualifying country (see web site);
3. have been blood tested at a laboratory recognized by the British Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA, formerly MAFF) to show that the vaccine has been effective;
4. not be brought into the UK until at least six months from when the blood sample was taken.
5. be accompanied by a health certificate certifying the above requirements have been met and signed by a Government-authorised vet ;
6. have been treated for certain parasites and ticks to prevent a risk of potentially serious disease coming into the UK. This should take place 24 to 48 hours before the pet enters the UK. A certificate signed by your own vet certifying that these treatments have been given should accompany the pet.

You can also visit the PETS web site for more information and news.

The Netherlands:
There is currently a ban on Pitbull Terriers. However a proposal to include other breeds is currently going through the legal process and as yet has not been introduced. We will notify you as soon as we know.

Belgium:
The county of Quaregnon has effectively banned the rottweiler. They must be muzzled and are not permitted in public places such as Markets, festivals or sports events.

France:
Several breeds are now banned from importation this includes the Pitbull terrier but more notably for most travelers, all Staffordshire Bull terrier crosses or purebred dogs without papers. It does not apply to pedigree dogs i.e. dogs with Kennel club registration and documentation. This same ruling also applies to English mastiffs. All these breeds and also Rottweilers and any Rottweiler crosses must be muzzled and on a lead in all public places.

Spain, Portugal and Italy:
In all three countries there is a list of races that are seen as potentially dangerous. If your pet is a full-bred or half-bred of these races, it needs to be muzzled and on a lead in all public places. More information about which races are considered dangerous can be obtained from the embassies of those countries in your own country of residence.

Spain:
Officially it is not allowed to bring your pet to the beach in the whole of Spain. However, in practice we have noticed that the local people do not take these regulations very seriously on quiet beaches or during the low and mid season. As long as you don't bother other people and don't go to the popular and busy beaches! If you see Spanish people with their dog on a particular beach or stretch of beach, you can take a chance. But once again: it is not officially allowed!

Italy:
Pets are also not allowed on the majority of beaches in Italy. But we can mention a few exceptions to the rule:
Piombino (LI): near the slaughter house in the direction of Montevento.
Spiaggia Lunga (LI): just 100 meters from the famous Cala Moresca.
Baratti (LI): a small beach between Perla del Golfo and Il Pozzino.
Canaletto Beach: a small beach between Villa Freschi and Villa Hermite.
Perelli (LI): a 100 meter long beach of Porto di Torre and Follonica.
Marina di Grosseto (GR): in the direction of Castiglione della Pescaia the second parking lot on your left, there is a nice clean beach for wind surfers and dogs.

France:
In France there are no general regulations for dogs on the beach; each town can decide whether to accept pets or not. However, the majority of beaches do not allow dogs. We do not have a detailed list of the dog friendly beaches at the moment. We hope to compile a list of these beaches in the future!

If you have any information on dog friendly beaches, we would love to know! Your help is appreciated very much!