Bringing a dog from Spain to Ireland

dermo f

Hi

My girlfriend has just rescued a dog in a bad condition in spain where she is on holidays.
She is now going to try and bring it back to Ireland.
Has anybody ever done this?
I think it will have to get it's shots etc and passport and I think will have to go into quartine in Spain for a few months? Do they put them into quartine when the dog comes to Ireland also?
Has anybody any idea of what this could cost getting it here including passport, quartine and flight costs etc?

Any help would be very much appreciated

peasant

Fair play to your girlfriend for not looking away!

However, it is going to be very difficult and expensive to get the dog to Ireland. In order to get its pet travel passport and all the shots and tests required, there will be a six month waiting period.
Who will look after the dog during that time and make sure that everything is done properly? Who will pay for it all?
Transport won't be cheap either. There are only a few select airlines that tansport dogs and the price is exorbitant.

It might be the better solution for your girlfriend and the dog to just find a good rescue in Spain and leave the dog there to be re-homed in Spain.


There is another issue to be considered as well. Dogs from the mediterranean are hosts/carriers of several debilitating diseases (leishmanosis, brucellosis) and parasites that are so far unknown in Ireland. Some of those don't show up until later in life and can be very difficult and expensive to treat.

Even if the dog itself doesn't get sick from one of those illnesses, as a carrier it could infect other dogs here that have no defense/immunity to those illnesses.

In short (and I know this sounds cruel), I think the dog is best left where it is.
Hopefully your gf can find a good rescue out there and leave the dog in capable hands and maybe give them a donation to help care for the dog.
It's what I would do.

Vel

Why doesn't your girlfriend try to contact a local animal rescue over there to see if they can help with the dog as has been suggested, although the animal welfare problem is pretty dire over there, worse than here so they may all be full. Quite a lot of Spanish dogs are rehomed in the UK so it can be done. I also know of someone like your girlfriend who helped a dog in Greece. He found somewhere to board it for the 6 months, went through the passport process and the dog is now living here happily.

It won't be easy but it CAN be done if she really wants to, which I hope she does.

wexford202

Pets do not need passports in any country. The countries that come close to rules which almost make you think of a passport for pets are United Kingdom and European Union. But yes in most of the countries you need a certificate from a qualified veterinarian stating that your dog, cat or any other pet is healthy and not carrying any deadly disease or virus like rabies. Your pet should be vaccinated 30 days before the date of travel.

In UK and EU you also have to get your pets microchipped. It means that they have to go through a process where the animal is injected with a tiny capsule which is about the size of a rice grain. If you do not have a certificate of rabies vaccination and good health then your pet would be quarantined for six months in a facility. If you want to find out more about these things then check out the website atwww.millenialiving.com. There are also several other sites which can give you about the travel rules and regulations for pets

cosnochta

wexford202 wrote: »

Pets do not need passports in any country.

You can have an EU pet passport which covers your animal if they're travelling within the EU. It can a lengthy and costly process though. Further details can be found here:

http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/liveanimals/pets/qanda_en.htm

Best of luck to your girlfriend and the lucky dog.

MoonDancer256

http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/pets/importrulesforqualifyingcountries/

Under the Importation of Dogs and Cats Order, 1929 - 1970, all dogs and cats originating in countries other than Great Britain, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, are subject to an import licence and must undergo a period of at least six months' detention and isolation in an approved quarantine premises on arrival in Ireland and be subject to one anti-rabies vaccination during quarantine.

Details for the approved public quarantine premises are as follows:

Lissenhall Quarantine Kennels and Catteries
Lissenhall
Swords
Co Dublin

Tel: +353 1 890 0375
Email: Lissenhallvet@eircom.net
Fax: +353 1 840 9338.

Details of costs and other arrangements can be obtained directly from Lissenhall.

wexford202

To get a licence to bring the dog over is not too much hassle.

It will need to be microchipped, treated for worms 48 hours before he leaves greece but he will have to get his bloods done for a rabies check. That is where you will be caught as it takes 6 months for the all clear to be given for that test.

If you paid for these tests and maybe sponsored the dog in the kennels for the six months you would then be able to bring him over.

One other option that some countries do allow is that you get the dog vaccined against rabies bring him over and then quarantine him in Ireland for the six months. There used to be only one place in swords that was registered for this type of quarantine but at least the dog would be over here sooner than later.

dermo f

Thanks very much for all the replies. I have passed on the news to her.
The reason why she is reluctant to rehome it, is that it was a staffy cross Lab bred in it and she is worried incase itwould be used for the wrong reasons even though she says it's as quiet as a lamb.
I think it is going to cost around €20 / week to keep it in quarantine there, so we can afford that. The thing we are worried about is the cost of getting it to Ireland. She says it only weighs 9kg but it is a big enough dog. Does anybody have an idea of what it might cost? What airlines do this? All the info is greatly appreciated.
Thanks again
Dermo

wexford202

My parents used www.airsea.ie when bringing pets.

They will do it by air or sea

You just fill in details online and they will get back to you with a quotation to give you an idea. I have no idea how much it costs but it does go through Dublin airport cargo section so you could ring there either. Make sure to post a picture when you get it over here.

What a luck doggie.