Moving to Italy with Your Dog? Here’s What You Need to Know (Especially if You’re Coming from the UK)

Relocating to another country is a huge undertaking—and when you’re bringing kids and pets, the logistics can get overwhelming fast. Being organised is key to avoiding delays, unexpected expenses, or heartbreaking complications at the border.

If you’re planning to take your dog from a non-EU country (like the UK) to Italy, here’s a straightforward guide to help you through the process.

✅ Entry Requirements for Dogs Travelling to Italy from Non-EU Countries

1. Age: Your dog must be at least 12 weeks old.
2. Microchipping: This must be done before (or at the same time as) the rabies vaccination.
3. Rabies Vaccination:
   • First-time vaccinations must be given at least 21 days before travel.
   • Booster vaccinations are valid immediately—as long as they’re administered before the previous one expires.
   • Coming from a country where rabies is prevalent? You’ll also need a titler test, done 30 days after vaccination.
4. Health Certificate:
   • This must be issued by an Official Veterinarian (OV).
   • If your vet isn’t OV-certified, they can refer you to one.
5. Non-Commercial Declaration Form:
   • This confirms you’re not planning to sell or rehome your pet.
   • It must be completed within 10 days of entering Italy.
6. Travel Timing:
   • You must arrive within 5 days of your dog’s travel.
   • If not, it’s considered a commercial export and requires different paperwork (plus extra costs).
7. Number of Pets: You can bring up to five dogs per trip.

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Our Experience at the Channel Tunnel Pet Reception

We recently took our dog Olivo on a road trip to Italy, and the pet check-in process at the Channel Tunnel was surprisingly smooth.

Here’s how it went:

• They reviewed Olivo’s health certificate and scanned his microchip (you scan it yourself).
• After that, they stamped our documents and gave us a windscreen tag indicating our travel lane.
• Bonus: They handed us free poo bags and a handy little holder!

The pet reception is right next to duty free, so it feels a bit like being in an airport. You can browse, grab a coffee, or pick up snacks before your journey.

Pro tip: Be sure to queue up in your car at least an hour before your scheduled departure.

Facilities Nearby

Before boarding, there’s a “lounge” area with:

• Toilets
• Cafés and fast food
• WHSmith
• And plenty of space for a stretch!

Want to see how the journey looked for us? Check out part one of our road trip here:
👉 Road Trip Part 1

Road trip part 1