If you would like to bring your dog or cat to Ireland from Brazil you will require what is known as “Pet Passport”. Ireland, just like other EU countries are very strict when it comes to animal control, in part to ensure that diseases such as rabies are not introduced.
Unfortunately for those wanting to bring pets with them to Ireland the Irish government lists Brazil as a high-risk nation, meaning additional measures must be taken, including an animal blood test. In short we have a summary of what is required below:
Preparation / Before you leave Brazil
Before arriving in Ireland there are a few very important steps that must be undertaken in order to bring your furry friend over for a new life in Ireland. The processes below are all required and take time to complete, so plan ahead – months ahead! Failure to complete any of the below could result in your pet being placed in quarantine on arrival (where they will remain until fully compliant with EU Legislation – at your expense).
- Your pet must be microchipped: Your four legged friend must first be microchipped with an internationally compliant chip, and be readable by a device compatible with ISO standard 11785.
- Your pet must be vaccinated for rabies: A vaccination must be taken after your pet being microchipped. Your pet must be at least 12 weeks ago for such a vaccination and it must be from a government registered veterinarian. Another important rule is that the vaccination must have been given within 3 years prior to arriving to Ireland.
- You must have a successful animal blood test: A blood test must be taken at least 30 days after the vaccination. The blood test must be administered by your registered vet (the same vet who provided the vaccination) and sent to an EU-approved blood testing laboratory, such as the Instituto Pasteur in Sao Paulo (See here a full list). The results of the blood test must prove that the vaccination was successful. You then must wait for at least three months from the date of a successful result before your pet can travel to Ireland.
- EU Health Certificate: After a period of at least three months after a successful blood test your government licensed vet can provide you with the test results and also complete and sign an EU Health Certificate ( PT / EN). Once this is signed and dated by your vet you have a period of 10 days to arrive with your pet in Ireland. (A longer timeframe is valid if travelling by sea – for the expected duration of the journey)
- Tape worm treatment: All dogs coming from Brazil must have a tapeworm (Echinococcus multilocularis) treatment (dogs only, cats are exempt). The treatment must be given by a veterinarian not more than 120 hours (5 days) and not less than 24 hours (1 day), before the scheduled arrival time of the dog in Ireland.
- Arrange a compliance check:
Pets coming into Ireland from Brazil must enter through Dublin Airport
only and must also undergo pre-arranged compliance checks on arrival.
There is a fee for these compliance checks and you can arrange yours by
using the contact details from once of the agencies who carry out the
checks below.
- Lissenhall Vet. Hospital: Email: lissenhallvet@eircom.net. Phone: +353 1 8900375
- Vets Direct. Email: info@vetsdirect.ie, Phone: +353 87668 6278
- Complete the advance notice form: You can download the advance notice form here. Complete this form and email it to petmove@agriculture.gov.ie at least 24 hours in advance of travel. Doing so ensures an official can meet you on arrival and check your pet.
Booking your flights
Airlines vary when it comes to policy on animals on board. There is a useful website that lists various airline policy which you can see below, but the best advice we can give it to check directly with your airline ahead of booking your flight. Bear in mind also some airlines may charge you for each leg of your journey if there is a stopover or plane change during your trip to Ireland.
Upon arrival in Ireland
Pets coming into Ireland from Brazil by plane must enter through Dublin Airport only. Providing you have followed all the steps in advance such as completing the Advance Notice Form and arranging a compliance check you should have no problem is being able to collect your pet after immigration, whereby you can collect you pet for inspection at the airport.
Notice
The tips above are for the transportation of non commercial animals (dogs & cats only) from Brazil to Ireland. The procedure can vary for service/guide dogs and there is a limit of 5 pets per journey permitted. The information is a summary of the complete procedure which can be found on the Irish government website here.
Additional Resources
See some additional resources you might find useful below. Please note also that the information is sometimes confusing and even out of date on some of the websites below, so be sure to check with your airline and even Dublin Airport by phone in advance of your travel if you are unsure.
- https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/pets/bringingyourpetcatdogorferretintoireland/#Your
- https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/moving_country/moving_to_ireland/coming_to_live_in_ireland/bringing_pets_to_ireland.html
- https://ec.europa.eu/food/animals/pet-movement/eu-legislation/non-commercial-non-eu_en
