The guidelines provided solely concern dogs, cats, and other pets arriving in Italy accompanying their owners or designated responsible individuals.
Generally, as a precaution, it is recommended to commence procedures well in advance of the planned departure date, considering that more complex procedures might require over 4 months.
General provisions
There are general provisions concerning all dogs, cats, and ferrets coming from both European Union (EU) and third countries:
- Dogs, cats, and ferrets must be identified by a microchip or a clearly readable tattoo if applied before July 3, 2011.
- It is prohibited to bring dogs, cats, and ferrets into Italy:
- younger than twelve weeks that haven’t been vaccinated against rabies;
- between twelve and sixteen weeks that, despite being vaccinated against rabies, do not meet the validity requirements stated in Annex III, point 2, letter e) of Regulation (EU) 576/2013 (the validity period of vaccination starts from the establishment of protective immunity, not less than twenty-one days after completing the vaccination protocol set by the manufacturer for the first vaccination and continues until the end of the period of protective immunity), and therefore are not yet protected against the disease.
Italy does not avail itself of exemptions to the obligation of rabies vaccinations for puppies, granted to Member States by Articles 7 and 11 of Regulation (EU) 576/2013.
- The maximum number of pets (dogs, cats, and ferrets) that can accompany the owner or authorized person on a single trip is five animals (Article 5, paragraph 1, Regulation (EU) 576/2013). In derogation and subject to certain conditions, the maximum number of pets (dogs, cats, and ferrets) may exceed five if the non-commercial movement is for participation in competitions, exhibitions, sports events, or training for such events (Article 5, paragraph 2, Regulation (EU) 576/2013). When the maximum number of pets (dogs, cats, and ferrets) exceeds five, and the conditions for the derogation are not met:
- If the animals come from an EU country, they must comply with the requirements prescribed by Regulation (EU) 2020/688 and Regulation (EU) 2021/403, and subsequent amendments, to be subject to veterinary checks provided for by Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council;
- if the animals come from a third country, they must comply with the requirements prescribed by Regulation (EU) 692/2020, Regulation (EU) 2021/403, and Regulation (EU) 2021/404, and subsequent amendments, to be subject to veterinary checks by the Border Control Posts (BCPs) provided for by Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
- Usually, the owner or authorized person should accompany the animal during the journey. However, for justified and documented reasons, the animal’s movement can occur up to five days before or after the owner’s or authorized person’s movement, or in a physically different location from the owner’s or authorized person’s location.
- For the introduction of pets into Italy, there is no requirement for preventive treatment against ticks and echinococcus.
Apart from the general provisions, different conditions apply depending on whether the animals come from EU Member States or third countries.
Dogs, cats, and ferrets from EU Countries
For animals coming from EU countries or from Andorra, Switzerland, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Greenland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, and the Vatican City State, additional requirements apply:
Passport
The animal must be accompanied by a European pet passport:
- conforming to the model provided by Part 1 of Annex III of EU Implementing Regulation 577/2013 for EU countries (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Hungary);
- conforming to the model provided by Part 3 of Annex III for Andorra, Switzerland, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Greenland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, and the Vatican City State;
- completed and issued by an authorized veterinarian in the country of origin; to obtain the passport, contact the Veterinary Services of the country of origin;
- containing the alphanumeric code of the microchip or tattoo and confirming the administration of rabies vaccination and, if applicable, an ongoing valid rabies vaccination.
A written declaration from the owner if a person authorized by the owner carries out the non-commercial movement of the animal on written delegation.
Rabies vaccination
The dog, cat, or ferret must be vaccinated against rabies by an authorized veterinarian in the country of origin (Annex III of EU Regulation 576/2013):
- the animal must be at least 12 weeks old at the time of vaccination;
- the vaccine administration must not precede the date of identification or microchip reading;
- the validity period of the vaccination starts from the 21st day after completing the vaccination protocol of the first vaccination, and each subsequent vaccination must be administered within the validity period of the previous one.
Dogs, cats, and ferrets from third Countries
In addition to the general provisions for dogs, cats, and ferrets from third countries, there are rules that vary depending on whether the country is included in the list prepared by the European Commission and published in Part 2 of Annex II to Regulation (EU) 577/2013. The list, constantly updated, can be consulted on the European Union website.
Third countries with favorable situations regarding rabies included in the list (Annex II, Part 2, of Regulation (EU) 577/2013)
Dogs, cats, and ferrets coming from these countries, identified by a microchip or a clearly readable tattoo applied before 07/03/2011, must be provided with a health certificate as per Annex IV of Regulation (EU) 577/2013, issued by an official veterinarian of the Competent Authority of the third country. The health certificate must attest to the rabies vaccination and, if applicable, an ongoing valid vaccination. For the rabies vaccination to be considered valid, it must be administered after the animal’s identification and in accordance with Annex III of Regulation (EU) 576/2013. In the case of the first rabies vaccination, at least 21 days must elapse before moving the animal.
Other third Countries
Dogs, cats, and ferrets identified by a microchip or a clearly readable tattoo applied before 07/03/2011 from other third countries must be provided with a health certificate as per Annex IV of Regulation (EU) 577/2013, issued by an official veterinarian of the Competent Authority of the third country. The certificate must attest, in addition to the rabies vaccination and, if applicable, an ongoing valid vaccination, to the successful execution (titre equal to or higher than 0.50 IU/ml) of the post-vaccination neutralizing antibody titration against the rabies virus.
This is a blood test that must be carried out at a laboratory recognized by the European Commission. The blood sample for titration must be taken at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination, and in case of a favorable titration outcome, the animal can only be moved after three months from the date of blood sampling.
It should be noted that antibody titration does not need to be renewed for animals that have been regularly revaccinated after titration without interrupting the vaccination protocol prescribed by the manufacturing laboratory.
Consult the list of recognized laboratories
Reintroduction from third Countries
For the reintroduction of pets into Italy after introduction into a third country, under Article 27, paragraph 1, letter b), the community passport as per Part 1 of Annex III of Regulation (EU) 577/2013 can also be used, where compliance with the provisions required for introduction from third countries is attested. In this case, regarding the execution, if required, of the antibody titration against the rabies virus, it is not necessary to respect the minimum three-month period for blood sampling, as indicated for introduction from third countries; however, this is provided that the community passport attests that the execution, with favorable outcomes (titre equal to or higher than 0.50 IU\ml), of the antibody titration occurred at a laboratory recognized by the European Commission before the animal’s departure from Italy.
The checks of non-commercially moved pets are carried out at the travelers’ point of entry.
Consult:
List of entry points for non-commercially moved pets
Last updated on July 18, 2023.
