When taking a pet from an EU country or from non-EU countries into Portugal, the EU rules apply.  This requires vaccination against rabies to be documented in the pet passport or the animal health certificate.  This is the sole requirement for dogs, cats and ferrets to travel across EU borders, with certain exceptions. Pets brought to Portugal must have a microchip implanted linking to a pet passport.  This is the only form of identification acceptable and must be implanted before the rabies vaccination is administered.

All pets must have a Rabies Certificate signed by a vet and pets need to be at least 12 weeks old to be given a rabies vaccination.  You will then have to wait 21 days before you can take your pet to Portugal.   Pets can travel to Portugal if they have a current one-year vaccination (a primary vaccine) and they can also travel with a 3 year vaccine provided it has been administered less than a year before travel.   Where you are coming from an ‘unlisted country’ it will also be necessary for the pet to have a blood test.

Pet owners must arrive within five days of their pet, otherwise it will be treated as a commercial move, which will involve additional costs and different regulations. Pets must arrive in Portugal through Lisbon, Oporto, Faro, Funchal, Ponta Delgada, or Terceira Island.

When the UK was a member of the EU, if you were taking a pet to Portugal and back again you could do so without them having to go into quarantine, provided that they had a pet passport and were microchipped.  However, from 1 January 2021 pet passports are no longer valid for pets from the UK. The EU has agreed that Great Britain should be given “part two listed” status, allowing pets to travel within its borders providing the owners obtain an animal health certificate (AHC), which confirms that your pet has been microchipped and vaccinated against rabies. A new certificate will have to be obtained from your vet each time you travel with your pet within 10 days of the date you travel. The document is valid for four months, for a single trip into the EU, onward travel within the EU and for re-entry to Great Britain.

UK citizens resident in the EU - If you live in the EU and have a pet passport issued by an EU member state, it can be used to take your pet to the UK. You will also be able to use the EU-issued pet passport to return to the EU as well.

Requirements for pets from Non-EU Countries - Dogs, cats and ferrets entering France from non-EU countries must be accompanied by a health certificate completed by a veterinarian within ten days from the date of travel. Exceptions to this requirement are animals from Andorra, Croatia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, and The Vatican.

Permits are required for birds, especially members of the parrot family. Pets are subject to the payment of duties on their own value, plus insurance and freight. The duty is about eight per cent of the aggregate value of the animal, plus insurance and freight. There are no quarantine requirements.

Pet Transport – Whether you decide to drive yourself and your pets to Portugal, fly them or use a reputable pet Transport Company, it is essential that you have all the correct paperwork in advance and within the right timescales, as mentioned above. If needed, we do have a list of regulated Pet Transporters that we can put you in touch with.

Once in Portugal - from 25th October 2019, it is mandatory for all owners of pet dogs, cats, and ferrets to register their pets to a new single database, at a cost of €2.50 per pet. In addition to identifying the animal, the new database will contain information about the owner and data about vaccines.

Registration on the new Pet Information System is mandatory, and anyone who fails to comply with the law risks paying fines. Also, from 28th of October 2019 all owners of cats, dogs and ferrets are required to have them chipped and the period in which this must be completed depends on breed and age.

The registrations will be done in the new database SIAC (Sistema de Identificação de Animais de Companhia.) This is a Pet Information System that integrates the SICAFE and SIRA databases which is available to everyone, from veterinarians to pet owners. This obligation will help prevent animal abandonment and reunite lost or found pets with their owners.

Places dogs are not allowed - By law, dogs are forbidden in the following places in Portugal:

Public buildings

Public transport

Restaurants

Some beaches or at certain times of the year

While for other forms of public transport in Portugal there is a ban on dogs, this does not apply for trains and buses, but they must wear a muzzle. Guide dogs, of course, are exempt from these restrictions.

What diseases and precautions are necessary for your pet in Portugal -

• Leishmaniasis is a disease that mainly affects domestic dogs. In humans, it is called Kala-Azar which is the Indian for black fever. It is carried by a small, yellow sand fly that resembles a mosquito. Typically, the fly bites the dog's exposed skin (nose and ears). Dogs can incubate Leishmaniasis for over a year before displaying symptoms, which vary from dog to dog. One clue is when the hair around a dog's eyes drops out and claws grow abnormally. Infected animals will lose weight, become anaemic and often display symptoms of renal failure. There are products (available from vets) that can protect against the bite if applied regularly and should be used to protect against this disease from spring to autumn when the risk is highest.
• The Processionary Pine Caterpillar (Thaumetopoea pityocampa) is usually three to four centimetres long, brown and hairy. The Portuguese for caterpillar is lagarta. At the start of spring, the caterpillars come out of round, white, fuzzy nests built in pine trees (normally property owners will burn these nests if they see them) and travel down the tree and across the ground in single file, sometimes stopping in writhing circles. This phenomenon will continue well into the summer. These caterpillars are extremely dangerous as they "burn" the flesh of any animal, child or person that touches them. A small animal can die from the burn on contact. If a pet comes in contact with these caterpillars it is advisable to seek veterinary assistance immediately.
• Heartworm disease (Dirofilaria immitis) is caused by a parasite carried and transmitted in its larvae stage by mosquitoes. Once the larvae mature, the adult worms reside in the pulmonary arteries (blood vessels in the lungs), and cause blockages, inflammation, and damage to blood vessels. While most commonly found in cats and dogs, other species can be infected. The infection cannot be detected during the six first months with no signs of infection usually apparent until the worms mature. Symptoms include coughing, exhaustion, severe weight loss and fainting. Cats may also get pneumonia-like symptoms, diarrhoea and may vomit. The disease is not easy to treat and can be fatal; however early diagnosis may result in full recovery. Prevention is preferable and a pet can be protected from infection with the use of anti-mosquito drops and collar treatments.
• Ticks - As in most hot country’s ticks can be a serious problem for cats and dogs and not only do they spread disease, but they can cause serious discomfort to the animal. Two of the most common diseases are Babesiosis and Ehrlichiosis. Take advice from the local vet to ensure that your pet is adequately protected. Drops and collars are available for preventative treatments.

Veterinarians - There are numerous veterinaries across the Algarve and most speak exceptionally good English. It is advisable to get to know your vet in the local area you are staying in so that they in turn can get to know you and your pet. It is also worth making a note of the nearest 24-hour emergency vets as there is not one in every town.

Pet food Stores (Raçoes) – there are many places where pet food can be purchased, including your vets especially if your pet needs a special diet. Supermarkets do sell a good range of dog, cat, rabbit, bird food etc but there are also the local feed merchants which sell feeds for dogs as well as all farmyard animals. They tend to be in larger sized bags and can be considerably cheaper than the supermarkets, depending on whether you are looking for a specific well-known brand or happy to start using the local Portuguese brands.

There are also shops allocated for pet accessories for example bedding, housing, toys etc and these are located across the Algarve and can be found at Shopping Malls or Commercial centres.

Now you have all the information you need, we hope you and your furry friends enjoy Portugal to the full.