Moving a Pet to Ireland: Dog, Cat or Ferret
Your pet does not travel with the household shipment. This guide sets out what Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, the European Commission and GOV.UK say about an animal coming from Great Britain: the certificate that replaced the pet passport in April 2026, the tapeworm timing for dogs and the six places a pet may enter. The trip itself is booked separately.
A few short questions. Nothing is sent until you check and confirm.
What changes when a pet moves to Ireland with you?
A dog, cat or ferret crosses on its own papers, with you or with a person you name in writing, and never in the removal lorry. Ireland treats Great Britain as a third country for pets, so three things can move your dates: a certificate in place of a passport, a tapeworm treatment for dogs and a short list of entry points.
This site is an introduction service, not a removal firm. A removal company in our partner network picks up your enquiry. Assessing the load and quoting is its job, not ours.
The animal is booked on its own, with a specialist pet transport provider or by you. Describe it on the pet transport request form, and read moving abroad with a pet for the steps that hold in any country. What Irish customs asks of your belongings is on our customs and transfer of residence guide.
What does Ireland ask of a pet coming from Great Britain?
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) sets out the rules in an information note updated on 22 April 2026 (opens in a new window). From that date, an EU pet passport held by an owner resident in Great Britain is no longer valid for the trip, including one issued in an EU country or Northern Ireland before the date. That owner needs an animal health certificate instead.
Each animal must be microchipped before its rabies vaccination, which a vet gives. DAFM allows a tattoo instead of a chip only if it was applied before 3 July 2011. GOV.UK adds that the pet must be at least twelve weeks old to be vaccinated, with at least 21 full days to pass after the first vaccination.
DAFM says the same requirements apply to a pet coming back to Ireland from Great Britain, even if it was born in Ireland and holds an Irish-issued passport. A short holiday in England, Scotland or Wales can therefore trigger the full set of steps on the way home.
How do you get the animal health certificate, and how long does it last?
GOV.UK says to get the certificate from your vet (opens in a new window), and that an official veterinarian must sign it. Take proof of the microchip date and the vaccination history. If the pet still needs its first rabies vaccination, the certificate can be issued only after the 21 full days have passed.
The certificate allows entry into the EU for ten days after issue, with the issue date as day one, and a new one is needed for every trip from Great Britain. One certificate can list up to five pets. Your vet also gives you a declaration to sign, confirming that you will not sell or re-home the pet while abroad.
When must a dog be treated for tapeworm?
DAFM requires a vet to treat a dog against the Echinococcus multilocularis tapeworm 24 to 120 hours (one to five days) before it arrives in Ireland. GOV.UK says the same and gives an example: a dog treated at 1pm on Monday must land after 1pm on Tuesday and no later than 1pm on Saturday. The DAFM note sets this rule for dogs, and names no such treatment for cats or ferrets.
The product must contain praziquantel or an equivalent proven against that tapeworm, and be approved where it is given. GOV.UK lists what the vet records in the tapeworm section of the certificate: the product name and maker, the date and time of treatment, and the vet’s stamp and signature.
The way back is lighter. GOV.UK says a dog returning to Great Britain from Ireland needs no tapeworm treatment (opens in a new window) for that leg. DAFM adds that Britain’s entry rules have not changed and points owners to the GOV.UK guidance before they go.
Which airports and ports can a pet use to enter Ireland?
DAFM says pets may enter only through designated travellers’ points of entry. It names three airports, Dublin Airport, Shannon Airport and Cork Airport, and three ports: Dublin Port, Rosslare Port and the Port of Cork at Ringaskiddy. A flight or ferry that lands anywhere else is not a route for the animal. An address in Cork can use Cork Airport or Ringaskiddy, and our Cork guide covers the council side of a move there.
Pick the crossing around that list, not the other way round. Which of those ports a given sailing uses is a question for the ferry company, and whether a carrier takes animals is a question for the airline, so ask both before you pay for anything.
In its answer on pets returning from Great Britain, DAFM also mentions giving advance notification to the point of entry. The note gives no form or lead time, so ask the port or airport you have chosen, or write to DAFM’s live trade office at [email protected].
How do Great Britain and Northern Ireland differ for a pet?
This page follows a pet leaving England, Scotland or Wales. The European Commission’s listing of territories and non-EU countries (opens in a new window) (no date shown) notes that, under the Windsor Framework, its entry for the United Kingdom does not include Northern Ireland.
DAFM says the rules for travel to or from Northern Ireland have not changed. GOV.UK says an owner living in Northern Ireland can still enter the EU with an EU pet passport. A Great Britain resident cannot, even with a passport issued in Northern Ireland. Where the owner lives decides which papers count. A pet coming from the continent follows the EU steps instead, which our Europe to Ireland guide sets out from Citizens Information, and our guide to moving from Ireland to Europe reads what Irish Ferries asks of a pet on the way out.
The Commission’s page also states that a dog, cat or ferret from a listed country needs no rabies antibody blood test, and it lists the United Kingdom, without Northern Ireland. We did not open the regulation text behind it, so confirm that point with your vet.
How do the pet’s dates fit around your removal dates?
Your removal company agrees collection and delivery days with you. The animal’s calendar runs on its own clocks: 21 days after the first rabies vaccination, ten days for the certificate and one to five days for the tapeworm dose. Fix the landing day first, count back, and use the moving checklist for the household tasks.
GOV.UK lets another person take the pet if the trip is within five days of yours, to the same destination and with your signed permission. Only the owner named on the certificate can give it. That person carries the signed declaration and proof of your own travel dates. For a gap of more than five days, GOV.UK points to the Animal and Plant Health Agency helpline.
GOV.UK also sets a limit of five pets in a private vehicle on an EU trip, unless you are travelling to or training for an event or exporting commercially. Up to five pets may go with a foot passenger.
Common questions on taking a dog or cat from Great Britain to Ireland
Can I still use my pet passport to enter Ireland from Great Britain?
Not if you live in Great Britain.
DAFM says that since 22 April 2026 such an owner needs an animal health certificate, even if the passport was issued in the EU or Northern Ireland.
How long before landing in Ireland does a dog need tapeworm treatment?
DAFM and GOV.UK both say between 24 and 120 hours, or one to five days, before arrival.
A vet must give it and record it on the certificate.
How long does the health certificate last for the trip to Ireland?
GOV.UK says ten days for entry into the EU, counting the issue date as day one.
A fresh certificate is needed for each separate trip out of Great Britain.
Where can my pet enter Ireland?
DAFM lists Dublin Airport, Shannon Airport, Cork Airport, Dublin Port, Rosslare Port and the Port of Cork at Ringaskiddy.
A pet may not enter through any other airport or port.
Does a cat need tapeworm treatment before going to Ireland?
The DAFM note and GOV.UK name the treatment for dogs only.
Cats and ferrets still need the microchip, the rabies vaccination and the animal health certificate.
Pet details to include in your enquiry
Name the species, breed and age of the animal and give its chip and rabies vaccination dates. Then add your UK postcode, the Irish town you are moving to, your dates, the port or airport you plan to use and the person who will be with the animal.
About International Removals Companies
International Removals Companies is an enquiry and introduction service run by DATACONTEXT (UK) LTD, in partnership with AGM Group. We don't move goods ourselves: the removal company quotes for your move and carries it out, so check its credentials and terms before you book. Our service is free. Discuss the quotation and booking terms directly with the removal company.
- Email[email protected]
- In partnership withAGM Group (agm.group)