Published in 2025 / Updated in 2026
Many countries prohibit the import of kittens and puppies that are under 12-16 weeks of age and either unable to receive the necessary vaccinations or have not yet been vaccinated for 21 days at the time of travel.
Rules for importing kittens and puppies into the European Union
In those EU countries where the import of young animals is not prohibited, kittens and puppies must be imported if one of the following conditions is met:
- accompanied by a declaration (Regulation (EU) No 577/2013, Annex I, Part I)
- accompanied by their mother, from whose passport it can be established that the mother received a valid rabies vaccination before their birth
| Member State | Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 576/2013 | Article 11 of Regulation (EU) No 576/2013 | Articles 54 and 56 of Regulation (EU) 2020/688 |
| Austria | No | No | No |
| Belgium | No | No | No |
| Bulgaria | Yes | No | Yes |
| Croatia | Yes | No | Yes |
| Cyprus | No | No | No |
| Czechia | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Denmark | No | No | No |
| Estonia | Yes | No | Yes |
| Finland | Yes | No | No |
| France | No | No | No |
| Germany | No | No | No |
| Greece | No | No | No |
| Hungary | No | No | No |
| Ireland | No | No | No |
| Italy | No | No | No |
| Latvia | No | No | No |
| Lithuania | Yes | No | Yes |
| Luxembourg | Yes | No | No |
| Malta | No | No | No |
| Netherlands | No | No | No |
| Poland | No | No | No |
| Portugal | No | No | No |
| Romania | Yes | No | No |
| Slovakia | Yes | No | Yes |
| Slovenia | Yes | No | Yes |
| Spain | No | No | No |
| Sweden | No | No | No |
| EEA Member | |||
| Switzerland | Yes | Yes | No |
| Norway | No | No | No |
| Other Countries | |||
| United Kingdom (Northern Ireland) | No | No | No |
Rules for importing kittens and puppies to non-EU countries
| Argentina | allowed |
| Israel | You can import babies up to 4 months only from the UK, Japan, Cyprus and Oceania countries (Australia, Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Tonga, Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Samoa, American Samoa, Fiji, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Kiribati) |
| UAE | Banned |
| Serbia | Cubs may only be imported if they are travelling with their mother, who has received an up-to-date rabies vaccination before they are born. |
| Türkiye | allowed |
| Montenegro | allowed |
