Questions about Pre-Travel Rabies Shots for Dogs

Name: Mirjana
Number of Pets: 1
Pet Type: Dog
Pet Breed: Miniature Fox Terrier
From: USA
To: Spain

Dear PetRelocation,

How soon before travel date should my dog get her dabbler shot? My understanding is that it should be at least 21 days before departure date, but my vet is telling me different. My dog got microchipped on 10/22/2014.

Thank you in advance.

Mirjana

Hi Mirjana,

Thanks for submitting a question to us -- we'd be happy to offer some information. When traveling from the United States to another country with a pet, the USDA website is a helpful tool to use.

According to the information you'll find here about bringing pets into Spain, 21 days must elapse after the rabies shot is administered before you can enter Spain (and this goes for other EU countries, as well). You'll find other details about the requirements along with the health certificate on this site, as well (feel free to share this info with your vet).

For general details about traveling with a pet, please take a look at our blog for a few tips. We like to recommend a few best practices to pet travelers, including choosing a pet-friendly airline, keeping your dog well-hydrated before the trip, and helping her to be acclimated to her travel crate before it's time to go.

Hopefully this is helpful to you! Please contact us if you think you'd like to hire some help with your move, and read some of our customer stories for more tips and anecdotes about pet travel. Thanks again for reaching out, and good luck!