Moving your pet to Spain should feel exciting, not stressful. Pets in Transit takes care of the entire process—health certificates, travel arrangements, and all the paperwork—so your dog, cat, or other companion can travel safely and comfortably. We’ll walk you through Spain’s specific entry rules, work directly with veterinarians, and keep you updated every step of the way. With our dedicated team managing the details, you can focus on settling into your new life while your pet enjoys a smooth and worry-free journey to their new home.
Once you approve our proposal, we’ll connect with your veterinarian to collect vaccination records and health details. Our team carefully checks each document against Spain’s entry rules, flagging anything that may need updating before we move forward.
Spain has strict requirements for pets entering the country, so we’ll make sure every detail is in order. From confirming microchips to scheduling EU health certificate appointments, we’ll handle the prep so that all your paperwork is accurate, compliant, and travel-ready.
With documents squared away, we’ll secure the most pet-friendly flight plan into Spain. We work closely with trusted airlines and their cargo teams to ensure your pet’s route prioritizes safety, comfort, and minimal stress.
Before takeoff, we’ll send you a clear itinerary that includes flight details, check-in instructions, and pick-up/drop-off times. You’ll always know exactly what to expect, giving you peace of mind throughout the journey.
No matter where you’re located in Spain, we offer flexible pick-up options—from your home to your vet or the airport. Our trained handlers provide gentle care during transport and check-in to help your pet stay calm and comfortable.
At Pets in Transit, we keep you connected every step of the way. From check-in through flight tracking and arrival in Spain, you’ll receive timely updates so you never have to wonder where your pet is or how they’re doing.
Once your pet arrives safely in Spain, we’ll manage customs clearance and any necessary quarantine steps. From there, we’ll arrange safe delivery directly to your new home to make your pet’s relocation smooth and stress-free.
Relocating your pet to Spain means navigating a checklist of health, identification, and travel requirements. Spain follows strict EU regulations for dogs, cats, and ferrets, particularly for pets arriving from non-EU countries like the United States. At Pets in Transit, we guide you step by step to make sure your pet arrives safe, healthy, and ready to settle into their new home. Here’s what to expect:
Before traveling, your pet must have a working ISO 11784/11785-compliant microchip. The chip must be implanted before your pet’s rabies vaccination, and your vet must scan it each time a vaccine is given.
If your pet’s microchip is not ISO-compliant, you’ll need either a second ISO-compliant chip implanted or you’ll need to travel with your own scanner. Our team helps confirm compliance and coordinates microchipping as needed.
Note: ISO-compliant chips are usually 15 digits long. Always double-check with your vet or the chip manufacturer to ensure international compatibility.
Most pets entering Spain from the U.S. do not need to be quarantined as long as all requirements are met. However, incomplete paperwork or visible signs of illness on arrival can trigger inspections or quarantine at the owner’s expense. Pets in Transit will help you minimize these risks.
Spain requires a valid rabies vaccination administered after the microchip is implanted. Pets must wait at least 21 days (or longer, if required by the vaccine manufacturer) before entering Spain.
Here are the rules for rabies vaccinations in Spain, according to the USDA website.
“Primary” Rabies Vaccination (h4)
“Booster” Rabies Vaccination (h4)
Pets traveling from the U.S. to Spain need an EU veterinary health certificate completed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian. The certificate must be:
We’ll schedule vet visits, prepare documents through VEHCS, and manage USDA endorsement so your paperwork is accurate and approved on time.
All pets must travel in an IATA-compliant crate that meets strict standards for ventilation, durability, and size. We can help you select the correct crate—or build a custom one if needed—to ensure safety and comfort on the journey. We also book flights with airlines experienced in pet transport to Spain.
Spain does not enforce nationwide breed bans, but some airlines may restrict certain breeds. We’ll review available flight options, weather risks, and transit routes to design the safest possible journey for your pet.
EXCELLENT Based on 18 reviews Vignesh Rajagopal2024-11-07Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Loved working with Ted for my move from the US to Germany with my dog. Great, professional, prompt, knowledgeable. And very patient with all my questions! Thank you so much!!! Ross Schneider2024-10-30Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Ted was a lifesaver. After not hearing back from several agencies in a timely manner, I was made aware of Pets in Transit. After contacting them, Ted reached out in less than an hour to discuss my situation. I was leaving for Germany in less than 10 days and still had no one lined up to ship my dog. In less than a day, Ted had a plan for us to get him there the same day and time as me. After I had agreed to their services, I started to hear back from some of the other agencies I contacted, and their prices were, in some cases, thousands more than what I paid Ted. From handling the paperwork, to answering all of my questions, Ted was a rockstar, and I don’t know what I would’ve done without his help. Ted really brought a lot of relief to me during one of the most stressful times of my life, and for that, I will be forever grateful. I highly recommend them and their services. Dave Miller2024-10-20Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We traveled from Minnesota to Germany with our three Corgis this summer. We had flown with the older dog before the pandemic and had experience with shipping a dog in Cargo, but this was another level of complexity post-pandemic when MSP airport had just restarted processing animals a few weeks before we flew. Last time, we booked transport ourselves with the airline, but we needed an experienced company to ship three dogs this time and were very fortunate to find Ted Castro and Pets in Transit. Ted helped us at each step of the process, gave us clear information, and responded to calls or texts at all hours. He is also very flexible with backup plans when things change - like too hot to fly and last minute complications with our own transit plans in Europe. Ted rebooked our pups out of Chicago direct to Frankfurt and sent his courier to pick up them and our three kennels. That allowed us to fly out as planned then collect the dogs when they arrived the day after we got to Germany. Ted’s vet took over final certifications for the dogs. Dottie, Malley and Toffee all arrived in good health and good spirits despite their 6 hour van ride and 8 hour flight! Moving three dogs was not cheap, but Pets in Transit’s costs were very fair (lower than other big pet movers) and the personal touch and peace of mind was worth every penny! We wholeheartedly recommend you work with Ted when your pet needs to fly! angelo kollias2024-10-01Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Phenomenal service. He cares about animals a lot. He transported my two dogs and he did an outstanding job. He always answered my questions without any hesitation. He made sure my French Bulldogs got the safest flight since it’s a breed with breathing issues and flight restrictions. His prices are also real real good. Best services and prices around. Jetta Chung2024-04-16Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I recently had the pleasure of working with Ted from Pets in Transit for an international move of our beloved 12lb Shiba Inu puppy, Daisy, from Chicago to Dubai. From the onset, Ted was professional and attentive to the specific needs of our Daisy's travel. He demonstrated knowledge and experience with international pet travel regulations, which made us feel confident and relieved knowing Daisy was in capable hands. Ted kept us updated throughout her journey, which greatly eased our anxiety about her well-being during such a long trip. I am so grateful to Ted and the entire team at Pets in Transit for their exceptional service. If you are looking for a reliable and compassionate pet relocation service, I highly recommend Pets in Transit. Thank you, Ted, for making Daisy's move smooth and stress-free! Dillon McCann2024-01-30Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Ted and his team went above and beyond to help my family in our move! Pets in Transit helped us move our 120lb lab/mastiff mix overseas from Chicago and gave us the peace of mind we needed during the hectic process, without any issues. My dog was picked up from our home, boarded for 2 days to help alleviate stress on us (Ted provided us with pictures each day so we knew how our dog was doing), we were able to purchase a GIANT kennel at a much cheaper rate than anywhere else, and he was brought to a USDA facility to make sure everything was good to go for us. Fast forward to 7 months later; I had a vet appointment for my dog and I somehow misplaced my USDA documents from the move. Ted responded in no time with copies that he had kept on file! Thank you and your team so much for the help Ted. 10/10 Rolando Santos2023-12-21Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Ted was very helpful in clearing my two cats when they were transported from the UAE to Chicago. He was very prompt in answering questions and even went ahead of time to the airport to ensure that he completed the clearance process asap. He kept me updated all throughout the process by sending me pictures of the cats and messaging me as soon as there was an update. When he brought my cats to their vet, he and his team cleaned up my cats and gave them food. When the cats arrived at our house, they smell so pleasant it's as if they came from grooming. Pets in Transit is amazing! Tatiana Balaguera vanegas2023-10-25Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. El señor Ted es una excelente persona, siempre estuvo en contacto con nosotros, muy pendiente de Max y de combi! Súper recomendado Shalini Sivaram2023-06-15Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Exceptional service! Ted and his team provided us a great service, receiving our pet kitty Bella from Chicago and bringing to our home all safe and comfy. They have updated us with the photos of kitty's night stay too. Highly recommended by us and our kitty Bella Marie McDonough2023-05-02Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Will be using Ted AGAIN to move my pet. Professional, promt, and friendly. He is able to navigate rules regs and takes WONDERFUL care of our pet. Thank you
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