Pets in Italy

How to bring your pet to Italy

Although not exactly a nation of animal lovers, Italy is generally tolerant of pets, which are rarely restricted or banned from long-term rental or holiday accommodation (but check when renting an apartment).

The unpleasant aspect of Italy’s dog population is abundantly evident on the streets of Italian towns and cities, where dogs routinely leave their ‘calling cards’. You must always watch where you walk.

Most dog owners don’t take their pets on long country walks, but just to a local park or car park or simply let them loose in the streets to do their business. Poop-scoops must be used in some cities and towns, where you can be fined around €30 for not cleaning up after your dog, although most people ignore this law. Although it’s of little consolation, it’s supposedly good luck to tread in something unpleasant!

Importing Pets to Italy

If you plan to take a pet ( animale domestico) to Italy, it’s important to check the latest regulations. Make sure that you have the correct papers, not only for Italy, but for all the countries you will pass through. Particular consideration must be given before exporting a pet from a country with strict quarantine regulations, such as the UK; if you need to return prematurely, even after a few hours or days, your pet may need to go into quarantine, e.g. for six months in the UK.

However, on 28th March 2000, Britain introduced a pilot ‘Pet Travel Scheme (PETS)’, which has replaced quarantine for qualifying cats and dogs. Under the scheme, pets must be microchipped (they have a chip inserted in their neck) and vaccinated against rabies, undergo a blood test and be issued with a ‘health certificate’ (‘passport’).

Note that the PETS certificate isn’t issued until six months after the above have been carried out! Pets must also be checked for ticks and tapeworm 24 to 48 hours before embarkation on a plane or ship. With a passport, which must be kept up to date abroad, an animal can return to the UK without needing to be quarantined.

The scheme is restricted to animals imported from rabies-free countries and countries where rabies is under control – 22 European countries plus Bahrain, Canada and the US.

Quarantine for bringing pets to Italy

However, quarantine law remains in place for pets coming from Eastern Europe, Africa (including the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla), Asia and South America. To qualify, pets must travel by sea via Dover, Plymouth or Portsmouth, by train via the Channel Tunnel or via Gatwick or Heathrow airports (only certain carriers are licensed to carry animals).

Additional information is available from the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA (UK 0870-241 1710, www.defra.gov.uk). A passport costs pet owners around £200 (for a microchip, rabies vaccination and blood test), plus £60 per year for annual booster vaccinations and around £20 for a border check. Shop around and compare fees from a number of veterinary surgeons.

There’s no quarantine for pets arriving in Italy, but they need a health certificate (bilingual, Italian-English) issued by an approved veterinary surgeon. Dogs and cats need a rabies vaccination not less than 20 days or more than 11 months prior to the date of issue of the health certificate. Those aged under 12 weeks are exempt but must have a health certificate and a certificate stating that no cases of rabies have occurred for at least six months in the local area.

British owners must complete an Application for a Ministry Export Certificate for Dogs, Cats and Rabies Susceptible Animals (form EXA1), available from the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), Animal Health (International Trade) Area 201, 1A Page Street, London SW1P 4PQ, UK (0870-241 1710). An export health certificate is valid for 30 days. Animals may be examined at the Italian port of entry by a veterinary officer.

Transporting your pet

If you’re transporting a pet by ship or ferry, you should notify the shipping company. Some companies insist that pets are left in vehicles (if applicable), while others allow pets to be kept in cabins. If your pet is of nervous disposition or unused to travelling, it’s best to tranquillise it on a long sea crossing. Pets can also be transported by air.

Identification

At the age of three months, a dog must be registered at the local ‘dog bureau’ ( anagrafe canina) and some municipalities issue dog tags. Italian regulations require dogs to be tattooed on their body (not just their ear) as a means of registration, although a new microchip identification system is being introduced and will eventually replace tattooing. Tattooing must be done by a veterinary surgeon ( veterinari) or the local health authority ( unita santaria sanitaria locale), who do it for free.

Dogs and cats don’t need to wear identification discs in Italy and there’s no system of licensing (a dog tax was abolished because most people claimed their dogs were working animals and refused to pay it). However, it’s recommended to fit your dog with a collar and a tag containing your name, address and telephone number.

Lost dogs are taken to the local pound and may be put down if the owner cannot be found. All dogs must be kept on a leash and (if dangerous) muzzled in towns or on public transport, but not in the country. You must usually pay full fare on public transport for a dog that isn’t carried and large dogs may be prohibited from travelling on public transport.

Pet vaccinations in Italy

If you intend to live permanently in Italy, dogs should be vaccinated against certain diseases other than rabies, such as hepatitis, distemper and kennel cough, and cats immunised against feline gastro-enteritis and typhus. Pets should also be checked frequently for ticks and tapeworm.

There are a number of diseases and dangers for pets in Italy that aren’t found in most other European countries, including the fatal leishmaniasis (also called Mediterranean or sandfly disease), which can be prevented by using a spray such as DefendDog. Obtain advice about this and other diseases from a veterinary surgeon ( veterinario) on arrival in Italy.

Insurance & Welfare

Take extra care when walking your dog, as some have died after eating poisoned food, which is sometimes laid by hunters to control natural predators. Don’t let your dog far out of your sight or let it roam free, as dogs are often stolen or mistakenly shot by hunters.

Health insurance for pets is available from a number of insurance companies (vets’ fees are high in Italy) and it’s wise to have third-party insurance in case your pet bites someone or causes an accident. In areas where there are poisonous snakes, some owners keep anti-venom in their refrigerator (which must be changed annually).

The Ente Nazionale per la Protezione degli Animali (www.enpa.it) is the main organisation for animal welfare in Italy and it operates shelters for stray and abused animals, and inexpensive pet hospitals in many cities.