Ireland Pet Import Requirements 2026: Dogs & Cats

Bringing a dog or cat to Ireland in 2026 falls into the easy category for international pet travel. Ireland is in Europe. Ireland does not routinely quarantine pets that arrive with complete paperwork.

Reviewed by Clifford Wilson, Founder of ClearToFly.pet. Compiled from official government and airline documentation. Last reviewed 2026-06-08.

Core pet import requirements for Ireland

Additional vaccinations required for Ireland

Beyond rabies, Ireland requires or recommends these vaccinations:

Required documents for Ireland

Plan to present the following at check-in and on arrival:

Restricted breeds in Ireland

These breeds face additional rules (muzzle requirements, registration, permits, or insurance) but are not outright banned:

Important notes on Ireland pet import

Follows EU Pet Travel Scheme. Mandatory 21-day waiting period after primary rabies vaccination before entry. Pets from non-listed third countries require a rabies titer test with a 3-month wait. Tapeworm treatment required for dogs 1-5 days before arrival. Ireland has restricted breeds under the Control of Dogs Regulations 1998 which must be muzzled and on a short leash in public. Maximum 5 pets per traveler.

Plan your pet's trip to Ireland

Use the ClearToFly Trip Planner to build a personalized checklist with exact deadlines for your route into Ireland. Compare carriers that fly your route on the airline pet policy directory, or get expert eyes on your paperwork with a Route Review.

Always verify Ireland pet import rules with the official source

Government pet import rules change without notice. Before booking flights, confirm requirements directly with the Ireland veterinary authority via the official source: https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/tracesnt/. We also recommend cross-referencing the USDA APHIS Pet Travel database for U.S.-origin pets.

Data last verified 2026-06-08 from EU TRACES. Country code: IE.