Lanzarote Relocation

When you are planning to start your new life in Lanzarote, many of you will have pets that you wish to bring with you.

We are often asked about the legislation regarding this… so we hope the following information will help you.

Pet Passport

First of all, your pet MUST have a pet passport. This documentation can be gained from your vet, and will provide proof that your fluffy friend is fully innoculated, and that it has a clean bill of health. This includes, rabies… nd tick and tapeworm treatment.

Microchip

According to Spanish law, all animals entering spain must be microchipped before entering the country. If you are flying your companion over, then this is all you need to worry about (as well as the pet passport obviously), but if you are driving down… then you MUST check the rules for every country you pass through during your journey too.

Rabies

If you are accompanying your pet direct from then UK to Lanzarote then it is not compulsory to have your pet vaccinated against rabies. However in all other circumstances it is mandatory. The vaccination should be dated between one month before travel, and twelve months before travel.

Certificado de Origen y Sanidad

This is a certificate that lists the owners’ details, description of the pet, microchip information, plus when and where your pet was chipped. You can get a copy of this form from the Spanish consulate.

British Regulations

The Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) – replaced quarantine for qualifying cats and dogs ion the year 2000. Under PETS, animals must be micro-chipped, vaccinated against rabies, undergo a blood test and be issued with a health certificate (passport). Note that the PETS certificate/ EU pet passport often isn’t issued until six months after all the above has been carried out – so you MUST plan ahead for this… or your little pal may not be able to accompany you! In Britain, these passports are doled out by Local Veterinary Inspectors only. In other EU countries, then any registered vets can issue them.

The relaxation of the rules regarding this is confined to pets from rabies-free countries and/or countries where rabies is fully under control (at time of press, these are just over 20 European countries, Bahrain, Canada and the US). However, quarantine is still mandatory for pets coming from other parts of the world. To qualify, pets MUST travel by the following methods:

• Travel by sea via any major British ferry port
• By train via the Channel Tunnel
• Or via Bristol, Doncaster, London Gatwick, London Heathrow or Manchester airports.

Only certain carriers are licensed to carry animals and these can be found by contacting the DEFRA website…. or the IATA website.  If in doubt, contact DEFRA direct on o870-241 1710.

British pet owners must complete an Application for a Ministry Export Certificate for dogs, cats and rabies susceptible animals (form EXA1), available from DEFRA at the above address. DEFRA contacts the vet you’ve named on the form and he performs a health inspection. You then receive an export health certificate, which must be issued no more than 30 days before your entry into Spain with your pet..

PLEASE NOTE THAT DEFRA RULES FOR TAKING PETS BACK TO THE UK CHANGED IN 2011 – MORE INFORMATION ON THIS LINK: http://www.lanzaroterelocation.co.uk/defra-announces-changes-in-pet-travel-into-the-uk/

When you arrive

There are a number of animal diseases that are not in the UK and Ireland – so make sure you speak to a Lanzarote Vet as soon as you arrive to ensure that your pet is protected against these nasties.

Please do take care when walking your dogs, or allowing your pets to roam – as there have been a number of cases of pets being poison laid down either for other uses, or by unscrupulous characters. Poisoned bait is distributed in a number of areas by hunters and poachers to cull natural predators… and is also used by some to keep down the feral cat population – so be constantly aware of where your pet is at all times, and watch what they eat!!

Dogs

All dog owners are required to register their dogs and have them microchipped. There are fines for owners who don’t have their dogs registered. Indeed when we first had Guido and were chatting to a couple of Guardia… they asked about his information and pet passport. As responsible dog owners we had everything needed – and we advise you to do the same. Irrespective of whether your dog is micro-chipped, it’s a good idea to give them a collar and tag with your phone number on it, in case your pet gets out and is lost. We never had the pet’s name on the tag… as they could be more easily re-adopted… and lost to you forever. We have also heard that it’s a good idea to have the word “Recompensa” (reward) engraved on the tag – as people may be more likely to return your fluffy pal.

All municipalities have rules ( ordenanzas) regarding the keeping of dogs, so do check with your local authority for the rules specific to your area. In public areas, a dog must be kept on a lead (and muzzled if dangerous) – despite what you may see wandering about off a leash. Dogs are prohibited from places where food is sold, manufactured or stored… from sports and cultural events and are also banned from beaches. We would be interested to know if this applies to ALL beaches in Lanzarote – so if anyone can shed light on this, we’d be grateful.

Spain has introduced legislation for dangerous dogs with strict regulations regarding the ownership of such dogs. Under the legislation there are eight breeds defined as ‘dangerous’: Akita, American Staffordshire Terrier, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Japanese Tosa, Pit Bull, Rottweiler and Staffordshire Bull Terrier. ‘Dangerous’ breeds also include dogs that have all or most of the following characteristics: a strong and powerful appearance; a strong character; short hair; shoulder height between 50 and 70 cm and a weight of over 20kg (44lb); square and robust head with large jaws; wide and short neck; broad and deep chest; robust fore legs and muscular hind legs. If in doubt – please speak to DEFRA… or your vet as soon as possible – to avoid your dog being confiscated and possibly euthanised.

You can obtain the license from your municipality offices. The registered owner must be over 18, and have no criminal record. The owner must also have some  psychological and physical tests and have compulsory third party insurance for €120,000. A ‘dangerous’ dog must be muzzled and on a lead no longer than two metres in public areas. In private areas, if the dog isn’t securely enclosed, it must be muzzled.

The psychological tests are carried out in Spanish, so if you are not fluent – you will need to take a translator with you. The insurance can often be added to your House Insurance by your existing company, or you can use a company such as Mapfre, who will organise this for a cost of around €120 per year.

The license needs to be renewed every year at the vets. The tests are not carried out o often – we are led to believe that it is about every 5 years for those.

Don’t think that you can bypass this law – as you will have to sign a declaration when your pet is brought into Lanzarote. This declaration is then passed on to your local municipality – who then give you one month to fully comply.

Much of this information provided about dangerous dogs has come via the lovely Paul and Sally from www.saillanzarote.com who have said they are happy for you to contact them direct if you have any questions. We have met their dog (Moby), who is the soppiest Staffie ever… but who still had to meet all requirements.

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