Traveling to Luxembourg with your pet
When you're planning a trip to Luxembourg with your furry or feathered friend, there are some essential regulations you should be aware of. This article will break down these rules in a more accessible way.
Bringing your pet to Luxembourg from a non-EU country
If you're entering Luxembourg from a non-EU country with pets like dogs, cats, ferrets, or horses, there are specific requirements to meet. Your pets should be appropriately identified, either through a microchip implanted beneath their skin or a pre-2011 tattoo. They also need up-to-date primary and booster rabies vaccinations. Moreover, a rabies antibody test must be conducted at an EU-approved lab at least 30 days after vaccination.
In addition to these steps, make sure you have the original health certificate from a veterinarian in your home country. This certificate must be presented along with proof of rabies vaccination or included in your pet's passport for antibody testing when you enter the EU. If antibody testing isn't available, your pet may face quarantine upon arrival.
For pet birds, you'll need a health certificate and a statement from the owner or their representative. The bird must meet certain conditions, including isolation or vaccination against avian influenza, as well as testing negative for H5N1 virus through a PCR test, if applicable. However, these requirements don't apply to birds from specific countries.
For pets coming to Luxembourg from the EU
When traveling within the EU with dogs, cats, and ferrets over three months old, you'll need to:
- ensure they are microchipped for identification;
- vaccinate them against rabies following the vaccine manufacturer's recommendations. The first vaccine dose is valid 21 days after completing the vaccination protocol;
- carry a European passport indicating their identity and rabies vaccination;
- for pets under three months without rabies vaccination, you should have a declaration from the owner stating that the animal hasn't been in contact with potentially rabies-contaminated animals and has only been at its birthplace, or that it's accompanied by its mother.
Bringing other small pets in Luxembourg
You can also bring domestic rodents, rabbits, aviary birds, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, and decorative tropical fish from an EU country into Luxembourg. However, they must have a health certificate issued by an approved veterinarian confirming their good health and absence of specific diseases within 48 hours before departure.
Limit on imported animals in Luxembourg
Each traveler can bring up to five animals in total. If you're traveling with five or fewer animals, the entry point will check their identities and documentation. But if you have more than five animals, veterinary services will conduct inspections at a designated border inspection post.
Animal identification and registration in Luxembourg
In Luxembourg, dogs need to have a microchip for identification, which should be done by an approved veterinarian. The owner covers the associated costs. Cats and ferrets can also be identified using a microchip or an acceptable tattoo if it meets the criteria. This applies to travel within the EU. Additionally, dog owners must register their pets with the local authorities in their municipality and update the registration if they move to a new area.
Useful links:
For more information, you can visit the following websites:
Veterinary Services Administration (ASV): https://agriculture.public.lu/de.html
Customs administration: www.do.etat.lu
Commission européenne ' Laboratoires agréés par l'Union Européenne pour le titrage sérique des anticorps antirabiques: ec.europa.eu
Association of Veterinary Surgeons of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg: https://www.lak.lu/fr
