The EU has established uniform animal health rules for the movement of dogs, cats, and ferrets
The EU has established uniform animal health rules for the movement of dogs, cats, and ferrets. Although these animals may be kept in establishments like breeding centres and animal shelters, the majority are kept as pets in private homes.
To protect the health of these animals and prevent the transmission of diseases to humans, the EU has put in place rules targeting the control of certain animal diseases such as rabies and echinococcosis (infestation by Echinococcus multilocularis, a species of tapeworm affecting wild and domestic canidae).
These rules are laid down in Regulation (EU) 2016/429 on transmissible animal diseases (‘Animal Health Law’) and its delegated and implementing acts.
When dogs, cats, and ferrets travel with their owners (non-commercial movements, which do not aim at sale or transfer of ownership of the animals) the applicable rules are laid down in Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131 on animal health requirements for non-commercial movement of pet animals.
