Bringing a dog or cat back from abroad: What are the rules?

Verified 15 July 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

If you are planning to bring a cat or dog back from abroad, the animal should be tagged with a microchip or tattoo and vaccinated against rabies. You must have a European pet passport to his name. Depending on the country of origin, it may have been subject to other health measures. We will detail these different rules.

The attack dogs of 1re category are totally prohibited from introduction in France, even if only to cross France. The dogs concerned are the dogs from crossings morphologically comparable to dogs of the following breeds:

  • American Staffordshire terrier, commonly known as pit bulls
  • Mastiff, commonly called boerbulls
  • Tosa.

The introduction of a guard and defense dog of 2e category is possible provided that you respect the regulation applicable to this category of dogs. The dogs concerned are dogs of the following breeds:

  • American Staffordshire terrier purebred dogs
  • Rottweiler purebred dogs
  • Tosa dogs.

These dogs of 2e category have a pedigree.

Dogs derived from crosses which can be assimilated by their morphological characteristics to Rottweiler dogs (without pedigree) also belong to this 2e category.

Any dog introduced into France can enter only if it has at least 1 adult tooth.

Any cat (breed or crossbreed) can be brought back to France.

The maximum number of dogs or cats that can be brought from abroad to France is limited to 5 (non-commercial).

Reminder

Find out in advance about the conditions of transport of animals practiced by the airline or railway company with which you plan to travel.

The conditions for entry into France vary depending on whether the animal comes from a Member State of the European Union (EU) or another country.

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Animal originating in an EU country

The dog or cat must fulfill the following conditions:

  • Be marked by the implantation of an electronic chip (transponder) or tattooed if the tattoo was carried out before 3 July 2011 and remains clearly legible
  • Being vaccinated against rabies. To be valid, the rabies vaccine must have been given for 1re once when the animal was oldat least 12 weeks and after marking per chip. Protective immunity is established at least 21 days after 1re vaccination. Boosters should then be given at the scheduled intervals for the vaccine used
  • Be accompanied by a European passport for valid pets
  • Have been subjected to any health measures to prevent disease or infection other than rabies. You should ask a French veterinarian before returning to France or a veterinarian in the country of departure. You can also find out at the French Embassy or Consulate in your country of departure.

Animal from another country

The dog or cat must fulfill the following conditions:

  • Be marked by the implantation of an electronic chip (transponder) or tattooed if the tattoo was carried out before 3 July 2011 and remains clearly legible
  • Being vaccinated against rabies. To be valid, the rabies vaccine must have been given for 1re once when the animal was oldat least 12 weeks and after marking. Protective immunity is established at least 21 days after 1re vaccination. Boosters should then be given at the scheduled intervals for the vaccine used
  • To have been the subject of a rabies antibody titration test at least 30 days after vaccination against rabies and at least 3 months before the date of arrival in France (blood test carried out in an EU approved laboratory to verify the effectiveness of vaccination against rabies)
  • Have been subjected to any health measures to prevent disease or infection other than rabies. You should ask a French veterinarian before returning to France or a veterinarian in the country of departure. You can also find out at the French Embassy or Consulate in your country of departure.

Find an EU-approved laboratory to do rabies titration

Yes, your dog or cat should obligatory be registered at Icad (national identification file for dogs, cats and ferrets) within 7 days after arriving in France.

To do this, you must take your pet to a veterinarian to prepare the form entitled provisional certificate of identification valid for one month or, where appropriate, during the placing under official health surveillance.

Your veterinarian can enter this form online and attach scanned supporting documents for your animal (depending on its country of origin). All you have to do is send Icad a check for €11 to I-Cad.

Who shall I contact

  • I-CAD, identification of domestic carnivores

    Organization authorized to manage the national identification register of domestic carnivores (dogs, cats and ferrets)

    By telephone

    09 77 40 30 77

    Open Monday or Friday from 8:30am to 5:30pm

    Call not surcharged

    By E-mail

    Access to contact form

    By mail

    112-114 avenue Gabriel Péri

    94246 L'Haÿ-les-Roses Cedex

The supporting documents to be provided are:

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Animal originating in a country of the European Union or Switzerland

You must provide the photocopies the following entries in the passport of the country of provenance of the animal:

  • Description of the animal
  • Marking or identification of the animal
  • Vaccination against rabies
  • Date of issue of the passport.

Animal from another country

You must provide the original health certificate drawn up by a veterinarian of the country of origin with the following information:

  • Identification or marking of the animal
  • Vaccination against rabies or any proof that the animal is vaccinated against rabies
  • Anti-rabies antibody titration.

FYI  

Animals originating in some countries are exempt from anti-rabies antibody titration.

Any abnormality found in the registration of the animal in the register shall be transmitted immediately to theDDPP: titleContent from your home department. If necessary, this shall trigger a prefectural order for placing the animal under surveillance and determine its duration. It shall be prohibited to vaccinate a carnivore under surveillance before the end of that period.

The definitive identification card for the animal shall be issued only at the end of this surveillance on proof of the valid anti-rabies vaccination.

If, at the time of registration, you do not have the official health documents from the country of provenance listed above, you should send them to your veterinarian or to Icad as soon as possible.

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