Bringing your pet guide
If you decide to bring your pet to Paris, make sure you check with the local French Embassy in your home country for specific regulations. Generally speaking, it is easy to bring your pet if you adhere by the rules and quarantine is not usually required. You do not need pre-approval, but may simply arrive at the customs check with your pet. Consult the official French Customs website for up-to-date information, only in French: http://www.douane.gouv.fr/
Here are the basics for dogs and cats, rabbits and rodents:
- The limit is 5 animals per family and all animals have to be 3 months old or more, unless their mother is traveling with them.
- All cats and dogs MUST be micro-chipped (ISO standard 11784).
- Each animal must have a valid health certificate (stating owners’ details, a description of the animal, details of identification and vaccinations) signed no more than 10 days before arrival to France. An official vet (in the USA, for example, certified by the USDA) must then sign the certificate.
- Cats and dogs will also need a blood test, proving they have had the rabies vaccination and have the necessary antibody level to fight the disease. This has to happen at least 30 days after the vaccination and no less than 3 months before the animal reaches France. Make sure to plan accordingly as this can be tricky timing.
- If you are arriving to France from a EU country, your pet must have an European Pet Passport, which is a booklet with information such as identification number and proof of valid rabies vaccinations. NOTE: Rabbits and rodents may travel without a passport, but must still be declared at the border.
- If you are coming from outside of the EU, you can have a French veterinarian issue an EU Pet Passport allowing travel within Europe, once you arrive in France.
Any person wanting to bring a pet bird to France needs to have the following (note that this particularly applies to the psittacidés, which is the official name of all varieties of parrots and parakeets):
- A certificate issued by a veterinarian up to five days before departure guaranteeing that the animals show no clinical risk of disease.
- An affidavit by the owner of the animal, guaranteeing that they are the real owner and are not bringing the birds into France for sale.
Dogs Banned in France
Pitbulls, Boerbulls and unregistered Tosas are not allowed in France and American Staffordshire Terriers, Tosas, and Rottweilers must always be muzzled and on a leash in public places.
The European Commission has a one-page summary about importing animals to the EU. Since the European Union has standardized the process and forms, their information is also applicable to France. In additon, you can download the proper forms for the health and rabies certificates. Visit http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/liveanimals/pets/nocomm_third_en.print.htm.
