Bringing a dog or cat to Ireland: DAFM rules, approved ports and the tapeworm window
Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) applies the EU non-commercial pet rules. For a pet from a listed country the process is a microchip, a rabies vaccination, an EU animal health certificate and — for dogs only — a tapeworm treatment. Every pet must enter through an approved port or airport, with advance notice and a compliance check on arrival. Get a step wrong and DAFM can quarantine or refuse the pet.
This page tells you where the official rule is and what it says. It is not the rule and it is not legal advice. The official source decides, and the official source is the one that counts if this page and it ever disagree.
Unlike Germany, Ireland IS on the tapeworm list: a dog needs a tapeworm treatment 24 to 120 hours before arrival. And every pet must enter through an approved port or airport with advance notice.
At a glance
The whole journey in order. Every point below is spelled out in full further down.
- Microchip your pet first
- Rabies vaccination and the 21-day wait
- Dogs: tapeworm treatment 24–120 hours before arrival
- Endorsed EU animal health certificate within 10 days
- Enter through an approved port with advance notice
Entering Ireland — the DAFM rules
DAFM applies the EU non-commercial pet rules under Regulation 576/2013. Ireland is one of the countries that requires the tapeworm treatment for dogs, and every non-EU arrival must enter through an approved port with a booked compliance check.
Authority: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), Ireland
Microchip your pet first — before the rabies vaccinationDon't get this wrong
DAFM requires the microchip to be inserted before the rabies vaccination is given. The chip must be readable by a device compatible with ISO 11785, or you bring your own scanner. An unreadable chip on arrival can mean quarantine or refusal.
- Order matters: microchip first, then the rabies vaccine
- Chip must meet ISO 11785 (or bring your own scanner)
- Unreadable chip can mean quarantine or refusal
Rabies vaccination: pet at least 12 weeks old, then wait at least 21 days
The rabies vaccine must be given after the microchip, by a vet authorised by your government, and the pet must be at least 12 weeks old at the time. You must wait at least 21 days after a primary vaccination before travel — longer if the datasheet says so. A break in vaccination cover resets the clock.
- Minimum age to vaccinate: 12 weeks
- Minimum 21-day wait after a primary vaccination
- A break in cover resets the clock — the next dose counts as primary
Rabies blood (titre) test — only for higher-risk, unlisted countries
Ireland requires a rabies antibody titration blood test only for pets arriving from higher-risk, non-listed countries, and that test brings an extra 3-month wait. Pets from listed countries skip the test and the wait entirely.
- Listed country: no titre test, no 3-month wait
- Unlisted country: titre test + 3-month wait
For dogs only: tapeworm treatment 24 to 120 hours before arrivalDon't get this wrong
Ireland is free of the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis and protects that status by requiring a treatment for dogs arriving from almost all origins. The treatment must contain praziquantel and be recorded by a vet in the certificate, in a window of 24 to 120 hours (1 to 5 days) before scheduled arrival. Cats are exempt.
- Window: 24 to 120 hours before scheduled arrival
- Must contain praziquantel, recorded by a vet
- Dogs only — cats are exempt
Travel with the endorsed EU animal health certificate and original paperwork
Your pet must arrive with the original EU animal health certificate, stamped and wet-signed by an Official State Veterinarian within 10 days of arrival into the EU. It is valid for movement between EU states for up to 6 months or until the rabies vaccine lapses. Carry originals only — no photocopies or printouts.
- Certificate endorsed within 10 days of arrival into the EU
- Valid for 6 months of EU travel (or until the vaccine lapses)
- Originals only — stamped, wet-signed
Enter through an approved port, give advance notice, book a compliance checkDon't get this wrong
Pets from non-EU countries may only enter Ireland through approved points — Cork Airport, Dublin Airport, Dublin Port, Shannon Airport, the Port of Cork at Ringaskiddy and Rosslare. Advance notice and a booked compliance check are mandatory for non-EU arrivals, and a per-animal compliance-check fee applies.
- Approved entry points only: Cork, Dublin, Shannon, Ringaskiddy, Rosslare
- Advance notice and a booked compliance check are mandatory
- A per-animal compliance-check fee applies
Stay within the non-commercial rules: travel with your pet, maximum 5 pets
To count as a non-commercial move, your pet must arrive with you, or within 5 days before or after you, accompanied by a person you have authorised. The non-commercial limit is 5 pets. Sale, gifting, change of ownership or unaccompanied shipping brings commercial rules instead.
- Pet travels with you or within 5 days, with written authorisation
- Non-commercial limit is 5 pets
- Sale, gifting or unaccompanied shipping = commercial rules
The kit this move actually needs
Heads up: some links below are affiliate links. Buy through one and Animalsss may earn a small commission — it costs you nothing extra, and it never changes what we list. We put down the kit this particular move actually needs, and nothing we were paid to.
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An IATA-approved travel crate or carrier
Airlines check the container against the IATA live-animal rules before they will load it: hard-sided, well ventilated, and big enough for the animal to stand up and turn around. The wrong crate is the most common reason a booked pet gets bumped at the counter.
See options on Amazon → -
Clip-on food and water cups
The crate has to travel with bowls fixed inside that ground staff can top up without opening the door. Free-standing bowls do not count.
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Absorbent crate lining
A layer that holds an accident through a long leg keeps the animal dry and keeps the crate from being pulled off the ramp for leaking.
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"Live Animal" labels and orientation arrows
Most carriers want the crate marked LIVE ANIMAL with "This Way Up" arrows. A cheap sticker set beats hunting for a marker at check-in.
See options on Amazon → -
An ID tag that reaches you at both ends
A number someone can actually answer on the day — not just your home line — is what reunites a pet with you if the crate and the paperwork get separated in transit.
See options on Amazon →
Moving a pet abroad? Get free quotes from relocation specialists
No obligation. Tell us your route and a vetted pet-relocation company can reach out with a price and timing.
Official sources
Every step above was read off one of these pages. They are the version that counts — check them before you travel or ship.
Common questions
The questions people ask most about this corridor, answered from the same official sources above.
Does my dog need a tapeworm treatment to enter Ireland?
Yes — Ireland is one of the EU states that requires it. A dog needs a praziquantel tapeworm treatment 24 to 120 hours (1 to 5 days) before arrival, recorded by a vet. Cats are exempt.
Which ports can my pet enter Ireland through?
Approved points only: Cork Airport, Dublin Airport, Dublin Port, Shannon Airport, the Port of Cork at Ringaskiddy and Rosslare, with advance notice and a booked compliance check.
Where to go next
Everything Animalsss holds on these animals — care, prices and listings.
This page tells you where the official rule is and what it says. It is not the rule and it is not legal advice. The official source decides, and the official source is the one that counts if this page and it ever disagree.
Reviewed by the Animalsss Movement Desk. Last reviewed 12 Oct 2026. Written from the DAFM pet travel portal; the tapeworm window and approved-port list checked against DAFM guidance.
This page is free to read and always will be. It is written from the official pages linked above; those pages can change, and if one has, the link is the fastest way to see what it says now.
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