Traveling with Pets

The short version

Bringing a dog or cat from the US to Italy is very doable, and Italy is one of the most dog-friendly countries in Europe once you are there. Dogs ride trains, sit under restaurant tables and walk the evening passeggiata (stroll) with their owners. The hard part is the paperwork, which has to be done in the right order and inside tight time windows.

In brief: your pet needs an ISO microchip, then a rabies vaccine at least 21 days before travel, then an EU health certificate completed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian and endorsed by USDA APHIS in the 10 days before you land. Coming home, a dog needs a microchip, must be at least 6 months old, and needs a CDC Dog Import Form receipt. Cats are simpler on the return. Start planning three to six months before your trip, mainly so your airline space and your vet appointment are lined up.

Rules change, and they changed this fall: new EU certificate versions came into use on October 1, 2026. Check the current USDA APHIS page for Italy before you start.

EU entry rules for dogs, cats and ferrets

Italy follows the EU's rules for the non-commercial movement of pets, which means your pet travels with you (or with someone you designate, within five days of your own trip) and is not being sold or rehomed. Up to five pets can travel this way; more than five, or a pet flying separately as cargo without you, generally falls under stricter commercial rules.

1. Microchip first

Your pet needs an ISO-compliant microchip (ISO 11784/11785, usually 15 digits) implanted before the rabies vaccination, or on the same day just before it. Many American pets have older 9- or 10-digit chips that European scanners may not read. If yours does, either carry a scanner that reads it or have your vet implant a second, ISO chip and list both numbers on the paperwork. Ask your vet to scan the chip at every visit so the number on each document matches.

2. Rabies vaccination

The rabies vaccine has to be given after the microchip. After a first (primary) vaccination, you must wait at least 21 days before your pet enters the EU. APHIS notes that some vaccine makers recommend 30 days, and that for US-vaccinated pets a primary shot counts for only one year. Boosters given before the previous vaccine expires carry no waiting period, as long as the earlier vaccination is also documented. Under EU rules a pet must be at least 12 weeks old for the vaccine, so plan on a puppy or kitten being at least 15–16 weeks old before it can travel.

3. The EU health certificate

A USDA-accredited veterinarian examines your pet and completes the EU health certificate for non-commercial movement, usually electronically through the USDA's Veterinary Export Health Certification System (VEHCS). APHIS then reviews it, signs it and embosses it. You must carry a printed, endorsed copy with your pet.

• Timing: APHIS endorsement must happen within 10 days of your pet's arrival in the EU, and APHIS says the non-commercial certificate is valid for 30 days after your vet issues it. In practice, book the vet exam 7–10 days before your flight and leave a few business days for the endorsement.
• Cost: APHIS charges $101 per certificate when no lab tests are involved, regardless of the number of pets on it. Your vet's exam and paperwork fee is separate and varies a lot by clinic; ask for a quote.
• Return mail: VEHCS endorsements can be sent back electronically to your vet, or mailed to you if you include a prepaid return label.
• Onward travel: APHIS currently says the certificate can be used for travel between EU countries for up to six months from your entry date, as long as the rabies vaccination stays valid. Older rules allowed four months, so check what your certificate says.

What Italy does not require from the US

Because the US is a listed country for rabies, dogs and cats coming from the US do not need a rabies antibody (titer) blood test, and there is no quarantine. Italy does not require tapeworm treatment for dogs; that applies only to Finland, Ireland, Malta and Norway (and the UK, which has its own rules). Italy has no breed ban, though airlines restrict some breeds.

A countdown timeline

1. Three to six months out: confirm your pet's microchip is ISO-compliant and check rabies vaccine dates. Research airlines and book your pet's space at the same time as your own ticket; in-cabin pet spots on each flight are limited.
2. At least one month out: if your pet needs a new primary rabies shot, get it now so the 21 days (or 30, if the vaccine maker says so) are well behind you. Find a USDA-accredited vet; not every vet is accredited, and some charge much more for international paperwork.
3. Seven to ten days before arrival: vet exam, certificate issued in VEHCS, and APHIS endorsement. Track it so you have the printed, embossed copy in hand before you fly.
4. Travel day: carry the endorsed certificate, rabies certificate and vaccination record, plus copies. On arrival in Italy, go to customs and declare your pet; at the big airports such as Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa, use the red "goods to declare" channel if you are unsure.
5. Before you fly home: complete the CDC Dog Import Form online, a few days before your return flight, and keep the receipt on your phone and printed.

Flying with a pet to Italy

Airline policy, more than Italian law, decides how your pet travels. Policies change often, so confirm with the airline by phone and get the booking noted on your reservation.

Italy's civil aviation authority, ENAC, has moved to let larger dogs fly in the cabin on some routes, with the dog in an approved carrier on a seat of its own, and ITA Airways has been the first to try it, mainly on domestic flights. Transatlantic flights from the US still use standard airline limits. Ask your airline what it currently allows.

Emotional support animals: US airlines have not been required to carry them as service animals since 2021, and in Italy and the rest of the EU they are treated as pets. Trained assistance dogs are a separate category with their own forms; contact your airline early. See flights for airports and routes.

Italian rules and habits once you arrive

Italy's national rules for dog owners are short. In public places, keep your dog on a leash no longer than 1.5 m (about 5 ft), carry a muzzle to put on if needed or if staff or police ask, and pick up after your dog. Many towns also ask you to carry a bottle of water to rinse urine off walls and doorways, and fines for not picking up are common.

• Restaurants and cafes: most welcome well-behaved dogs, inside and out. Ask "Posso entrare con il cane?" (Can I come in with the dog?). Waiters often bring a water bowl without asking.
• Shops: many allow dogs; a sticker reading io resto fuori (I stay outside) with a dog picture means no.
• Museums, churches and archaeological sites: generally no dogs, except assistance dogs. Plan sightseeing days with a dog sitter, or take turns.
• Hotels and rentals: filter for animali ammessi (pets allowed). Many charge a cleaning fee per stay or per night; agriturismi (farm stays) in the countryside are often the most relaxed. See where to stay.
• Vets: a veterinario is easy to find in any town, and big cities have 24-hour emergency clinics (pronto soccorso veterinario). Bring your pet's records in your phone.

Health risks your US vet may not know

• Leishmaniasis: spread by sand flies on the coasts and in the south, especially in summer and early fall. Ask your vet about a repellent collar or spot-on treatment that covers sand flies, and keep dogs indoors at dusk.
• Heartworm: common in the Po Valley and the north. Keep your dog on preventive.
• Pine processionary caterpillars: in late winter and spring they crawl in lines under pine trees on the coasts. Their hairs can cause severe reactions if a dog sniffs or licks them; that is an emergency.
• Heat: summer pavement and beach sand get dangerously hot. Walk early and late.
• Livestock guardian dogs: in the Alps and the Apennines, large white sheepdogs (Maremma sheepdogs) protect flocks. Leash your dog, give the flock a wide berth and do not run.

Dogs on trains, buses, ferries and in cars

Trains

On Trenitalia, small dogs, cats and other small pets travel free in a carrier no bigger than 70 × 30 × 50 cm (about 28 × 12 × 20 in), on your lap or in the luggage rack. Larger dogs travel on a leash and with a muzzle and need their own ticket. On regional trains, a large dog's ticket is half the standard second-class fare. On the high-speed Frecce, larger dogs must be booked using the dog option when you buy your ticket and are kept out of some areas, such as the Executive class and the bar car. In summer 2025, Trenitalia ran a "dogs travel free" offer for dogs of all sizes on its long-distance trains through September 15; watch for a repeat. See getting around.

Italo, the private high-speed operator, also accepts small pets in carriers and has its own rules for larger dogs. Check Italo's current pet policy and fees when you book.

Conductors can ask to see your dog's documents. Carry the health certificate or an EU pet passport, plus the rabies record.

Local transport, taxis and ferries

• City buses, trams and metros: most allow dogs on a leash and muzzle, sometimes with restrictions at rush hour and sometimes with a ticket for the dog. Small pets in carriers ride free almost everywhere.
• Venice vaporetti: dogs ride; small ones in a carrier free, larger ones on a leash and muzzle. Check Venice for current ACTV rules.
• Taxis: it is up to the driver. Mention the dog when you book a radio taxi or ride app.
• Ferries: overnight ferries to Sardinia and Sicily on lines such as Moby, Tirrenia, GNV and Grimaldi offer pet-friendly cabins or onboard kennels. Pet cabins sell out in summer, so book early. Day ferries on the Amalfi Coast and the lakes generally take leashed, muzzled dogs.
• Cable cars: most Dolomite lifts take dogs, often with a small ticket and a muzzle.

Driving

Italy's highway code allows one animal loose in a car as long as it does not distract the driver; two or more must be in a crate or behind a divider. A crate or harness is safer anyway. Never leave a dog in a parked car in summer. See driving in Italy.

Dogs on beaches and trails

Most Italian towns ban dogs from their beaches during the summer season, which typically runs from late spring to mid- or late September, through local ordinances. Fines are real. Instead, look for a spiaggia per cani or "dog beach": a beach or beach club where dogs are welcome, often with water bowls, shade and showers. The best known is Bau Beach at Maccarese, on the coast near Rome. Liguria, Tuscany, the Adriatic Riviera and Puglia all have dog-friendly beach clubs, many of which charge a small extra fee for the dog. Search the town name plus "spiaggia per cani" and confirm before you go.

Outside the season, many beaches allow leashed dogs again. Check signs at the beach entrance; rules vary from one town to the next.

On trails, keep dogs leashed in national parks and near livestock. Some protected areas restrict dogs heavily to protect wildlife, Gran Paradiso National Park among them; check a park's rules before you plan a hike there. Dolomite trails and huts are generally dog-friendly, and many rifugi let dogs sleep in private rooms (not dorms). See the outdoors.

Traveling with a cat

Cats follow the same EU entry rules as dogs: ISO microchip, rabies vaccine at least 21 days ahead, and the endorsed EU health certificate. Most cats travel in the cabin, which is easier on them and you. Italy has an affectionate street-cat culture (Rome's cat colonies are protected by law), but outside your home or hotel it is not a place to let a visiting cat roam. On the way home, the CDC does not require a rabies certificate for cats entering the US, though some US states and some airlines do.

Bringing your dog home: the CDC rules

Since August 1, 2024, the CDC has applied stricter rules to every dog entering the US, including American dogs coming home from a trip. What you need depends on where your dog has been in the 6 months before returning. Italy is a dog rabies-free or low-risk country, so if your dog has only been in Italy, the US and other low-risk countries in that time, the rules are simple:

• Your dog must be at least 6 months old when it enters or returns to the US.
• Your dog must have a microchip that a universal scanner can read.
• You need a CDC Dog Import Form receipt for each dog. The form is free and online. You can fill it out on the day of travel, but the CDC recommends doing it a few days ahead. Show the receipt, on paper or your phone, to the airline and to US Customs.
• Your dog must look healthy on arrival.
• You can arrive at any US airport, seaport or land border.

The receipt is generally valid for 6 months and can cover more than one entry, as long as your dog has stayed out of high-risk countries and departs from the country named on the form. If you fly home from a different country than the one on your form, fill out a new one.

Questions about the CDC rules go to CDC-INFO at 1-800-232-4636 or the CDC dog import pages, where you also find the form.

What it costs

Staying longer than a trip? If you move to Italy, you register your dog with the regional dog registry (anagrafe canina) and can then get an EU pet passport from an Italian vet, which makes travel within Europe much easier. Visitors generally cannot get one. See long stays.

Pet travel checklist

• Endorsed EU health certificate (printed, embossed) plus copies
• Rabies certificate and full vaccination record, showing the microchip number
• Microchip number written down; scanner if the chip is not ISO
• CDC Dog Import Form receipt for the return trip
• Airline-approved carrier or crate, labeled with your name and Italian address
• Leash no longer than 1.5 m (5 ft) and a muzzle that fits
• Poop bags and a small water bottle for rinsing
• Enough of your pet's food for the first few days, and any medications with a vet note
• Sand-fly and tick protection started before you leave
• Address and phone of a 24-hour vet near each place you stay

For the rest of your packing, see the packing list, and for Americans' entry rules, see entry requirements.