Moving Two Dogs from Kentucky to Portugal
So, you want to move to another country, and you want to take your pet with you. You're going to need patience, meticulous planning, and a thick wad of cash.
I just flew my two dogs from Kentucky to Porto, Portugal, while applying for a D2 visa. Administrative delays in Porto over the summer left my leased apartment sitting empty for months, so I finally decided to just wing it and go. And leaving my dogs behind was a nonstarter. If I'm going, they're going.
Let me stress that this is MY experience. You may be leaving from a different state or country, heading to a different part of Europe, or flying with a dog in the cabin, a cat, or a goldfish. I flew my dogs in cargo on Lufthansa, which may not be the best fit for you. But this should give you a good overview of what the process looks like and what it costs.
Step 1: ISO Microchip and Rabies Vaccination
Start here, since rabies shots are good for a year and you can handle this early. For the EU, these must happen in this EXACT order:
1. Microchip: Your dog needs a 15-digit ISO 11784/11785 compliant microchip BEFORE the rabies vaccine. If the vaccine was given first, it's invalid for travel and must be repeated.
2. Rabies vaccine: Given after the microchip. If it's a "primary" vaccine (your pet's very first rabies shot, or one given after a previous vaccine lapsed), you must wait 21 full days after the shot before entering the EU. Day 1 is the day after the vaccination.
3. Find a USDA-accredited vet. This is the vet who will issue the health certificate (see Step 3), but they won't come into play until 10 days before you travel. Contact them NOW so you're on their radar.
Helpful link: https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/carry/pets-and-other-animals/index_en.htm
Step 2: Book Your Flight and Alert the Airline
After researching pet programs and reviews, I chose Lufthansa. I read that they have dedicated staff who care for dogs in cargo during layovers, with potty breaks, plenty of food and water, and any required medications. Everything below is based on my experience flying two dogs in cargo.
Lufthansa's rules (based on your dog's total weight, including the carrier):
• In-cabin: Dogs up to 8 kg (17.6 lbs) including the carrier. The carrier must be soft-sided, leak-proof, and fit entirely under the seat (max 55 x 40 x 23 cm). Since my dogs flew in the hold, I'm less familiar with this option, but here's Lufthansa's info: https://www.lufthansa.com/ao/en/register-animal-cabin
• In-hold: Dogs over 8 kg travel in the climate-controlled cargo hold, in a rigid, IATA-approved plastic crate.
• Routing: If you have a connection, it MUST be in Frankfurt (FRA), NOT Munich (MUC). Munich doesn't allow pet transfers for animals in the hold. VERY IMPORTANT when booking!!
How I booked my dogs in cargo:
1. Pick your flight, with any layover in Frankfurt.
2. BEFORE you book, call Lufthansa (Customer Service: 1-800-645-3880) to confirm there's cargo space for your dog. Know your dog's weight in kilograms and the size of the crate.
3. If there's space, BOOK IMMEDIATELY. Quick funny story: on my flight from Chicago to Frankfurt, I met a woman traveling with two dogs, one in cargo and one in the cabin. Customer Service told her there was room for both in the hold, but she waited an hour to book. I had booked that same flight at the exact same time, with both my dogs. When she finally went to book, there was only space for one dog in cargo. Moral of the story: BOOK IMMEDIATELY.
4. Register your pet with Lufthansa: https://www.lufthansa.com/ao/en/anmeldung-tiere-frachtraum. You have until 72 hours before departure, but JUST IN CASE, do it right away.
5. Pay for your pet's flights now or at the airport. I waited until the day before, in case my plans changed, but I wanted everything confirmed and paid for by the time I arrived at the airport.
A word on cost: flying pets from the US to Europe is not cheap. I paid about $250 per pet, per leg, plus taxes. That came to about $1,100 total to fly both dogs one way.
A note about crates: Lufthansa is very strict. Your dogs must be able to stand fully upright without their ears touching the roof, turn around completely, and lie down naturally. Crates must be plastic, with specific ventilation requirements. I purchased crates from Petco and Amazon, and both cost about $400. More information here: https://www.lufthansa.com/cn/en/tiere-als-uebergepaeck and here: https://www.iata.org/en/programs/cargo/live-animals/pets/
Also, PLEASE get your pups used to their crates beforehand. It will help everyone once you get to the airport!
Step 3: The All-Important Health Certificate
This is where the timing gets VERY tricky. Within 10 days of arriving in Portugal (or most of the EU), your dog must be seen by your USDA-accredited vet. That vet sends the paperwork to the USDA, which reviews it, issues the embossed health certificate, and overnights it to you. And yes, all of this happens in 10 days, weekends included. Your vet can track updates online, and I checked in with her FREQUENTLY. It's one of THE MOST stressful parts of the whole process.
It's also one of the most expensive. For two dogs, the exam, the certificate, and the overnight shipping came to about $600.
More information: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel/us-to-another-country-export#modal-link-cdc-alert-export
Step 4: Book the Vet Inspection in Portugal
Double-check the entry requirements for your specific European country. For Portugal, you must report to the airport's official veterinary inspection office for a document check and physical exam before leaving the airport.
You'll fill out a form with all the pertinent information and email it to the destination airport at least 48 hours in advance. I recommend 4 days, just in case. They'll email back to confirm your appointment.
The cost varies depending on where you land, but it's typically about $45 for one dog and $90 for two.
My experience at Porto's airport was fantastic! The vet was very friendly to me and especially to my dogs. He scanned their microchips, signed the certificate, and we were on our way.
Step 5: Post-Arrival Registration
If your dog stays in Portugal for 120 days or more, you must register him or her in the SIAC database through a Portuguese vet within 30-60 days of arrival. Then they'll have their little EU doggie passport and can travel between countries!
One Final Note
This is a stressful process, and not a cheap one. Taking my two dogs from Kentucky to Porto cost almost $2,200:
• Flights: $1,100
• Crates: $400
• Health certificate: $600
• Porto vet: $90
Lufthansa advised arriving no earlier than 3 hours and no later than 2 hours before the flight. I got there 3 hours early, and it took every bit of that time to get the dogs checked in and through security. The airline lived up to its reputation, handled my dogs wonderfully, and we all arrived in Porto safe and sound!
Again, this is my personal experience, and yours may be different. But I hope this post offers a little help and a lot of reassurance that YES, you can move your pets to Europe!
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