The Animals and Birds Rules 2004 implemented EC Regulation (EU) No 576/2013 which controls the animal health requirements for the non-commercial movement of pet animals between Member States or their entry or re-entry into the territory of the community from a third country.
A 'pet animal' is defined as an animal listed below which accompanies its owner or a natural person responsible for such animal on behalf of its owner during the movement and is not intended to be sold or transferred to another owner. The following are classified as pet animals:
Dogs, cats, ferrets, invertebrates (except bees and crustaceans), ornamental tropical fish, amphibia, reptiles, all species of birds (except poultry), rodents and domestic rabbits.
Requirements as to the entry of cats, dogs and ferrets entering Gibraltar from the EU and listed non-EU countries
The current requirements for the entry of cats, dogs and ferrets that are pet animals are as follows:
1 - Animals must bbe identifiable by use of a Microchip - Animals must be vaccinated for rabies after they are microchipped even if up-to-date with rabies vaccine, this must be done at least 21 days prior to entering Gibraltar.
2 - Animals must be accompanied by a Pet Passport* issued by a Veterinarian authorized by the Competent Authority certifying valid anti-rabies vaccination or revaccination if applicable in accordance with the recommendations of the manufacturing laboratory, carried out on the animals in question with an inactivated vaccine of at least one antigenic unit per dose (WHO) standard. In the case of pets traveling from the UK, in light of the changes since Brexit, a Health Certificate detailing the animal’s up to date vaccinations will suffice.
Non-EU listed countries
Dogs, cats and ferrets moved for non-commercial purposes into a Member State from a territory or a third country listed in accordance with Article 13(1) and (2) of Regulation (EU) No 576/2013 are allowed to derogate from the rabies antibody titration test:
Territories and third countries which have made an application in which they demonstrate that they apply rules the content and effect of which are the same as those laid in Section 1 of Chapter II, Section 1 of Chapter III and Section 2 of Chapter IV of Regulation (EU) No 576/2013 are listed in Part 1 of Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) No 577/2013.
| ISO code | Territory or third country | ISO code | Territory or third country | |
| CH | Switzerland | FO | Faroe Islands | |
| GI | Gibraltar | GL | Greenland | |
| IS | Iceland | LI | Liechtenstein | |
| MC | Monaco | NO | Norway | |
| SM | San Marino | VA | Vatican City State | |
| AD | Andorra |
List of territories and third countries referred to in Article 13(1) of Regulation (EU) No 576/2013 - Part 2 of Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) No 577/2013.
| ISO code | Territory or third country | ISO code | Territory or third country | |
| AC | Ascension Island | AE | United Arab Emirates | |
| AG | Antigua and Barbuda | AR | Argentina | |
| AU | Australia | AW | Aruba | |
| BA | Bosnia and Herzegovina | BB | Barbados | |
| BH | Bahrain | BM | Bermuda | |
| BQ | Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (the BES Islands) | BY | Belarus | |
| CA | Canada | CL | Chile | |
| CW | Curaçao | FJ | Fiji | |
| FK | Falkland Islands | HK | Hong Kong | |
| JM | Jamaica | JP | Japan | |
| KN | Saint Kitts and Nevis | KY | Cayman Islands | |
| LC | Saint Lucia | MS | Montserrat | |
| MK | The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia | MU | Mauritius | |
| MX | Mexico | MY | Malaysia | |
| NC | New Caledonia | NZ | New Zealand | |
| PF | French Polynesia | PM | Saint Pierre and Miquelon | |
| RU | Russia | SG | Singapore | |
| SH | Saint Helena | SX | Sint Maarten | |
| TT | Trinidad and Tobago | TW | Taiwan | |
| US | United States of America | VC | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | |
| VG | British Virgin Islands | VU | Vanuatu | |
| WF | Wallis and Futuna | YT | Mayotte (*) | |
| AS | American Samoa | GU | Guam | |
| MP | Northern Mariana Islands | PR | Puerto Rico | |
| VI | US Virgin Islands |
(*) Only applicable until this territory becomes an outermost region of the Union within the meaning of Article 349 TFEU.
Animals must be identified by a Microchip.
Animals re-entering Gibraltar from any of these territories must be accompanied by a Pet Passport issued by a Veterinarian authorized by the Competent Authority certifying valid anti-rabies vaccination or re-vaccination if applicable in accordance with the recommendations of the Manufacturing Laboratory carried out on the animal in question with an inactivated vaccine of at least one antigenic unit per dose (WHO) standard OR
- Animals entering Gibraltar from any of these territories must be accompanied by a Certificate conforming with the model established by Commission Regulation 577/2013 issued by a Veterinarian authorized by the Competent Authority certifying valid anti-rabies vaccination or re-vaccination if applicable in accordance with the recommendations of the Manufacturing Laboratory carried out on the animal in question with an inactivated vaccine of at least one antigenic unit per dose (WHO) standard.
Movement consisting of the entering or re-entering any European Community Member States from any other third country not included in the table above:
- Animals re-entering the community from any of these territories must be accompanied by a Pet Passport issued by a Veterinarian authorized by the Competent Authority certifying valid anti-rabies vaccination or re-vaccination if applicable in accordance with the recommendations of the Manufacturing Laboratory carried out on the animal in question with an inactivated vaccine of at least one antigenic unit per dose (WHO) standard OR
- Animals entering the community from any of these territories must be accompanied by a Certificate conforming with the model established by Commission Decision 2004/824/EC issued by a Veterinarian authorized by the Competent Authority certifying valid anti-rabies vaccination or re-vaccination if applicable in accordance with the recommendations of the Manufacturing Laboratory carried out on the animal in question with an inactivated vaccine of at least one antigenic unit per dose (WHO) standard.
The animals must have a blood test confirming a neutralizing rabies antibody titration at least equal to 0.5 iu/ml carried out on a sample taken by an authorized veterinarian and three months before being moved.
PLEASE NOTE THAT A BLOOD TEST HAS TO BE CARRIED OUT BY AN EU APPROVED LABORATORY.
An up to date list of approved laboratories can be found in the EU site:Â Approved rabies serology laboratories (europa.eu)
The blood test need not be renewed on a pet animal which has been revaccinated in accordance with the recommendations of the laboratory manufacturing the vaccine. The three month period shall not apply to the re-entry of a pet animal whose passport certifies that the rabies antibody titration was carried out, with a positive result, before the animal left the territory of the community.
*Pet Passport – means a passport that complies with the model set out in Commission Regulations 576/2013 and 577/2013.
Pet Dogs, Cats, Ferrets under 3 Months Old
Special provisions exist for the movement between Member States of dogs, cats and ferrets which are under 3 months old into Gibraltar. For more information please contact the Environmental Agency.
Requirements for the Importation of Pet Rodents, Rabbits, Fish, Birds, Invertebrates, Amphibians and Reptiles
There are at present no health requirements for the importation of any other pet animal listed above.
Requirements for the importation of animals other than pet animals
The importation of any animal which is not a PET ANIMAL into Gibraltar is subject to licensing requirements and you should therefore contact the Environmental Agency.
Animals covered by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) will remain subject to the requirement of that legislation.
