As my husband and I started sharing the exciting news about our upcoming move to France with our friends and family, many asked, “Are you bringing your dogs?” I was flabbergasted to think that anyone would consider leaving their pets due to a move, but politely replied, “Of course, we could never leave our dogs.” I completely understand the responsibility that comes with owning a pet, and if they can’t move, we can’t either. And thus, the process began. 

Starting our Research

I’ll quickly admit that we weren’t familiar with the process of moving, or even air travel, with our dogs before we committed to moving to France. They have been on many road trips, but they have never been on an airplane. For a bit of background, we have two friendly dogs, Cleo and Maisie. They are both five years old and weigh 70-80 lbs (32-36 kg). 

Before you move any dog to France, there are some restrictions to be aware of: 

• Dogs must be over 15 weeks of age at the time of entry to France
• There are multiple dog breeds that are banned in France including: Staffordshire terrier (pitbull), Mastiff, and Tosa 
• The French may refuse entry if your dog resembles one of the banned breeds if they are a mixed breed 
• There is a maximum of five dogs per person under the “non-commercial” classification 

There are three basic requirements for anyone traveling with their dogs to France: they must have a registered microchip, an up-to-date Rabies vaccination, and an EU pet health certificate. Additionally, an I-CAD registration is required for any dogs that will be residing in France for more than three months. 

The best place to begin is by making an appointment with your veterinarian in America. During this visit it is important to confirm that your dog has a registered microchip and is up to date on their vaccinations. The microchip must be implanted before the dog receives the rabies shot. You can NOT wait until your final veterinarian appointment for your dog to receive the rabies vaccination as a 21-day waiting period is required before arriving in France. I would also recommend that you ask your veterinarian if they believe your dog will be successful on such a move and confirm that they are an USDA-accredited vet comfortable with completing EU health certifications. 

How Will You Be Traveling to France?

There are two options: boat + car travel, or air travel. It is possible to travel to France from the US via the Queen Mary 2 ship. The Queen Mary 2 departs from New York and arrives in Southampton, England. This is the much longer option as the transatlantic journey takes seven nights and then an additional day to drive to France. However, this is a viable option for pet owners who have dogs that are not suitable for air travel. This primarily applies to snub-nosed (brachycephalic) breeds that can not safely fly. Of note, this option is typically fully reserved a few years in advance so it is best to reach out to Cunard Cruises to inquire as soon as possible if you are interested. 

We decided to go the air travel route. We chose to fly with our dogs because they are both healthy, and the travel time is so much shorter. Dogs can either travel in the cabin or in the cargo section under the airplane. Unfortunately, only dogs under 15-20 lbs (7-9 kg) (variable according to specific airline) have the opportunity to fly in the cabin. There are of course exceptions for service animals. 

Our dogs are both much heavier and need to fly in the cargo. I was very apprehensive of this at first because I had heard horror stories about dogs flying cargo, but as I started to research, I learned that it is actually very safe. I would recommend looking into specific airline policies regarding pets in cargo before booking tickets. We did exactly that and decided to book our tickets through Lufthansa with a layover in Frankfurt. Lufthansa is known to be one of the best airlines for transporting pets and has a designated dog center in the animal lounge in Frankfurt. I booked my husband’s and my tickets first and then called Lufthansa to have both our dogs added to the flight. I recommend that you call them immediately after booking your flights, as they only allow a certain number of animals on each one.

Another Visit to the Vet 

The flights were officially booked, and we knew exactly when we would be arriving in France. The next step was to call the veterinarian and make an appointment for an EU health certification. This appointment MUST be done within ten days of your departure to France. The process requires your vet to fill out the EU pet health certificate and send it to the USDA for endorsement. The USDA will then mail the endorsed health certificate back to you. Therefore, you can NOT make your final appointment the day before you leave America. I would recommend that you discuss the timeline with your veterinarian and make your appointment according to their recommendation (provided that your vet has experience with this process). This is a very important document that will need to be presented at customs when you arrive in France. 

Arrival in France

Bienvenue! If you plan on staying longer than three months, you will need to take your dogs to a French veterinarian for I-CAD (Identification des Carnivores Domestiques) Registration. This is a requirement for all resident dogs in France; it is an official pet registry that can be used if your pet is stolen or gets lost. It is also recommended that you request an EU pet passport during this appointment to allow for easier travel with your pets while in Europe. 

This process may seem daunting, but I promise it will be worth it to enjoy that first croissant outside an authentic French cafe with your sweet dogs at your feet. 

Photo of our dogs Cleo and Maisie

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