Bringing a pet in from a non-EU country is the longest item in preparing for the move. At least 3 months must pass between the rabies titre test and entry, so start six months ahead.
Bringing a pet in from a non-EU country
- A microchip to ISO 11784/11785 — mandatory before the rabies vaccination.
- A rabies vaccination at no younger than 12 weeks. Valid from the 21st day after the protocol is completed. Live modified vaccines are not allowed.
- An antibody (FAVN) test at an EU-approved laboratory: a titre of at least 0.5 IU/ml. Blood is taken no earlier than 30 days after the vaccination and at least 3 months before entry.
- An EU veterinary certificate (Annex IV) or a third-country passport plus a written declaration of non-commercial movement. The animal must be at least 105 days old, and no more than 5 animals per person.
- Entry only through approved points: Larnaca and Paphos airports, the ports of Limassol and Larnaca.
- Notify the district veterinary service at least 48 hours in advance — giving the date, time and flight number. The airport inspection is chargeable.
What is not allowed in at all
- The Pit Bull Terrier (American Pit Bull), Japanese Tosa (Tosa Inu), Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasileiro breeds are banned regardless of country of origin.
- The ban extends to crosses of those breeds, and to any cross where a vet certifies that the banned breed's characteristics are dominant.
- Cats that are not Felis silvestris catus — Savannah, Bengal, Caracat and their hybrids — are not admitted to Cyprus.
- The health certificate is valid for 10 days from the date the official vet issues it; by sea that period is extended by the length of the voyage.
Registration on arrival
- A microchip is the only lawful form of identification. Registration in the Central Dog Registry through a vet is free.
- An annual municipal licence for a dog: around €20.50 a year, considerably more for breeds on the dangerous list. Renewal is usually due by the end of January.
- You need the microchip certificate, the registration, the vaccination book and a health certificate.
- Cats don't need a licence; a chip is recommended.
- Rules: a lead in public places and a "Beware of dog" sign on the gate.
Health: what to watch out for
- Leishmaniasis — spread by sandflies, with a season from May to October. It is endemic in Cyprus; it can be treated but not cured. Prevention: repellent collars, spot-on treatments, avoiding walks at dusk near undergrowth, and an annual test.
- Ticks are active all year: ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, anaplasmosis.
- Heartworm — monthly prevention is needed.
- Vet clinics with English-speaking staff are found in Limassol, Larnaca and Paphos.
Life with a pet
- Renting: many owners say no. Look for "pets allowed" and offer an extra deposit.
- Dog beaches officially exist in every district — Karavopetra and Prolimnos in Limassol, Spyros Beach in Larnaca, the Ezousa estuary in Paphos, for example. Elsewhere dogs are formally banned.
- Pet shops: the Pet City, Petland and Zoo Planet chains; food is also sold at Lidl and Alphamega.
- Shelters and adoption: Sirius Dog Sanctuary and Dog Valley Rescue, PAWS and Paphiakos in Paphos, Argos and Noah's Ark in Larnaca.