Your First 30 Days Abroad with a Pet: A Practical Checklist
You have arrived. Your pet is with you. The documents that consumed months of preparation are in a folder somewhere. Now what? The first 30 days after an international move with a pet have several things to take care of. Here is a practical checklist to work through.
Week 1: Immediate Priorities
Register with a local vet. Find a local vet before you urgently need one. A routine post-arrival check-up is a good excuse to register and establish a relationship. Bring your complete vaccination history, health certificate, and microchip documentation.
Update microchip registration. Your pet’s chip is registered to a home-country database. Register the same number on the relevant local/national database in your new country. In the EU, many countries have national pet databases linked to TRACES. In Australia, register on the Australian Animal Registry.
Check insurance. Decide whether your existing pet insurance extends to your new country and for how long. If not, arrange new cover immediately. Contact local or international pet insurance providers – companies like Agria and Petplan operate across multiple countries, and there are local equivalents in most major destinations.
Check local vaccination requirements. Some countries require annual rabies vaccination by law. Others require kennel cough vaccines for dogs using boarding or day care. Your new vet will tell you what is locally required. Do not assume your home country vaccination schedule matches the local expectation.
Week 2: Administrative Tasks
Register with the local municipality (if required). In Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Austria, and many other countries, dogs must be registered with the local authority (Gemeinde, Mairie, Ayuntamiento, Comune) within 30 days. This involves providing proof of rabies vaccination and paying an annual licence fee. Your vet may help; alternatively, the local town hall will direct you.
Arrange a local supply of any prescription medication. If your pet is on a repeat prescription, ensure a new prescription from your new vet is in place before your existing supply runs out. Bring the original prescription documentation to the first vet visit.
Find emergency veterinary cover. Know where the nearest 24-hour emergency vet practice is before you need it. Ask your regular vet at registration.
Week 3 to 4: Settling In
Establish the local routine. Walk routes, feeding times, rest spots. Consistency in the new country is the fastest way to help your pet feel secure.
Introduce the neighbourhood carefully. Short, controlled introductions to local dogs and the new neighbourhood. Do not overwhelm a newly-arrived pet with too many new experiences at once.
Post-move vet check-up (if not done already). A wellness check at around three to four weeks post-arrival – when the settling-in phase is mostly done – gives the vet a more accurate baseline than an appointment on arrival day when your pet is still stressed.
Local Laws Worth Knowing
Laws vary significantly by country:
- Leash laws: Many countries require dogs to be on a lead in all public spaces; others have off-lead parks
- Microchip laws: Some countries require re-chipping or re-registration by law
- Breed restrictions: Check local rules for restricted breeds
- Fouling laws: Dog fouling fines are enforced in most EU cities
Your new employer’s HR department (if on a company relocation) or a local expat community group are the best sources of practical local guidance.
This checklist is general guidance. Specific requirements vary by country and municipality.