For commercial and non-commercial movements of dogs and cats in the EU, Regulation (EU) n. 576/2013 provides for the mandatory presence of an individual pet passport, identification document of the pet. The passport is issued by AUSL Veterinary Services in Italy.
Essentially you’ll need a pet passport for any travel outside of Italy. You do not need one to enter Italy.
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Before the Passport
The first step before getting the passport is obtaining a fifteen digit ISO microchip. Nine or ten-digit microchips are often issued in the US so ensure that you have the correct microchip.
Once you have the microchip, you’ll need to register the pet with the city of Bologna within thirty days of the arrival of the city. Costs range from 77 to 232 euros. You must bring with you the certificate verifying the issuing of the microchip. If any vaccines were done, bring that paperwork as well.
Booking the Appointment
To begin the process of obtaining the Pet Passport, you’ll need to book an appointment a CUP office. There are several offices around Bologna. The one located on Via Montebello, 6 is central in the city. You’ll need to bring the paperwork you received from the comune registering your pet. Once confirmed, you’ll likely get a phone call confirming your appointment.
At the CUP office, you’ll be given paperwork to fill out before your appointment. It’s pretty straightforward and just asks for information about yourself and your pet.
The cost is 15€ and only a credit card is accepted. You pay either during the initial booking of the appointment or at the appointment itself. You can also pay at pharmacies where they offer CUP services. The third option is to pay online via pagonlinesanita.it and using the code on the paper provided to you at the time of booking.
Pet Passport Appointment
There’s only one location within the Bologna city enter. The next appointment may be in a few weeks. If you’re in a rush, the Casalecchio location is your next best option. You’ll be provided these options when booking the appointment at the CUP office.
Your pet will need to be with you to verify the chip and health of the pet. For dogs, it may be helpful to bring a muzzle with you to be safe as they can require it at any time.
Rabies vaccination
- Vaccinations are required for travel and are valid only for one year.
- The vaccination must have been done at least 21 days before travel.
- The microchip will need to have been in place before the vaccination.
- Rabies vaccination should be done AFTER you’ve already received the pet passport. Microchip, then pet passport, then vaccination in that order.
- A list of accredited veterinarians can be found here. It’s the first link on the top.
Overall, the process is simple but requires planning ahead of time before travel.
Looking to bring your pet to Italy? We have another article on that.
