The boat life journey for myself and Rose actually began with a flight to Austria and 5 months living in Europe on land, then another 11 months living on the boat once it arrived. During that time we visited many European countries, including Germany, Spain, Italy and Croatia.
If taking a pet to Europe is something you’re considering, read on to find out what my experience was like including transportation, accommodation, vet visits and pet supplies.
Getting to Europe
Getting to Europe was the first part of our journey and since we weren’t on the yacht yet it needed to happen by plane.
The process of getting Rose from Perth to Austria was relatively straightforward and you can read more about that here. Since Australia is generally considered a low risk country for domesticated animals, the biggest thing was the cost. To comply with Australian law I was required to hire a pet freight service to handle the exportation process and flights. This isn’t a requirement in all countries so you’ll need to check what you have to do.
When it was time to leave I needed to take Rose to the official government vet for her export health check. Once this was done Dogtainers took over and they handled everything until I saw Rose again at the airport in Vienna.
Arriving in Europe
Once Rose arrived in Europe there wasn’t much for me to do. I had to go to the cargo section of the airport, sign a bit of paperwork and then she was released by Austrian authorities with no additional need to quarantine.
Pet friendly accommodation in Europe
Finding accommodation with a pet can take a bit more time, but it’s not impossible.
Hotels
In certain parts of Europe hotels can be quite welcoming to pets, with Rose’s first hotel stay being in Munich, Germany. Whether or not they’re allowed is usually on the website, with some places charging an additional pet fee.
Private rentals
Since we were in Austria I ended up privately renting an apartment through a friend of a friend. They knew from the outset that I had a dog but were okay with it as we’d promised to keep her clean and do some upgrades on the apartment. It was the best value accommodation I had during my whole stay.
AirBnb & short term holiday rentals
Once I got to Spain I relied largely on AirBnb apartments for accommodation. There was a time when I couldn’t find anything appropriate that was pet friendly so I just messaged the host of a place I was interested in. I politely asked if I could have a dog, stipulating that the lounge would be covered with sheets, the dog would be rinsed with water frequently and the apartment would be thoroughly cleaned when I left. She graciously agreed, which was a huge win! It’s always worth asking as someone might just say yes.
Marinas
We’ve found that most marinas are fine with dogs provided you pick up after them. Some require they be on a leash when not on the boat, for example the Queensway Quay Marina in Gibraltar. We’ve never had a problem having Rose in a marina, although we do have the benefit of her being the “pretty” dog that’s well trained so other cruisers and staff enjoy seeing her around.
Shipyards
Rose has lived on the hardstand for 3 months in Italy and over 6 months in Trinidad. While some shipyards can be quite strict with dogs, we’ve specifically chosen ones that are more relaxed so that she can run around off lead when we take her for walks. When selecting a yard we check the terms and conditions to see if there’s any mention of dogs, then include questions about having a dog in our initial inquiry email. Something to be aware of is there’s many unsafe substances in shipyards including vermin baits so you need to be vigilant.
Transportation with pets
How easy it is to get pet friendly transportation in Europe depends on the country. Here’s some of the ways Rose and I got around.
City trains, buses and trams
In Austria and Germany life is much easier as a pet owner because dogs are generally allowed on public transport. One thing to keep in mind though is they’re usually required to wear a muzzle. To comply with this I bought the softest muzzle I could find on Amazon and Rose just wore it for show.
Regional and cross border trains
There were a couple of times when I needed to travel longer distances to cities like Munich and Vienna. The most cost effective option was to catch a train which also meant I could bring Rose. Deutsche Bahn, ÖBB and WESTbahn were all pet friendly, with the only requirements being that she wore a muzzle and didn’t lay out in the aisle. Some train companies require you to buy a ticket for the pet so make sure you check for this option on their website.
Rideshare apps
When public transport wasn’t an option I used rideshare apps. Anywhere that had Uber Pets or the equivalent available was the easiest as there was no need for negotiation or discussion. If it didn’t explicitly say pets were allowed we’d usually just call or message the driver to ask. We found that most said yes, especially when we told them the dog was clean, well trained and we had something to cover the seat.
Hired vehicles
When all else failed I resorted to hiring a vehicle. There were three times I had to do this; Austria, Spain and Italy.
When I needed to get myself, Rose and all our belongings from Vienna to Gibraltar, flying was an expensive pain and the number of connections made train or bus travel unrealistic. I ended up hiring a fully kitted out van for a one way road trip across Europe which you can watch on YouTube.
When it came time to join the yacht I needed to get across the Spanish border to the marina in Gibraltar with all the luggage I’d accrued. I hired a local van driver who usually did IKEA runs.
In Italy dogs weren’t welcome on local public transport and since we were staying at a shipyard outside of town (long story), a hire car was the way to go. We ended up getting a short term lease from an Austrian company through a friend who was living there.
Private yacht
Moving a dog around by private yacht is pretty simple, you just need to make sure you have the correct paperwork on the off chance you’re asked to provide it. After the initial entry at the Vienna airport the only time I was asked for Rose’s paperwork was when we sailed back into Gibraltar; the marina staff asked to see a current rabies vaccination to meet their customs and immigration obligations.
Finding pet supplies
Getting pet supplies was pretty simple in Europe thanks to the online stores who deliver and the various tactics we used to receive mail. I mostly used Zooplus during my stay as it generally had good prices, I’d qualify for free delivery and there was a rewards program where I’d earn points for every euro I spent.
Vet visits
Despite the occasional language barrier, vet visits were pretty simple. Rose went to four different vets while in Europe to get various paperwork, tests and vaccines, and each time went smoothly.
Clinica Veterinaria Saludvet in La Linea de la Concepcion, Spain
Gibraltar Veterinary Clinic in Gibraltar
Tierärztliche Kleintierpraxis in Linz, Austria
Tierarztpraxis Muxeneder in Pregarten, Austria
To find a vet I’d take a look at the Google reviews, searching for well reviewed practices with bonus points if it mentioned anything about being good for expats or foreigners. I’d then send emails out to a selection, asking for prices and availability for the services I wanted. In general I wrote these emails in English and included a translated version in case the vet could understand that better than my English explanation. While all the vets I visited were able to speak English, I sometimes had to use Google Translate for other staff or to understand the paperwork.
Crossing European Union borders
To make life easier one of the first things I did was go to a vet and get Rose a European Pet Passport. If your dog doesn’t have one, you need to keep this in mind:
“If you are travelling from a non-EU country or territory, your pet must have an EU animal health certificate issued by an official State vet in the country of departure not more than 10 days before your pet arrives in the EU. The certificate is valid for travel between EU countries for 4 months from this date or until the anti-rabies vaccination expires, whichever lapses first.” - European Union
That being said, we were never asked to provide any paperwork for Rose at an internal or external European Union border.
Summary
Travelling the world with a dog is a bit of effort but to us it's well worth it! During the time we spent with Rose in Europe she went to Austria, Germany, Switzerland, France, Spain, Gibraltar, Italy and Croatia. Some incredible memories were made, and it was the first time she saw a dolphin and snow!
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