Pet travel route
Dog or cat from Italy to the Dominican Republic: the rules
Possible. With nothing done yet, start at least 4 weeks ahead. The main steps: rabies vaccination (inactivated vaccine) from 90 days old, at least 30 days before departure, rabies vaccination within the 12 months before departure and vet examination within 72 hours before departure and 2 more.
Rules checked up to 12 October 2026From 4 official pages
In short
- On this route: parasite treatment before travel.
- No rabies blood test, import permit or quarantine on this route for a pet that meets the rules.
- Coming back to Italy? 3 steps have to happen before your pet leaves.
Limited official guidance. The authority for leaving Italy publishes little for this route. Everything it does say is here, with its wording. The ministry's page is a short general note (updated 3 January 2025) with no deadline, fee or step-by-step procedure: your local ASL veterinary service says what applies for your destination.
Limited official guidance. The authority for entering the Dominican Republic publishes little for this route. Everything it does say is here, with its wording. DIGEGA's page lists what the health certificate must state, but it doesn't say what happens when your pet arrives (inspection, fees), whether a pet travelling as cargo or without its owner needs anything more, or which vaccinations other than rabies are expected. Ask DIGEGA (809-535-9689) before you travel if any of these apply to you.
At a glance
The rules on this route are the same for dogs and cats.
How early to start
4 weeks
if your pet has no microchip or rabies vaccination yet
Set by: Rabies vaccination (inactivated vaccine) from 90 days old, at least 30 days before departure (at least 30 days before the departure date)
No official wait
if it is already microchipped and vaccinated
The least time the official waiting periods allow. Vet, lab and paperwork appointments come on top.
On this route
- No rabies blood test
- No import permit
- No quarantine
- Parasite treatment before travel
Rule-change alertsChecked daily
Know the moment the rules change from Italy to the Dominican Republic
We check the official sources every day. If a rule changes, you get a notification on this device.
- Free
- No email or account
- Turn off any time
- 1Tap Share in Safari
- 2Choose Add to Home Screen
- 3Open Pawhopper from your Home Screen, then tap Turn on alerts here
Alerts are on
We’ll notify this device when a rule changes from Italy to the Dominican Republic.
New pet travel guides are on for this browser.
Pawhopper · now
Rule change for pets travelling from Italy to the Dominican Republic
Entering the EU by sea: the certificate's 10 days are extended by the voyage. Tap to see what changed.
Prefer a feed reader? Italy rule changes · Dominican Republic rule changes
We keep only this browser’s push address and the countries, until you turn alerts off. Privacy
Italy → Dominican Republic
What your pet needs
In the order you do them. Each step says whether Italy (leaving) or the Dominican Republic (entering) asks for it.
Get ready
VaccinationEntering the Dominican Republic
Rabies vaccination (inactivated vaccine) from 90 days old, at least 30 days before departure
Your pet is vaccinated against rabies with an inactivated-virus vaccine, given at least 90 days after birth. After a first vaccination, wait 30 days before travelling: the vaccination must be at least 30 days before the departure date.
Details and the official words
“La vacuna debe ser de virus inactivado y administrada no más de 12 meses ni menos de 30 días antes de la fecha de salida.”
“Los cachorros deben haber recibido la vacuna contra la rabia al menos 90 días después del nacimiento (3 meses o 12 semanas) y esperar 30 días después de la vacunación antes de viajar.”
VaccinationEntering the Dominican Republic
Rabies vaccination within the 12 months before departure
The rabies vaccination on the certificate must be no more than 12 months before the departure date, even if your pet's vaccine is valid for longer. If your pet's last shot will be older, give a booster before you travel. An adult dog with a history of rabies vaccination and boosters doesn't need to wait 30 days after the booster; a cat does.
Details and the official words
Add the date of your pet's most recent rabies shot to check this.
DIGEGA's exemption from the 30-day wait names adult dogs only, so we apply the 30 days to every cat's vaccination.
“La vacuna debe ser de virus inactivado y administrada no más de 12 meses ni menos de 30 días antes de la fecha de salida.”
“Los perros adultos con antecedentes de vacunación contra la rabia y dosis de refuerzo no necesitan esperar 30 días después de la vacunación.”
In the days before you travel
Vet examEntering the Dominican Republic
Vet examination within 72 hours before departure
A vet examines your pet within the 72 hours before the departure date and finds it free of infectious or contagious diseases. By then it must already have been treated against internal and external parasites.
Details and the official words
“El animal fue examinado dentro de las 72 horas previas a la fecha de salida. Se determinó que no padecía enfermedades infecciosas o contagiosas y que había recibido tratamiento contra parásitos externos e internos.”
TreatmentEntering the Dominican Republic
Internal and external parasite treatment before the vet examination
Your pet is treated against internal and external parasites before the vet examines it. The certificate names the dewormers with their manufacturer and active ingredients. DIGEGA gives no time window: ask your vet.
Details and the official words
“El animal fue examinado dentro de las 72 horas previas a la fecha de salida. Se determinó que no padecía enfermedades infecciosas o contagiosas y que había recibido tratamiento contra parásitos externos e internos.”
“El certificado debe especificar: las vacunas administradas y el control de parásitos internos y externos (los desparasitantes deben especificar el fabricante y los principios activos).”
PaperworkItaly and the Dominican Republic
Vet's health certificate, endorsed by an official vet at the port of embarkation
A vet issues and signs a health certificate after the examination, and an official vet at the port of embarkation endorses and stamps it. It gives the name and address in the Dominican Republic of the person accompanying the pet, the pet's full identification (name, breed, sex, colour, date of birth, microchip and/or tattoo), the vaccinations given and the parasite treatments. Attach the vaccination record with the vaccine labels (batch number, manufacture and expiry dates).
Details and the official words
DIGEGA's page places the official endorsement at the port of embarkation. In many countries the official vet endorses certificates before you go to the airport (in the US, USDA APHIS): ask your country's official veterinary service how it endorses a certificate for the Dominican Republic.
Health certification from your local ASL veterinary service: Get the information you need by contacting the embassy in Italy of the non-EU destination, or go directly to the veterinary service of your ASL (local health authority), which is competent to issue the health certification that may be needed.
The ministry's page gives no deadline for how recent the certificate must be: the destination's own requirements decide.
“Los animales deben ir acompañados de un certificado sanitario expedido y firmado por un veterinario. Este certificado debe ser refrendado y sellado por un veterinario oficial en el puerto de embarque.”
“El certificado debe contener el nombre y la dirección de la persona que acompaña al animal en la República Dominicana y la identificación completa del animal (nombre, raza, sexo, color, fecha de nacimiento, microchip y/o tatuaje).”
“Debe ir acompañado de un registro de vacunación con las etiquetas de las vacunas, incluyendo el número de lote, la fecha de fabricación y la fecha de caducidad.”
“È dunque opportuno reperire le informazioni necessarie contattando l’ambasciata in Italia del Paese terzo oppure rivolgersi direttamente al servizio veterinario della Asl di appartenenza competente per l’eventuale rilascio della certificazione sanitaria necessaria.”
Good to know
- When the destination is outside the EU, it can ask for health requirements and documents on top of those for EU countries, and the conditions vary by destination.
- Some non-EU countries have very strict laws, for example quarantine that separates the animal from its owner, even for long periods. Collect the information well in advance.
- Planning to bring your pet back to the EU? After a short stay in a non-EU country you can skip the 3-month wait after the rabies blood test, but only if, before you leave the EU, your pet was vaccinated against rabies, passed a successful titer test, and your vet recorded both in its EU pet passport. So do the blood test before you go.
Money
What it costs
Government fees exactly as the official pages state them, and what vets and labs in Italy publish for the steps above. The two are never added together.
Government fees on this route
No fee applies to every trip; these may, depending on your case
Pet passport from the local health service in Abruzzo (regional example), maximumLeaving Italy40.20 EUR
Charged by the hour up to this cap, passport included. Each Italian region sets its own fees.
“Al pari della Tariffa su base oraria ai sensi del D.Lgs. 3 Rilascio Passaporto per animali da compagnia (Incluso Passaporto) dell'ordine ecc.); 32/2021, fino ad un massimo di 40,20 € a Passaporto”
Allegato A – Tariffe, Servizio veterinario sanità animale · as of 2026-05-28
What vets and labs charge Not official figures
Vet examinationyour vet · for: vet examination within 72 hours before departure40–50 EUR
Italy: 4 published prices
- Clinica Veterinaria S. Eusebio (Asola, Mantova): Visit (consultation)40 EUR · per visit · read 2026-10-13
- Ambulatorio Veterinario Lunense (Sarzana, La Spezia): Simple visit, treatment extra; VAT included40 EUR · per visit · read 2026-10-13
- Ambulatorio Veterinario Linneo (Milano): General visit; total price incl. 22% VAT and 2% Enpav50 EUR · per visit · read 2026-10-13
- Clinica Veterinaria Certosa (Milano): General visit (history, heart and lungs, eyes, ears, mouth, lymph nodes, temperature, faecal parasite test); 2% Enpav and 22% VAT included50 EUR · per visit · read 2026-10-13
Rabies vaccinationyour vet · for: rabies vaccination (inactivated vaccine) from 90 days old, at least 30 days before departure, rabies vaccination within the 12 months before departure25–70 EUR
Italy: 4 published prices
- Clinica Veterinaria S. Eusebio (Asola, Mantova): Rabies vaccination for a dog (visit listed separately on the page)25 EUR · per vaccination · read 2026-10-13
- Ambulatorio Veterinario Lunense (Sarzana, La Spezia): Rabies vaccination plus certificate; VAT included60 EUR · per vaccination · read 2026-10-13
- Clinica Veterinaria Certosa (Milano): Rabies vaccination with certification, including electronic registration in the dog registry and the certificate; 2% Enpav and 22% VAT included65 EUR · per vaccination · read 2026-10-13
- Ambulatorio Veterinario Linneo (Milano): Visit with Nobivac Rabies vaccination for dogs and cats (3-year validity); total price incl. 22% VAT and 2% Enpav70 EUR · per vaccination · read 2026-10-13
Health certificate (vet’s fee)your vet · for: vet's health certificate, endorsed by an official vet at the port of embarkation48.50 EUR
Italy: 1 published price
- Pronto Soccorso Veterinario Roma: Certificate of good health issued by the private vet (in Italy the official export health certificate itself is then issued by the ASL public vet service, which charges its own fee); VAT included, indicative48.50 EUR · per certificate · read 2026-10-13
No published prices yet for Italy: parasite treatment.
Prices that businesses publish on their own pages, quoted as we read them; yours can differ. Ranges are the lowest to highest of these examples, never our estimate. How we collect prices
Airline fees aren’t included: check your airline’s pet page.
Round trip
Coming back to Italy
Do before your pet leaves Italy
- Microchip
- Rabies vaccination
- Rabies antibody blood test (titer)
Their timing rules put them before the outbound trip, for a three-month stay.
The trip back asks for 7 steps: microchip, rabies vaccination, rabies antibody blood test (titer) and EU animal health certificate and more.
Nearby routes
Other routes
Where this comes from
Official sources
- Permisología para la Importación / Exportación de Perros y Gatos (DIGEGA)
- In viaggio all'estero - Paesi Terzi (Ministero della Salute)
- EU rules on travelling with pets and other animals in the EU (Your Europe)
- Allegato A – Tariffe, Servizio veterinario sanità animale
Last checked against the official pages: 2026-10-12.
Questions owners ask
Does my dog or cat need a rabies blood test to go from Italy to the Dominican Republic?
No. The official rules we have verified for this route don't ask for a rabies blood test.
Do I need an import permit to bring my dog or cat into the Dominican Republic?
No. The official rules we have verified for this route don't ask for an import permit.
Will my dog or cat be quarantined in the Dominican Republic?
Not on the routes we have verified: the official rules list no quarantine for a pet that meets the requirements.
How early should I start preparing my pet for Italy to the Dominican Republic?
With nothing done yet, start at least 4 weeks ahead. The main steps: rabies vaccination (inactivated vaccine) from 90 days old, at least 30 days before departure, rabies vaccination within the 12 months before departure and vet examination within 72 hours before departure and 2 more.
Every rule here is quoted from the official page and checked word for word; not legal advice. How we verify · Report a mistake
Read next
Turn this into dates for your pet
Where from, where to, when. You get every step with its deadline and the official page it comes from.