Pet vaccinations are important to keep your pet healthy and safe from life-threatening diseases. They are an essential requirement before international pet travel to protect local animals from exotic and introduced diseases.

Before travelling to Denmark with your pet, you have to make sure they are up to date with their vaccinations and have received all the mandatory immunisations as required by the country. Here’s the vaccination schedule for international pet travel to Denmark:

Know your country category

The rabies status of the country determines its country category. Most countries of the world fall under one of three categories – rabies-free, low incidence of rabies and high incidence of rabies. Like most EU member countries, Denmark has classified the countries of the world into three categories:

• Category 1: All EU member countries are included in this category.
• Category 2: Third countries with a low incidence of rabies are included in this category. They are Andorra, Switzerland, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Greenland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino, Vatican City State, Ascension Island, United Arab Emirates, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Aruba, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Barbados, Bahrain, Bermuda, the BES Islands, Belarus, Canada, Chile, Curaçao, Fiji, Falkland Islands, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Japan, St Kitts and Nevis, Cayman Islands, St Lucia, Montserrat, North Macedonia, Mauritius, Mexico, Malaysia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, French Polynesia, St Pierre and Miquelon, Russia, Singapore, St Helena, Sint Maarten, Trinidad and Tobago, Taiwan, United States, St Vincent and the Grenadines, British Virgin Islands, Vanuatu, and Wallis and Futuna.
• Category 3: Countries that are not mentioned in the above categories are non-listed countries with a high incidence of rabies.

Vaccination schedule for pets travelling to Denmark from EU and low rabies countries

Pet dogs and cats travelling to Denmark from Category 1 and 2 countries must receive their rabies vaccination at least 21 days before the date of travel. The vaccination must be administered after the microchip has been implanted. Your pet dog or cat must be at least 12 weeks old when they receive the vaccine.

If your pet has received the primary vaccination and has had a subsequent booster dose while the primary vaccination was still valid, your pet need not wait for 21 days as long as all other pet import requirements are met.

Puppies and kittens travelling from Category 1 and 2 countries need a Puppy/Kitten Declaration form to enter Denmark. The declaration form states that the puppy or kitten has had no contact with wild animals susceptible to rabies from the time of birth till the date of travel. Puppies and kittens less than eight weeks old cannot travel to Denmark unless their mother accompanies them.

Vaccination schedule for pets travelling to Denmark from unlisted countries

Pet cats and dogs flying from unlisted countries with a high incidence of rabies need a rabies antibody test (RNATT) before flying to Denmark. The pet dog or cat must be vaccinated against rabies at least four months before the date of travel. Remember to implant the microchip before the rabies vaccination.

The sample for the RNAT test must be drawn at least 30 days after and not more than three months before the date of travel. The sample must be sent to an EU approved laboratory for analysis. The RNAT test measures the level of rabies antibodies in the blood to check if the pet has been adequately immunised against rabies. The result of the test must be at least 0.5 IU/ml or more for your pet to be able to travel to Denmark.

Your pet must wait for three months after the date of the test to be able to fly to Denmark. If you are reimporting your pet and the antibody test was performed on the pet before moving out of Denmark, your pet need not wait for three months to travel.

Call the pet travel specialists

International pet travel to Denmark can be hard, especially if you are flying for the first time. The rules can be confusing and time-consuming. All the pet import requirements have to be met satisfactorily for your pet to be able to enter the country. Failure to meet the criteria may result in extended quarantine, or worse, your pet will be returned to the country of origin.

An experienced pet travel agency can help you understand the many pet transport regulations and make the pet travel a stress-free experience for you and your pet. If you are planning to go to Denmark with your pet, reach out to the pet travel specialists at Petraveller for more information on vaccinations and a comprehensive pet travel plan.