Pet Travel Croatia | Pet Transport to Croatia from UK

Flying your dog or cat to Croatia? Here’s everything you need to know.

Quick Answer: Taking Your Pet To Croatia From UK

Here’s what you need to fly your dog or cat to Croatia from the UK:

Microchip (ISO 11784/11785 compliant, fitted before or same day as rabies vaccination)
Rabies vaccination (Your pet must be 12+ weeks old, then wait 21 days before you can travel)
Animal Health Certificate (Issued by an Official Veterinarian within 10 days before you arrive in Croatia)
Entry through designated travelers’ point (Border officials will check your pet’s documentation)

UK Pet Passports no longer work for Croatia. The entire process takes 3 to 4 weeks minimum to complete properly.

Croatia joined the EU in 2013, which means it follows EU pet entry rules. Since the UK left the EU, the paperwork changed, and the April 2026 updates tightened things further. We’re Fetchapet and we’ve been handling European pet transport for over 30 years. Whether you’re heading to Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik or the Adriatic islands, we’ll coordinate the flights and paperwork.

What Croatia Requires For Your Pet

UK Pet Passports stopped working for Croatia and all EU countries after Brexit. Now you need an Animal Health Certificate, which is essentially a health document issued specifically for each trip you make.

First, get your pet microchipped

Your pet needs to be microchipped before anything else. The microchip has to be ISO 11784/11785 compliant and it needs to go in before or on the same day as the rabies vaccination. This order matters because if the microchip goes in after the rabies jab, the vaccination doesn’t count and your pet needs vaccinating again.

Next, arrange the rabies vaccination

Your pet must be at least 12 weeks old when they get the rabies shot. Once vaccinated, you need to wait a full 21 days before you can travel to Croatia. This waiting period is mandatory and you can’t shortcut it.

Then, get the Animal Health Certificate

The Animal Health Certificate gets issued by an Official Veterinarian no more than 10 days before you arrive in Croatia. This timing is tight and means you need to coordinate carefully with your vet and travel dates. Once you have it, the certificate is valid for 10 days to enter the EU. After you’re in Croatia, it stays valid for 6 months for traveling around Europe and for returning to the UK.

Finally, enter through the right border point

Croatia requires entry through designated travelers’ points where border officials check your pet’s paperwork and scan the microchip to make sure everything matches up.

A few other things to know:

You can bring up to 5 pets when traveling by air for non commercial purposes
Croatia doesn’t require tapeworm treatment (only Finland, Ireland, Malta and Northern Ireland ask for this)
No quarantine needed if you have the proper documentation

Your Pet’s Travel Crate

When your pet flies to Croatia, they travel in a crate we build specifically for them in our workshops. This isn’t a standard sized box we pull off a shelf. We measure your dog or cat and build the crate so they can stand up, turn around and lie down comfortably during the flight.

What makes our crates different:

Made from high quality plywood on a strong wooden frame
Full welded wire mesh on the back and a wire mesh window in the door
Three door fastenings to prevent opening during transit
Built to IATA standards, which means every airline leaving UK airports accepts them
Inside water container so your pet can drink during the journey
External funnel so airline staff can add water without opening the door and disturbing your pet
Veterinary bedding cut exactly to fit, which is absorbent, non toxic, non allergenic and machine washable

The crate size directly affects what you pay for the flight because airlines price animal freight based on container dimensions. We add just enough space to keep your pet safe and comfortable without making the crate unnecessarily large, which would increase your costs and could actually be dangerous if the aircraft hits turbulence and your pet slides around inside.

traveling with pets to Croatia from the UK

After you arrive in Croatia, you can reuse the crate as a garden kennel or general pet carrier if you want to recycle it. The crates are built strong enough for multiple uses.

We also offer plastic IATA approved vari-kennels in 7 sizes if you prefer plastic over wood. For cats, we have double containers that let two cats (each under 14kg) travel together with a wire division between them so they stay close enough to reassure each other while maintaining safety.

Flying To Croatia

We arrange flights to Zagreb, Split or Dubrovnik depending on where you’re going in Croatia. Your pet travels as cargo in the hold, which is temperature controlled and pressurized just like the passenger cabin above.

The flight from the UK to Croatia takes around 2 to 3 hours. We coordinate the timing so your pet’s Animal Health Certificate lines up with the travel dates and everything arrives when it should.

We can deliver the travel crate to your UK address before departure so you can get your pet comfortable with it before the journey. Some pets settle better when they’ve had a few days to sniff around the crate at home first.

Living On The Croatian Coast

Croatia’s Adriatic coastline attracts a lot of UK residents, particularly around Split, Dubrovnik and the islands. The coast offers a different pace from northern Europe with warmer weather, outdoor living and access to beaches and sailing.

Zagreb and other major cities have vet practices and pet shops without much difficulty. Costs for veterinary care generally run lower than in the UK. The country has hot dry summers and mild winters along the coast, although inland areas get colder. Most expats head to the coastal regions specifically for the climate.

Croatia is dog friendly in general. You’ll see dogs in outdoor cafes and restaurants regularly. The islands are particularly good for dogs who like swimming and outdoor activity.

Planning Timeline For Croatia Pet Travel

Here’s how the timing works for getting your pet to Croatia:

When	What You Need To Do
4 weeks before travel	Start planning, contact your vet to arrange an Official Veterinarian appointment
21+ days before travel	Get rabies vaccination if your pet needs it or needs a booster
10 days before travel	Get the Animal Health Certificate issued by your Official Veterinarian
Travel day	Enter Croatia through a designated travelers’ point with all your documentation

Most vet practices have an Official Veterinarian on staff who can issue the certificate. Fees vary quite a bit between practices though. Some charge considerably more than others for the same service, so it’s worth checking with your regular vet about their charges before you book flights.

The Animal Health Certificate replaced the Pet Passport system completely for UK residents. Even if you somehow got an EU Pet Passport before April 2026, it won’t work for entering Croatia anymore because the EU closed that loophole.

How Much Does It Cost To Fly A Pet To Croatia

Cost depends on several factors that affect the final price:

What affects the cost:

Your pet’s size and weight, which determines the crate size needed
Which Croatian airport makes sense for your destination (Zagreb, Split or Dubrovnik)
Whether you want a wooden crate or plastic vari-kennel
Delivery of the crate to your UK address before you travel
Animal Health Certificate fees from your vet, which vary between practices

The crate size has the biggest impact on flight price because airlines base their animal freight charges on container dimensions. Larger pets need larger crates, which cost more to ship.

Get a free quote and we’ll give you exact costs for your specific pet and journey. We’ll also walk you through the Animal Health Certificate process and help coordinate timing so everything lines up properly.

Get Expert Advice On Croatia Pet Transport

We’ve been arranging pet transport to Croatia and across Europe for over 30 years. Croatia is one of the more popular destinations we handle because of the coastal lifestyle and growing expat community there.

Questions about flying your pet to Croatia? Ring us on 01206 330332 between 8am and 4pm Monday to Friday. Or email info@fetchapet.co.uk anytime and we’ll get back to you quickly.

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FAQs

Can I still use a UK Pet Passport for Croatia?

No, UK Pet Passports are not valid for Croatia or any EU country. You need an Animal Health Certificate issued by a UK Official Veterinarian within 10 days before you enter Croatia.

How long does the Animal Health Certificate last?

The certificate is valid for 10 days to enter Croatia. Once you’re in the EU, it stays valid for 6 months for traveling around and for returning to the UK, as long as your pet’s rabies vaccination doesn’t expire.

Which airports in Croatia accept pets?

We arrange flights to Zagreb, Split and Dubrovnik depending on your destination in Croatia.

How many pets can I bring to Croatia?

You can bring up to 5 pets when traveling by air for non commercial purposes.