Great Britain → Ireland
Travelling with a dog from Great Britain to Ireland
Ireland follows EU pet-entry rules. A trip to Northern Ireland is not the same route: qualifying UK residents may use the separate Northern Ireland Pet Travel Scheme when they are not continuing into Ireland or the EU.
Rules and airline policies last reviewed 21 August 2026
Dogs entering Ireland from Great Britain need vet-administered tapeworm treatment 24 to 120 hours before arrival. Pets must use an Irish travellers' point of entry and undergo a compliance check.
- Document
- Animal Health Certificate
- Dog tapeworm
- Required 24–120 hours before arrival
- Entry
- Designated Irish airport or port
- Common surface route
- Holyhead–Dublin or Pembroke–Rosslare ferry
In the right order
Your step-by-step checklist
- 1
Start early
Microchip, rabies and wait
Make sure the microchip predates the vaccination used for travel and allow at least 21 full days after a primary rabies dose.
- 2
Within 10 days of entry
Get the AHC
An Official Veterinarian issues the original certificate for Ireland entry.
- 3
24–120 hours before arrival
Get tapeworm treatment
A vet must record product, date, exact time, stamp and signature for every dog.
- 4
Before finalising travel
Book an accepted pet route
Use a designated Irish port or airport. Ferry facilities vary; pets flying on Aer Lingus use an agent/hold process rather than passenger check-in.
- 5
On arrival
Complete the arrival check
Carry original paperwork and follow the carrier/Irish authority instructions for the compliance check.
Choose the journey
Transport options
Most owners and larger dogs
Irish Sea ferry
Irish Ferries offers vehicle, kennel, Pet Den or selected pet-cabin products depending on ship.
Specialist hold transport
Air
Aer Lingus household pets are arranged through a pet agent and travel in the hold on eligible services; Regional services do not accept pets.
Route-aware comparison
Airline pet policies
The operating carrier, direction, aircraft and available pet space all matter. “Cabin allowed” never means every flight.
| Airline | Cabin | Larger pets | Route warning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aer Lingus ↗ | Household pets are not accepted at passenger check-in; assistance dogs are separate. | Cats and dogs on eligible transatlantic services travel in the hold through an approved pet agent. | No pet transport on Aer Lingus Regional operated by Emerald Airlines; some aircraft cannot carry live animals. |
| British Airways ↗ | Domestic pets are not carried in the cabin on any route; recognised assistance dogs follow a separate process. | Pets travel in the hold through PetAir UK when leaving the UK or IAG Cargo when entering the UK. | Treat this as a managed cargo product, not passenger checked baggage. |
| Ryanair ↗ | Does not carry pets. | No hold or cargo pet product for ordinary pets. | Only qualifying guide/assistance dogs are accepted on certain routes. |
Plain-English answers
Frequently asked questions
Is Northern Ireland covered by this guide?
No. Direct GB→Northern Ireland travel can use the separate NI Pet Travel Scheme in qualifying cases, but onward travel into Ireland/EU requires EU-compliant documents.
Can my pet fly in the cabin to Ireland?
Irish law does not itself ban cabin carriage, but the airline decides. Major direct carriers commonly use hold/cargo or do not accept ordinary pets, so verify before buying a ticket.
Does a cat need tapeworm treatment?
No. The tapeworm rule applies to dogs.
Verified, not vibes
Official sources
These rules and policies were checked on 21 August 2026. Use the links below for the final check immediately before travel.
- GOV.UK — animal health certificates for travel from Great Britain ↗
- GOV.UK — tapeworm treatment timing ↗
- Ireland official Pet Travel Portal ↗
- Ireland Department of Agriculture — Ireland/Great Britain pet movement ↗
- DAERA — current Northern Ireland pet-travel rules ↗
- Irish Ferries — pet travel on all routes ↗
- Aer Lingus — animals and pets rules ↗
- Ryanair — animals policy ↗