Travelling to Åland with dogs or cats

Travelling with animals requires planning, and it is important to follow the rules for bringing animals into the country to avoid the spread of diseases. It is important to remember that the owner of an animal travelling to Åland from another country must comply with the import regulations, regardless of whether it is a holiday trip or a move. Pets include dogs, cats and ferrets. 

The rules for travelling with pets vary depending on where the animal is coming from. It is permitted to bring pets to Åland from an EU country, Norway or Switzerland if the animal has the following:

• ID tagging
• Valid rabies vaccination
• Treatment for Echinococcus multilocularis
• EU pet passport

The requirements apply to pets that are transported together with an accompanying traveller and that are not intended to be sold or transferred to anyone else. 

The pet does not need to be declared to Customs or cleared through Customs. However, Customs may inspect the animal and its documents. Review the documentation and vaccinations as well as local import requirements well in advance of departure and contact your vet if necessary. If the import requirements are not met, it is considered illegal importation, which may result in the animal being placed in quarantine, sent back to the country of departure, or euthanised.

You can read more details about the import requirements for pets to Åland on the websites of the Government of Åland and the Finnish Food Authority.

You are allowed to bring your own pet from Iceland and countries outside the EU, but there are specific rules to follow. For pets travelling with accompanying passengers from Iceland and countries outside the EU, information on import requirements is available on the Finnish Food Authority's website.

When arriving in Åland from a country outside the EU, you must choose the red channel and present your pet and the relevant documents to Customs. If you are moving to Åland, a removal goods import declaration also has to be made for the animal. Read more on the Customs webpage on pets.

Transporting your own animal does not require a permit. However, the transport must be done legally and in accordance with the Animal Transport Regulation. The regulation applies to the transport of all types of animals within Åland, between Åland and Finland, and between Åland and other countries. The regulation contains provisions on, among other things, the design of transport vehicles, transport times and animal welfare during transport. The regulation is available on the website of the Government of Åland.

Commercial transport of live animals that you do not own requires a permit from the Åland Environmental and Health Protection Authority (ÅMHM). To be granted a permit, you need to have passed a course in animal transport. For long-distance transport, the transport vehicle also has to be approved by ÅMHM. Read more on the ÅMHM webpage on animal transport.

If you are travelling with a pet from Åland within the EU, Norway or Switzerland, the animal must be ID-tagged, have a valid Echinococcus treatment, a rabies vaccination and an EU passport. Always check the rules in force in the country you are travelling to, as well as your pet's documentation and vaccinations, well in advance of your departure.

If you are travelling with a pet with the intention of transferring it to a new owner abroad, the animal must undergo a health examination carried out by ÅMHM before departure and the journey must be registered in the Traces system. 

When travelling with a horse from Åland to Sweden, Norway or Denmark for competition, a DOCOM document is required. The document is valid for 10 days, and the horse must return from the event to its place of departure within this period. For the DOCOM document to be drawn up, all the information must be registered in the Traces system. International travel with horses lasting longer than 10 days must be registered in the Traces system and a health certificate issued by ÅMHM is also required.

For more information on travelling abroad with pets or horses, visit the ÅMHM website.

On the Info Norden website you can find information on travelling with pets in the other Nordic countries and which authorities to contact if you have questions.