Rats! The Dog Has no Passport.

The dog can’t go to France after all. His passport is not ready yet.

Yes, that’s right. Dogs who travel within Europe need a passport. The process here in Italy involves a visit to the vet for an anti-rabies jab, followed by an application to the local health authority – ASL – for the requisite document. A photo is not necessary, but you do need to take your animal’s registration document too.

Apparently you need to make an appointment with the health people 21 days after the jab to get the paperwork. You pet should also have either a functioning microchip or a legible tattoo, too.

The anti-rabies jab, the effectiveness of which lasts a year, may set you back 50 Euros or so, and the passport costs around €12 for permission to take dawgs, pussys, and ferrets (?!) to countries within the European Community. If you wish to venture further afield then the cost rises to around €18. Should you wish to visit the UK or Malta, then a further test to ensure that the anti-rabies anticorpuscles are coursing around your pet’s body will be necessary.

In urgent cases, a passport can be expedited, usually at a premium of an extra €7 or so. If you happen to be the proud owner of a Tarantula or Anaconda, I’ve no idea what kind of documentation is required. As for elephants – don’t ask.

Not sure what to do now regarding France. I’ll have to think about it some more.