What happens if your pet's paperwork is wrong at the border

Key rules

• Outcomes: A non-compliant pet can be refused, returned to its origin country or isolated in quarantine.
• Costs: All holding, quarantine and return costs fall on you.
• Euthanasia: It is a last resort, used only when neither return nor isolation is possible.
• Appeal: You can object or appeal in writing, and the window is short.

The appeal period and the exact border procedure can vary by case, so confirm them with the inspectors at the point of entry before acting.

What can happen to your pet

If your pet's documents or treatments do not meet the rules, the border authority can refuse entry, send the animal back to the country it came from, or isolate it in quarantine. You pay for all of it.

The final decision rests with the border inspection post. In practice, a pet is often held at the border post and then sent back.

Your options

You usually get to choose between two routes:

• Return: your pet goes back to the country of origin.
• Isolation: your pet is kept apart for as long as it takes to meet the requirements.

Euthanasia is a last resort. It applies only when neither return nor isolation is possible.

If the problem can be fixed

A missing treatment or a missing document can sometimes be put right. In that case your pet may stay at the border facility or in quarantine while you correct it. You must do this within the period the authority sets, so ask what that period is as soon as you are told.

What to do straight away

1. Contact the animal health inspectors (Sanidad Exterior) at the point of entry. Do it at once.
2. Ask exactly which document or treatment is missing and whether it can be fixed while your pet is held.
3. Decide between return and isolation.
4. If you choose return, ask an airline or a relocation agent to organise it.

If you disagree with the decision

You can send a written objection or an administrative appeal (recurso de alzada). The window is short, normally around one month, so act quickly. Ask the inspectors in writing how and where to file, and keep a copy of everything you send.

Who pays

You do. That covers holding, quarantine, treatment and the return trip. Ask for the costs before you agree to an option.

The checklist, timeline and warnings below set out the steps in order.

Timeline and deadlines

• Contact the animal health inspectors at the point of entry: straight away, as soon as your pet is held

• Arrange the return of your pet through an airline or relocation agent if it cannot stay: as soon as the authority orders or you choose return

• Send a written objection or administrative appeal if you disagree with the decision: normally within about 1 month of the decision

Checklist

• Contact the animal health inspectors at the point of entry straight away.

• Choose between returning your pet to the country it came from and isolating it until the requirements are met.

• Send a written objection or administrative appeal if you disagree with the decision.

What to watch out for

• Your pet can be refused, returned or quarantined: If documents are incomplete or wrong, the authority can refuse entry, quarantine your pet or order it back to the country it came from. In practice pets are often held at the border post and sent back. Contact the animal health inspectors at the point of entry straight away and ask whether the problem can be fixed.

• You pay for everything: Holding, quarantine and return costs all fall on you, whichever outcome applies. Ask an airline or relocation agent about return costs early, and choose between return and isolation knowing the price.

• Euthanasia is the last resort: If neither return nor isolation is possible, the authority can put your pet down. Act at once on a return or isolation option so it does not come to this.

• The appeal window is short: A written objection or appeal normally has to be sent within about 1 month, and you can lose the right if you wait. Send your objection in writing as soon as you receive the decision.

Frequently asked questions

Can I fix my pet's paperwork after it is held at the border?

Yes, if the problem is fixable, such as a missing treatment, your pet may be kept at the border facility or in quarantine while you correct the paperwork. You must correct the documents within the period the authority sets.

Can I appeal if the border authority refuses my pet?

Yes, you can send a written objection or an administrative appeal (recurso de alzada) under Spanish administrative law. The time limit is short, normally about one month. Act quickly so you do not miss it.

Who pays if my pet is held or sent back?

You pay all the costs of holding, quarantining or returning your pet. An airline or relocation agent can organise the return trip for you.

Can my pet be put down if the paperwork is wrong?

Only as a last resort, when neither returning the pet nor isolating it is possible. Normally you choose between sending it back to the country it came from and isolating it until the requirements are met.