Instead of leaving pets at home, more and more cruisers are choosing to take their dogs and cats with them. But how do you keep them safe and what are the rules you need to follow?Each year, the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers welcomes crews of all ages, backgrounds, and nationalities. But there was one crewmember who attracted more attention than any other in the 2024\/25 cohort: Snow, a Great Dane who made the crossing with her Belgian owners aboard a 2018 Fountaine Pajot Saona 47 called \u2013 what else? \u2013 Great Dane.
\nOrganisers World Cruising Club believe Snow is the largest dog ever to have sailed with the ARC. Weighing in at around 160lb (72kg) from her giant paws to the top of her impressive head, she stands just over 3ft\/90cm tall. She eats 800g a day of dog food \u2013 plus lots of snacks. And then there\u2019s a special spot at the \u2018business\u2019 end of the boat\u2026
\n\u201cWe get asked that a lot, where does she do her business?\u201d says Sophie Ingels, one of Snow\u2019s human parents, together with Sven Bruynooghe.
\nSophie and Sven sold their business and travelled throughout Europe with two merle Great Danes in a campervan. Sven tested a few boats in the Caribbean and suggested they try cruising on a catamaran.
\n\u201cWhen Sven proposed we get the boat, I said, yes, but the dogs are coming too!\u201d recalls Sophie.
\nThey sailed the Mediterranean for six months; when they saw that boat life actually worked with the Great Danes, they decided to join the ARC and cross the Atlantic. Sadly, one of their dogs passed away, but Snow adjusted to multihull life like a champ.
\nThe Maltese Benji sails with Mark and Penny Belcher on their Lagoon 400 Two Hoots. Photo: James Mitchell\/WCC
\nPracticalities
\nPets on board are treated as a member of the crew. Each leg of a voyage requires specific planning, usually additional paperwork, and special provisioning. \u201cWe look at everything Benji might need quite a long time in advance,\u201d says Mark Belcher who sails with his wife Penny and their Maltese Benji.
\nA rabies vaccination has to be done a certain amount of time in advance in order to prove it has worked sufficiently. In St Lucia, for example, the titer test to determine immunity needs to have been at least three months prior to arrival.
\nIn addition, there are only certain labs whose tests are accepted by different countries, so pet owners must search out and use the specific labs that are universally accepted. In the United Kingdom, there are two labs. In the United States, there are only two or three labs.
\n\u201cOther tests needed to be done in Las Palmas, because the tests need to be done within 14 days of departure \u2013 but then there\u2019s the whole problem of getting the results back from the lab in time,\u201d Belcher says.
\nPets need a health certificate in order to get an export permit, and in turn an import permit. \u201cWe ended up with a massive file of paperwork for Benji, and we just have our passports,\u201d he adds.
\nOwners should also stock up on worming (particularly heartworm and tapeworm) and tick medication. Some countries require a Lyme disease and heartworm test.
\nBenji, for his part, seems very unconcerned about the complicated process of preparing to cross the Atlantic. He does enjoy a really fast dinghy ride from his Lagoon 400 Two Hoots \u2013 white ears flapping in the breeze \u2013 and shows a strong interest in the cheese and ham snacks in the Canaries\u2019 shoreside cafes.
\nSnow is a Great Dane who cruises with owners Sophie Ingels and Sven Bruynooghe on a Fountaine Pajot Saona 47 catamaran. Photo: James Mitchell\/WCC
\nPaperwork
\n\u201cMoving around the European Union was not difficult, but we had to deal with some paperwork to get her into Morocco. The Caribbean is more of a challenge,\u201d notes Snow\u2019s owner Sophie Ingels.
\nIn order to go to St Lucia, Snow had to make three trips to the vet in Las Palmas, with blood sample tests and health reports needed. \u201cAn extensive amount of paperwork is sent to St Lucia, and they decide if Snow can come,\u201d she adds. \u201cEach island has different requirements and asks for different things.\u201d
\nSt Lucia is fairly strict and a few cruising pet owners opted for a Grenada landfall instead for an easier process post-transat. Some countries require quarantine periods, or simply don\u2019t allow animal imports at all (for example, pets are strictly forbidden in the Galapagos).
\n\u201cIt\u2019s been a nightmare,\u201d said Sonia Johal of the red tape involved. Johal sails with her Chihuahua, Buoy, on her Hanse 385 Salacia. \u201cTo leave the UK, you need to have an export permit, then France gave us an import permit and sailing the EU was fine. But we had a hard time leaving Las Palmas. I thought I had all of the paperwork in order, from my vet. It was a challenge.
\n\u201cBut I love having a pet on board. I sail solo most of the time and Buoy is good company. He makes me happy, and puts life into perspective.\u201d
\nCappuccino the cat aboard Apres Ski. Photo: James Mitchell\/WCC
\nShip\u2019s cat
\nThe Smith-Haywood family on the New Zealand-flagged 1991 Tayana 47 Apres Ski, feel the same about their cat, Cappuccino.
\nAnnika Haywood, Lloyd Smith and their two children adopted their Blue Point Himalayan in Saudi Arabia. They lived aboard Apres Ski and worked in the Middle East for 12 years on the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology program.
\nWhen they departed Jeddah, sailed up the Red Sea and transited the Suez Canal, Cappuccino handled the constant headwinds by mostly sleeping in the sun. He became a member of the EU in Cyprus and, EU passport in hand, enjoyed a five-month, 4,300-mile trip across the Mediterranean to the Canary Islands with the Smith-Haywoods. The family took in the America\u2019s Cup in Barcelona as well as visits to Rhodes, Gallipoli, Rome, Tangier, and Casablanca.
\n\u201cEach country has different rules. It\u2019s easy to travel in and out of Europe, once you\u2019ve met the requirements. In the Caribbean however, the French, UK and US-affiliated islands have clear procedures, but the others are more challenging,\u201d says Annika.
\nOf the medical requirements for cats, rabies is the most important, requiring a certificate and vaccinations repeated every 12 months.
\n\u201cOnce we arrived in the Caribbean, we had our permit for St Lucia, but otherwise stuck to the French Islands to simplify things,\u201d she notes. More paperwork followed in the US Virgin Islands, Panama, French Polynesia and New Zealand.
\n\u201cWe have a really nice backpack for him and have taken him on a few adventures on shore. We generally take him when we leave the boat for more than a few hours, or if we\u2019re staying somewhere overnight.
\nGive your pet their own toilet area. Photo: Erin Carey
\n\u201cHe went swimming once, after a miscalculated jump back to our boat. We were at a marina in Greece and he was working his way down the dock jumping from boat to boat. He\u2019s a fantastic swimmer, but a complete loony, and swam in circles around different boats. I had to get in and fish him out. We\u2019ve since put some netting around the boat.
\n\u201cMostly he is happy wherever we are. He loves walking around the dock or around the boat at night. I am paranoid so I watch him and bring him below when we are done for the evening.
\n\u201cThe challenges on board are minimal for a cat. We just need to remember his food and clean out his litter.\u201d
\nSafety routines
\nWhen offshore the Smith-Haywoods keep Cappuccino\u2019s passport, rabies certificate and import permit in the overboard grab bag. In an emergency situation, Annika says, \u201cHe comes with us on the liferaft. We have a lifejacket for him right in the companionway.\u201d
\n\u201cDuring the transatlantic crossing he was mostly in the cockpit, sleeping in his favourite spot under the dodger where it\u2019s always dry. But when it was food time, he would let me know.\u201d
\nWhen Two Hoots is offshore, Penny puts Benji in his harness, then puts on her own lifejacket and takes him for a walk around the boat.
\nWhen they\u2019re sailing, Benji\u2019s favourite spot is in Penny\u2019s lap and he generally sleeps in the cabin if someone\u2019s below. \u201cHe\u2019s so entertaining. He gives you perspective and distraction. He\u2019s sweet and loving, and so good for morale,\u201d Mark explains.
\nAs a small dog he doesn\u2019t need many provisions. \u201cWe\u2019ve got dried dog food, and he loves salmon, tuna, chicken. We take him with us when we eat ashore.\u201d
\n\u201cHe absolutely adores the beach, when we were in Greece he would run down, roll around in the water, go for a swim.\u201d
\nPets can be great company when cruising,especially if you\u2019re sailing short-handed. Photo: Richard Langdon
\nBy contrast, Snow prefers to stay on board. \u201cShe doesn\u2019t like to leave the boat,\u201d Sophie says. \u201cI take her out for a walk and five minutes later, she wants to come back.
\n\u201cSnow didn\u2019t get off the boat once in the Mediterranean. She does occasionally fall in, and just paddles around until we get her out.\u201d
\nWhen they\u2019re sailing, Snow stays under the cockpit table, secure in her safe spot. At night and in bad weather, Sven will put her inside the saloon. \u201cShe\u2019s an ideal boat dog. If the weather is calm, she lays up front. If she sees dolphins, she barks. Sometimes at the dock or at anchor if she sees someone she howls. There\u2019s not a lot of safety concerns for the crew when she\u2019s around.\u201d
\nThe Chihuahua Buoy spends time in a small dog carrier or on lead when he\u2019s on deck offshore, while at anchor he\u2019s allowed to run around. \u201cWhen he\u2019s on land he becomes a bit of a puppy again. But on the boat, he pops his chest out and he\u2019s a proper guard dog, and barks at everyone,\u201d says Sonia.
\nShe notes that when the crew eats dinner, he\u2019ll get pieces of chicken but they are careful to give no sauce to ensure no garlic or onions while out of vet range. Sonia adds that having a dog on board can be great for crew morale. \u201cWhen the weather\u2019s rough, and everything\u2019s hectic and you\u2019re trying to sort it out, Buoy just chills everybody out.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rules for cruising with pets by country
\nEurope \u2013 EU-issued pet passports are valid for entry into both the EU and GB, but GB-issued pet passports are no longer recognised for entry into the EU. GB residents must instead obtain a single-use Animal Health Certificate (AHC) within 10 days of every departure for the EU.
\nDogs entering Great Britain from the EU must receive a vet-administered tapeworm treatment 24-120 hours before arrival. Most EU countries do not require this for entry from GB, with some exceptions (eg Ireland, Finland, and Malta).
\nFor non-EU residents entering the EU (eg from the UK or USA), you need a Great Britain Pet Health Certificate or an EU Animal Health Certificate (AHC) issued by an official vet no more than 10 days before arrival. You must enter the EU via a designated Traveller\u2019s Point of Entry (TPE).
\nCaribbean \u2013 A unique International Health Certificate and often an island-specific Import Permit is required for every country you enter. A broader range of vaccinations is also frequently required including leptospirosis, Lyme disease, and distemper, plus proof of internal\/external parasite treatment just days before arrival. Most islands require a Rabies titer test.
\nPanama \u2013 Entry into Panama is relatively straightforward. You must submit a \u2018Home Quarantine Request\u2019 along with a copy of your passport. A valid Health Certificate, signed by an official vet (eg USDA-accredited) and endorsed by a Panamanian consulate or embassy, is required. Fees for health and quarantine officials are paid in cash upon arrival.
\nBaha Pelin and Kym Kierman. Photo: Baha Pelin\/Kym Kierman
\nFrench Polynesia (Tahiti) \u2013 Has strict entry protocols that include a mandatory import permit obtained in advance. Dogs must test negative for leishmaniasis, and parasite treatments must be administered by a vet twice: once 30 days before departure and again four days before boarding from your last port.
\nAustralia, New Zealand, and Fiji \u2013 Are strictly rabies-free and treat pets arriving on private vessels as \u2018high-risk\u2019 entries.
\nFor Fiji you must secure an import permit from the Biosecurity Authority of Fiji (BAF) and provide evidence of a rabies titer test, while dogs require additional testing for ehrlichia canis, leptospirosis, and brucellosis. Most pets arriving by sea will face a mandatory quarantine of 30 days at a government facility in Koronivia. Pets must remain secured on board your vessel at all times while in Fijian waters until cleared.
\nSailing into New Zealand with a pet is complex and expensive. All pets must clear through Opua, the only designated arrival port for vessels with animals. You must book a minimum 10-day stay at an MPI-approved quarantine facility. Pets are often transported by specialised taxi from Opua to the quarantine facility. Certain breeds, such as Pit Bull Terriers and Japanese Tosas, are strictly prohibited.
\nAustralia has some of the world\u2019s toughest biosecurity laws for pets. Arriving on a private yacht without a valid import permit is considered an illegal importation and can result in the animal being seized or euthanised. Pets must have spent at least 180 days in an approved country (like New Zealand) before entry. Pets are typically required to spend a minimum of 10 days at a post-entry quarantine facility.<\/p>\n
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The post Cruising with pets: Your guide to sailing with your furry friend appeared first on Yachting World.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Instead of leaving pets at home, more and more cruisers are choosing to take their dogs and cats with them. But how do you keep them safe and what are the rules you need to follow?Each year, the Atlantic Rally … <\/p>\n