Taking a dog on a ferry is one of the easiest ways to get a pet abroad, and most UK ferry operators carry dogs. Where your dog spends the crossing varies a lot, though. On some ships it has to stay in the car. Others have kennels, pet lounges, or cabins where it can stay with you.
This guide covers two things. First, GOV.UK's rules for taking a pet dog, cat or ferret from Great Britain to the EU, Ireland and Northern Ireland, and for bringing it home. Then what each ferry operator says about where pets travel, how to book, what it costs and whether your dog needs a lead or a muzzle. Everything is taken from GOV.UK or the operators' own pages, as I found them on 11 November 2026.
Where your dog spends the crossing varies a lot, though.
Taking a dog from Great Britain to the EU or Ireland
GOV.UK sets out the steps for travelling with a dog, cat or ferret to an EU country, which includes France, Spain, the Netherlands and Ireland. The same rules apply to assistance dogs.
- Microchip. GOV.UK says "You must get your pet microchipped before, or at the same time as, their rabies vaccination. If you do not, they'll need to be vaccinated again."
- Rabies vaccination. Your vet needs proof that your pet is at least 12 weeks old. You then have to wait at least 21 full days after the first vaccination (or the last of the first course) before you travel, and day 1 is the day after the vaccination. There's no wait after a booster if there's been no break in cover.
- Animal health certificate (AHC). You get this from your vet, and it has to be signed by an "official veterinarian". After the date of issue it's valid for 10 days for entry into the EU, 6 months for onward travel within the EU, and 6 months for re-entry to Great Britain. You need a new certificate for each trip, and you can add up to 5 pets to one certificate.
- Tapeworm treatment for some countries. A vet must treat your dog for tapeworm before you travel to Finland, Ireland, Malta, Northern Ireland (unless you have a Northern Ireland pet travel document) or Norway.
What about pet passports? GOV.UK is clear: "If you live in England, Scotland or Wales, you cannot use a pet passport to enter the EU - even if it was issued in the EU." If you use one instead of an AHC, your pet may be refused entry. You can still use an EU pet passport if you live in Northern Ireland.
You can't take more than 5 pets in a private vehicle to an EU country unless you're attending or training for an event, such as a show or competition, or exporting them commercially.
For Ireland, Stena Line adds that when travelling from Britain "you must complete an advance notice form and organise compliance checks for your pet in advance of your arrival into Ireland."
Taking a dog from Great Britain to Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland has its own, simpler document. GOV.UK says you need a Northern Ireland pet travel document (PTD) to take your dog, cat or ferret there from Great Britain. "It's free to apply and will last for as long as you own the pet." Your pet must be microchipped, but with a PTD it doesn't need a rabies vaccination or tapeworm treatment.
If you're going by ferry, you must scan your pet's microchip at the port before leaving Great Britain, using a scanner provided there. If there's a problem with the chip, you have to go to the inspection facility at Belfast or Larne when you arrive. If you live in Northern Ireland, you don't need a PTD for travel to and from Great Britain, but your pet must be microchipped.
Bringing your dog back to Great Britain
The rules for coming home depend on where you're coming from.
- Approved routes. You can only enter Great Britain with a pet on certain routes and with certain companies. You don't need an approved route if you're coming from Ireland.
- Documents from the EU. Your pet needs one of these: a pet passport issued in an EU country (or certain other countries), an AHC issued in Great Britain in the last 6 months, a Great Britain pet health certificate, or a pet passport issued in Great Britain before 1 January 2021.
- From Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, GOV.UK says your pet "will not need a pet passport or health certificate to enter Great Britain."
- Tapeworm treatment for dogs. A vet must treat your dog "no less than 24 hours before you enter Great Britain" and "no more than 5 days (120 hours) before". You don't need this if you're coming directly from Finland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Malta or Norway.
- Short trips. If you're back within 24 hours, your dog must be treated by a vet before you go. If you're back within 5 days, you can also get the treatment done before you leave, as long as you re-enter at least 24 hours after it and within 5 days of it. GOV.UK also says you should treat your dog again within 28 days of getting home.
Get this wrong and the consequences are serious. GOV.UK says your pet "may be put into quarantine for up to 4 months if you do not follow these rules - or refused entry if you travelled by sea", and you pay any fees. You also can't bring a banned breed of dog into Great Britain unless it already has a valid Certificate of Exemption.
Where pets travel on each ferry operator
This is a summary of what each operator says on its own pet pages. Which options you get often depends on the ship as well as the route, so check your sailing when you book.
| Operator | In your vehicle | Kennels | Pet-friendly cabins | Pet lounge | On foot with a pet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brittany Ferries | Yes, on some ships | Yes, on six ships | Yes | Not listed | No |
| DFDS | Yes (the only option on Dover–France) | Newhaven–Dieppe, Newcastle–Amsterdam | Newhaven–Dieppe, Newcastle–Amsterdam, Portsmouth–Jersey | Portsmouth–Jersey | Not on Dover–France |
| P&O Ferries | Dover–Calais, Cairnryan–Larne | Hull–Rotterdam | Hull–Rotterdam | Dover–Calais (dogs only) | Hull–Rotterdam with a kennel |
| Stena Line | Yes, all Irish Sea routes | Yes | Yes, on some ships | Belfast–Cairnryan (in a carrier) | Yes, if pre-booked |
| Irish Ferries | Yes | Ulysses and Dublin Swift | James Joyce | Pet Den on selected ships | With a kennel or the Pet Den |
| Condor Ferries | Yes | Not listed | Islander and Clipper | Not listed | UK–Channel Islands only, in a cage |
| Red Funnel | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | North Lounge | Yes, on the Red Jets |
| CalMac | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Pet lounges | Yes |
| NorthLink | Yes | Yes | Yes | MV Hamnavoe | Yes, with a kennel |
| Isle of Man Steam Packet | Yes | Yes | Manxman | Manxman | Not stated |
Brittany Ferries
Brittany Ferries says pets can travel "in your car, in a kennel or in a pet-friendly cabin", depending on the ship and route. Kennels are on six ships, and the 2-berth pet-friendly cabins take "1 large dog or 2 small dogs or cats". It counts small dogs as under 10 kg. Brittany Ferries warns that space "is always very limited, especially in the summer. So book early to avoid disappointment!"
- Booking. Pets can be booked online on all Brittany Ferries routes, up to 5 per vehicle. You can't take a pet as a foot passenger, or if you're travelling by bicycle or motorcycle.
- Fees. Brittany Ferries quotes "from just £36 to France and £50 to Spain each way".
- Muzzle and lead. These rules are strict. Your dog "must be muzzled and on a lead whenever they are outside their owner's vehicle", including at check-in, between decks and in the exercise area. You'll be fined if you don't, and you must bring the muzzle yourself.
- Visiting a pet in the car. There are no garage visits on overnight sailings. On other sailings, visits are limited to one person per vehicle for a maximum of 15 minutes.
Routes include Portsmouth to Caen, Portsmouth to St Malo, Plymouth to Roscoff and Portsmouth to Santander.
DFDS
On Dover to Calais and Dover to Dunkirk, DFDS says pets "can only travel in vehicle for this route". You can't stay in the car during the sailing, and DFDS doesn't take foot passengers on Dover–France at all. It charges £15 per pet, per way.
On Newhaven to Dieppe you get more choice: your pet can stay in the car (£20 per pet, per way), in a kennel (£30 per dog, per way, with "only 3 kennels onboard"), or in a pet-friendly cabin (£20 per pet on top of the cabin price). This is the one DFDS France route where you can travel on foot with a pet.
On Newcastle to Amsterdam, dogs travel in a pet-friendly cabin or a dog-friendly kennel, at £30 per dog, per way. The option to leave a pet in the vehicle is labelled "Dogs Not Allowed" and is meant for cats and other pets.
DFDS also runs routes to Jersey. On Portsmouth to Jersey there's a dog-friendly lounge and pet-friendly cabins, both free of charge, though you still have to add your pet to the booking.
Across DFDS, pets aren't allowed in public areas, and "your dog must be kept close to you and on a lead" when walking to and from your vehicle, cabin or kennel.
P&O Ferries
P&O says pets need to be booked in advance: "spaces are limited and cannot be booked at the port." It doesn't carry banned UK dog breeds.
- Dover to Calais. Pets stay in your vehicle unless you book the Pet Lounge. The lounge is "only available for dogs and customers travelling with a motor vehicle", and P&O lists it "from £12 each way", a price it says covers one dog and one adult. Check-in for dogs using the Pet Lounge closes 90 minutes before departure. P&O doesn't let pets travel with foot passengers on this route.
- Cairnryan to Larne. Dogs stay in the vehicle for the crossing, and pet check-in is at least 45 minutes before departure. See Cairnryan to Larne.
- Hull to Rotterdam. Pets can't stay in your vehicle. They go in one of six dog-friendly cabins per ship or in onboard kennels, which come in small (up to 20 kg), large (up to 35 kg) and extra-large (up to 45 kg). On this route dogs can travel with foot passengers if booked into a kennel. See Hull to Rotterdam.
P&O recommends keeping your dog "attached to a lead and harness" when boarding and getting off.
Stena Line
On the Irish Sea, Stena Line says "all pets, whether you are travelling by car or by foot, must be pre-booked in advance of travel."
- In the car. Pets can stay in your vehicle on all Irish Sea routes, and they travel free. On Liverpool to Belfast, Stena recommends a pet-friendly cabin or kennel instead because of the length of the crossing.
- Kennels. These are free on Cairnryan–Belfast, Holyhead–Dublin and Fishguard–Rosslare, and there's a fee on Liverpool–Belfast.
- Pet Lounge. This is on the Stena Superfast ships between Belfast and Cairnryan. Pets must stay in a pet carrier case no bigger than 91 cm long, 62 cm high and 56 cm wide, with a maximum of 2 pets per booking.
- Pet cabins. These can be pre-booked and take up to 2 pets.
- Lead and muzzle. Dogs must wear a collar and be on "a non-retractable lead (no longer than 4 ft / 1.2 m in length)" when moving to a kennel, lounge or cabin. Aggressive dogs must be muzzled. Stena won't carry XL Bullies, Pit Bull Terriers, Japanese Tosas, Dogo Argentinos or Fila Brasileiros.
On Harwich to Hook of Holland, you can take up to 5 pets by car or up to 3 on foot. Foot passengers must book a kennel or pet-friendly cabin.
Stena routes include Cairnryan to Belfast, Belfast to Liverpool, Holyhead to Dublin and Fishguard to Rosslare.
Irish Ferries
On its Irish Sea routes, Irish Ferries takes pets for motorists, and for foot passengers and motorcyclists "when booked into a Kennel or the Pet Den". You must add your pet when you book, with a maximum of 5 pets per booking. The options are:
- In your vehicle.
- The Pet Den, an indoor space for pets and owners with access to an outdoor walkway. Irish Ferries lists Pet Dens on Ulysses, James Joyce and Isle of Innisfree, and its Dover–Calais ships list a "Pet Den Lounge" too.
- Kennels on the car deck, on Ulysses and Dublin Swift.
- Pet cabins, on James Joyce only, with a maximum of 2 pets per cabin.
Irish Ferries says it's "mandatory for all pets to be on a leash at all times when not in a carrier/crate". Dogs must wear a muzzle if they're a restricted breed or there's a risk of biting. Check-in with a pet is at least 60 minutes before departure. Irish Ferries also says pets may remain in your vehicle on Dover–Calais. Its Irish Sea routes include Holyhead to Dublin and Pembroke to Rosslare.
Condor Ferries
Condor sails between the UK, the Channel Islands and France, and says one person can travel with a maximum of five pets.
- By car. Your pet stays in the car, and there's no charge between the UK and the Channel Islands. To or from France it's £20 each way, and that's only if you're in a vehicle: "Pets travelling with foot passengers are not permitted."
- On foot (UK–Channel Islands). Your pet travels in a cage that meets RSPCA requirements, kept in a pet area on the car deck, for £11 each way.
- Pet cabins. Islander and Clipper take up to 2 pets per cabin.
- Muzzle. Condor says your dog "must wear a muzzle when outside a vehicle, cabin or kennel", and asks you to show the muzzle at check-in.
See Poole to Guernsey and Portsmouth to Guernsey.
Isle of Wight, Scotland and the Isle of Man
Red Funnel says "Dogs travel free with Red Funnel." On its vehicle ferries, dogs can use the outside decks and the North Lounge, or stay in the car. Dogs are welcome on the Red Jets too. All dogs must be on a harness or collar and lead on board. Red Funnel sails between Southampton and the Isle of Wight; see the Isle of Wight routes.
CalMac asks you to add a pet ticket to your booking. A "Pet in passenger lounge" ticket gets you into its indoor pet areas, which have limited numbers. A "Pet remains in car" ticket covers pets left in the vehicle or sitting outside with you. Pets must be on a lead on board. CalMac's routes include Oban to Craignure on Mull (Oban to Craignure); see all Scotland routes.
NorthLink offers pet-friendly cabins, kennels and, on MV Hamnavoe (Scrabster to Stromness), a dog lounge with "space to accommodate up to 8 dogs at a time". A place in the lounge is free. In a cabin there's "a £15 supplement for each pet". Kennels "should be booked in advance".
Isle of Man Steam Packet has a pet lounge, pet cabins, kennels and the option of staying in the car on Manxman. Manannan has kennels and the car option. Leaving your pet in the car "is free of charge", but it charges a £100 cleaning fee per pet if you don't clean up after it. See the Isle of Man routes.
Before you set off
Practical points from the operators' own pages:
- Book your pet when you book your ticket. P&O, Stena Line and Irish Ferries all say pets must be pre-booked, and space in kennels, cabins and lounges is limited.
- Bring the essentials. DFDS suggests water bowls, food, treats and favourite toys. Brittany Ferries and DFDS both say kennel bedding isn't supplied.
- Bring a muzzle if you're sailing with Brittany Ferries or Condor, and a non-retractable lead for Stena Line.
- Don't plan on sitting with your dog in the car. DFDS says you can't stay in the vehicle during the sailing, and Stena Line and CalMac say you can't go back to the car deck while you're at sea.
- Check your documents before the port. P&O warns that pets without a valid AHC "could be refused travel".
For more on sailing to France, see my Ferry to France guide.
Questions about taking a dog on a ferry
Can I take my dog to France on a ferry?
Yes. GOV.UK says your dog needs a microchip, a rabies vaccination and an animal health certificate from an official vet, issued within 10 days before you enter the EU. Your dog will also need tapeworm treatment between 24 hours and 5 days before you come back into Great Britain.
Can I still use a pet passport?
Not if you live in England, Scotland or Wales. GOV.UK says you "cannot use a pet passport to enter the EU - even if it was issued in the EU", so you need an animal health certificate for each trip.
Can I stay with my dog during the crossing?
Only if you book a pet lounge or pet-friendly cabin. Examples are P&O's Dover–Calais Pet Lounge, Brittany Ferries' pet-friendly cabins and Irish Ferries' Pet Den. If your dog stays in the car, you can't stay with it during the sailing.
Which ferries have pet-friendly cabins?
Brittany Ferries, Stena Line, Irish Ferries (James Joyce), Condor (Islander and Clipper), NorthLink and Isle of Man Steam Packet (Manxman) all list them. So do DFDS on Newhaven–Dieppe, Newcastle–Amsterdam and Portsmouth–Jersey, and P&O on Hull–Rotterdam.
Can I take my dog on a ferry as a foot passenger?
It depends on the route. Brittany Ferries doesn't allow pets with foot passengers, and neither do DFDS on Dover–France or P&O on Dover–Calais. Stena Line, Irish Ferries and P&O on Hull–Rotterdam take dogs with foot passengers if you pre-book a kennel or other pet space.
Do I need documents to take my dog to Northern Ireland?
Yes, if you live in Great Britain. You need a free Northern Ireland pet travel document, and your dog must be microchipped. GOV.UK says no rabies vaccination or tapeworm treatment is needed with a PTD.
