A Yorkie's Guide to Traveling to Croatia with a Dog

Are you thinking of traveling to Croatia with a dog? WOOF, perk up your ears to the barks of this former furry Croatian!

Last Updated 6/29/23

Zdravo, escapaders! From the big capital city Zagreb in the north to the small fairytale town Dubrovnik, I’ve spent quite some time living and exploring Croatia, the dazzling country resting on the Adriatic Sea. Thanks to the 90 out of 180-day limit set forth by the Schengen zone, I’ve marked up seaside Dubrovnik on two separate occasions and snoozed my way on multiple cross-country (and international) trains.

Until January 2023, Croatia was one of the few E.U. countries not part of the Schengen Area. A small country located in Central and Southeast Europe, Croatia is one dreamy, ultra-popular destination with U.K. and Western European travelers. And, thanks to Game of Thrones fame, Roman ruins, incredible beaches, and ARF-mazing national parks, Croatia is becoming increasingly popular with American, Asian, and Australian travelers. Is Croatia dog-friendly? What’s it like traveling to Croatia with a dog? Keep on sniffing!

*Please note that this post contains affiliate links, and at no obligation or additional cost to you, my humans and I earn a small commission if you make a purchase. If you love the work that we do, you can show your support by making a purchase through an affiliate link. Proceeds will go towards feeding homeless dogs (and cats) along with improving the lives of the neglected and abused.

Dog Import Requirements from the U.S. & Canada

For travelers coming from the U.S. and Canada, you’ll need to take your dog to an accredited veterinarian for the following to enter Croatia:

*ISO-compliant 15-digit Microchip – Keep in mind that the rabies vaccination must be administered AFTER your dog is microchipped, NOT before. However, the vaccination can be administered on the same day as the microchip.

*Rabies vaccination (or proof of vaccination if your dog already has one) – Vaccination must be done at least 21 days before entry and your dog must be at least 15 weeks old.

Please note that if your dog was previously vaccinated for rabies but not microchipped, then he or she must be given the rabies vaccination again AFTER being microchipped. This was my case, unfortunately. 🙁

*E.U. Health Certificate (non-commercial) – Be sure to print out the certificate and bring it to the veterinarian for completion. Get the forms for the U.S. or Canada.

*Besides acquiring the required paperwork for dog travel, it’s imperative that your dog gets a thorough examination from the veterinarian to ensure that he or she is healthy enough to fly.

Upon obtaining the completed E.U. Health Certificate from the veterinarian, you must then get the paperwork endorsed by your local APHIS Veterinary Services Office (U.S.) for $38 or Canadian Food Inspection Agency (Canada) for $20. Your dog must arrive in Croatia or the E.U. within 10 days from the date that the USDA Accredited (U.S.) or CFIA Accredited (Canada) Veterinarian endorses the health certificate. This step is VERY important!

Remember to bring the rabies certificate, copy of flight reservation, and the E.U. Health Certificate that requires endorsement.

Once it’s stamped, the E.U. Health Certificate is valid for travel within the E.U. for up to 4 months (or until the rabies vaccination expires, whichever comes first)! WOOF-HOO!

*Please note that the entire process also applies to assistance dogs.

OPTIONAL: If you plan on traveling frequently to Croatia or E.U. with your dog, then you should take your dog to an accredited veterinarian upon arrival to Europe to exchange your existing E.U. Health Certificate for an E.U. Pet Passport. The Pet Passport especially comes in handy if you plan on returning to the E.U. with your dog in the future. The passport is valid for years on end – mine expires a whoppin’ 10 years from the date of issuance and I’ve read that the passport doesn’t expire as long as you keep up with the rabies vaccination. With an E.U. Pet Passport, you can kiss all the yucky paperwork goodbye!

**A European pet passport is required for travel between E.U. countries for animals. It contains a description of your pet, ownership contact, microchip information, vaccination records, and the issuing veterinarian’s contact. You can obtain a European pet passport for your dog from any authorized vet once you’re in the E.U.

Dog Import Requirements from the U.K.

Starting January 2021 to reflect Brexit, the only new requirement for travel to Croatia/E.U. for first-time travelers is the use of an animal health certificate, rather than a pet passport issued in Great Britain. You can still use a pet passport that was issued in an E.U. country.

You’ll need to take your dog to an accredited veterinarian for the following:

*ISO-compliant 15-digit Microchip – Keep in mind that the rabies vaccination must be administered after your dog is microchipped, NOT before. However, the vaccination can be administered on the same day as the microchip.

*Rabies vaccination (or proof of vaccination if your dog already has one) – Vaccination must be done at least 21 days before entry and your dog must be at least 15 weeks old.

Please note that if your dog was previously vaccinated for rabies but not microchipped, then he or she must be given the rabies vaccination again AFTER being microchipped.

*Animal Health Certificate (non-commercial) – Find an “official veterinarian” who can issue the certificate no more than 10 days before travel. The certificate must be signed by an “official veterinarian.” Upon endorsement, the paperwork is valid for 4 months (or until the rabies vaccination expires, whichever comes first).

*Please note that the entire process also applies to assistance dogs.

Dog Import Requirements from another E.U. country

Already in the E.U.? E.U. rules make it easy peasy to travel to another E.U. country with your dog with an E.U. Pet Passport.

For travelers from other countries in the European Union, you will need to take your dog to an accredited veterinarian who can issue an E.U. Pet Passport. Here are the requirements:

*Rabies vaccination (or proof of vaccination if your dog already has one) – Vaccination must be done at least 21 days before entry and your dog must be at least 12 weeks old.

Please note that if your dog was previously vaccinated for rabies but not microchipped, then he or she must be given the rabies vaccination again AFTER being microchipped.

Dogs Banned from Entry

Unfortunately, bull terrier-type dogs and their crossbreeds are banned from entry to Croatia, including Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Bull Terrier, and Miniature Bull Terrier. Transit, entry, and temporary stay of bull terrier-types and crossbreeds are strictly prohibited unless they possess pedigree issued by the Kennel Club from a member country in the International Canine Organizations (FCI). Having grown up with the sweetest pitbull named Cleo, I can only bark with an upright tail that this is a true injustice. GRRR, there is no such thing as an “aggressive” breed – the only aggressor is the HUMAN who raised the dog to be aggressive.

The Stray Situation

During my long-term stay in Croatia, I did sniff out a few stray dogs, but mostly in smaller towns. In fact, I got my left ear slightly bitten by a stray dog outside of a local market in Dubrovnik. Good thing my human quickly picked me up before I sustained any serious injury. ARF, I don’t blame him – his bone-revealing frail black body with noticeable skin patches indicated that he was mistreated, neglected, and probably starving. As my human tried to help him, she found out that he was known to be a neighborhood dog who frequently gets loose on the streets. The locals who knew him confirmed that he came from an unloving family that neglected him severely. It’s a bit nerve-wracking to see how dogs commonly wander around the neighborhood – some even equipped with a GPS on their neck collar. With these free-roaming dogs, it’s hard to tell which one is lost, or worse, dumped.

WOOF, I should give a quick bark to address the feral cat situation in Croatia (after all, I’m both a dog and cat advocate :)). Stray and feral cats are EVERYWHERE, and the government doesn’t seem to do anything to help them or curb the population. Many cats here look relatively healthy and well-fed, but others are blatantly underweight, abused, and even injured. 🙁 I do see a few locals and restaurant staff regularly feeding some, but others are left to fend for themselves. Since I have cat cousins of my own, my tail wags to accompany my human on her daily cat-feeding ventures.

Do Croatians like dogs?

For the most part, YES – Croatians are dog-lovin’ people. It appears that most locals take good care of their dogs and walk them regularly. I’m also proud to bark that I’ve never had a problem getting a water bowl at a restaurant (upon request). However, my experience wasn’t always so rosy; I was chased down and smacked in the head by a toddler whose dad claimed that he just wanted to say “hi.” GRRR, now what if it were the other way around? I would have been put to sleep for being “aggressive”!

Since that horrific incident, my humans have been extremely protective and cautious about letting children around me. Sadly, I’ve witnessed way too many children being particularly rough with dogs, yanking and dragging them on walks. 🙁 It’s also common to see larger dogs kept outside the yard or on top of the roof as solely guard dogs, sometimes even tethered or chained (hopefully, this petition will make tethering illegal in the country soon).

Halfway through our stay in Lapad (the serene waterfront residential neighborhood in Dubrovnik), our blunt, loud-mouth landlord, a husky 6’3 Croatian native, lectured my human on how she needs to STOP calling me “baby” because “dogs aren’t babies.” He then gazed softly down to his twin baby girls who were fast asleep in the double stroller (both of whom he could not tell apart) and asserted proudly, “Now, THEY are my babies.”

At the same time, he said that he wanted his twins to grow up with dogs (like he did) but asserted that they are only allowed to live outside. 🙁 To be fair, the perspective of human superiority is hardly limited to Croatia alone, but it certainly left a bad taste in my human’s mouth. Overall, I would bark that most Croatians like (not necessarily love) dogs but aren’t keen on pampering or treating them like real family members.

Forget the haters – Sniff out why it’s pawfectly OK to call your dog “BABY”

Top Dog Fact: Remember the Disney classic 101 Dalmatians? ARF, these firefighter-lovin’, black-spotted dogs called Dalmatians hail from none other than Dalmatia, the central coastal region of Croatia! If you wanna sniff out Dalmatia, Split is THE SPOT to bum it out on the beach (it’s also the largest city in the region)!

Dog-Friendly Accommodations

While it’s not difficult to secure dog-friendly accommodations throughout Croatia, my humans and I have experienced better luck with short-term apartment rentals than hotels. From “No Dogs Allowed” policies to daily or weekly pet fees, hotel establishments were not nearly as dog-friendly as private vacation rentals that we’ve found on Booking. With all five different accommodations we’ve called home in Croatia (one hotel, four apartments), my humans never had to pay an extra fee for my stay, which barks volumes! Sniff out my expert tips on how to find and save $$$ on dog-friendly accommodations.

Where can you take your dog in Croatia?

Yorkie Dog eating out at a dog-friendly restaurant in Croatia

Restaurants, Bars, & Cafes – YES, dogs are allowed on outdoor seating! I’ve even dined indoors at restaurants and sat my furry butt on a human stool at the bar. Ultimately, it just depends on the staff. While you are welcome to wine and dine with your dog, I do want to warn (AHH-WOOOO) that you should NOT expect to eat the best food in Croatia. This country is far from a “foodie” destination. Even though there are some yummy spots that I’d beg to get a tiny lick, Croatians do not generally eat out because it’s too expensive. And, if they do eat out, they would opt for fast food joints.

Although there are certainly exceptions, what you’re most likely getting are restaurants with overpriced menus, substandard food, and the intention of making a quick buck off of one-time tourists. After chopping it up with many locals, I immediately recognized that it’s a consensus that most restaurants exist to gouge tourists since “they need to eat.” In less touristy cities, restaurants can even be hard to find whereas bars are packed beyond belief! For a more authentic local experience, grab a drink at a bar or coffee shop instead.

Sniff out my 10 favorite restaurants in Dubrovnik!

Bakeries – Although a few may have “No Dogs Allowed” signs on their door, all the bakeries have gladly welcomed me inside whenever my human grabbed her fresh bread and croissant for the day. At our go-to bakery in Dubrovnik, I even befriended the cashier, who later kindly offered me some tea for my tummyache (and checked up on me several times afterward). If the visit is short, you shouldn’t have a problem bringing your dog inside.

Markets & Grocery Stores – GRR, this is NOT Italy! Dogs are not allowed inside markets and grocery stores. Most dogs are tethered outside near the front door temporarily as their humans shop for food. Since my humans are less trusting, they would either leave me safe at home or take turns going in.

Beaches – YEP, dogs ARE allowed to get their nose wet and furry paws sandy in Croatia! Too bad I’m not much of a swimmer. ARF, I prefer to dig for gold instead!

Hiking Trails – YIPPEE! Dogs are allowed on most (if not, all) hiking trails. With that barked, my human came across a gigantic snake on a trail one time so it’s best to keep your dog nearby at all times.

Veterinarians in Croatia

OK, my experience with a Croatian veterinarian is substandard to bark the least. After having my left ear slightly bitten by the stray dog, I was taken to the veterinarian immediately. Much to my chagrin, the one and only veterinarian in my town is a short-tempered, overweight 60ish-year-old man who clearly has no love for animals. I am puzzled as to why he’s even a veterinarian. He was super rough with me and screamed at my humans when they questioned a pain killer injection he intended to give me without seeking their consent. He shouted at them, “Did you go to veterinarian school or did I?” As the cut was minor, I reverted to my old self immediately after letting out two yelps at the “crime scene.”

Seeing that I was acting completely normal, my humans only wanted the ointment treatment and rejected the pain killer injection. And, they were right – I was fine without it. That night, I slept on my back with all four paws in the air (like my normal self). This mean-spirited vet also laughed like a hyena when they asked about the potential risk of rabies from the stray dog. He responded in a demeaning tone that there hasn’t been a case of rabies in Croatia for YEARS (which is probably true, but that doesn’t mean he can be such a jerk about it!). GRRR.

What’s worse is that 24-hour emergency care in small tourist towns is virtually nonexistent or has some ultra-slim pickings. Therefore, it’s often a take-what-you-can-get type situation. The upside is that veterinary care is relatively inexpensive, which means you won’t be stuck with some FAT vet bills. They don’t usually charge for a standard office visit but just the actual treatment that your dog receives. Oral flea/tick treatment is also more than half the price compared to what my humans would typically pay in California.

Dog Food + Supplies in Croatia

As markets (whether it’s a small store or a big chain like Tommy) do not carry high-quality dog food, it’s best to purchase food from the veterinarian. Additionally, pet supply stores are scarce unless you’re in a big city like Zagreb. If you’re not traveling long-term with your dog, then be sure to pack enough dog food (or you can always make your own)!

Traveling in Croatia with a Dog

If you’re planning to do some traveling within the country, you’re in luck – it’s easy to travel with your dog here, even if you don’t have a private car.

Trains

YES, dogs are allowed on trains in Croatia! Small dogs (up to 30 cm/11.81 inches in height) can travel on trains for free as long as they’re inside a carrier or some sort of “transport box” OR be able to sit on their human’s lap (that’s ME!).

My fabulous green carrier has been in more countries than most humans on Earth! Get yours HERE!

As for dogs larger than 30 cm in height, they must technically be microchipped, leashed, muzzled, and travel with vaccination records/veterinary booklets. A discounted ticket at 50% must also be purchased at the cash register of the station for your large dog traveler. On a sleeper coach, you must specifically reserve and purchase the bed in the section for your dog. However, the irony is that dogs cannot get on the bed that you’ve purchased for them. 🙁

And, of course, E.U.-recognized service dogs are always allowed regardless of the size. Dogs are not allowed in dining coaches. One dog per passenger.

For more info, put your furry paw HERE.

Flights

Yorkie dog traveling in Croatia, at the airport ready to fly on the plane

Most airlines that operate in Croatia are dog-friendly and accept dogs in the cabin for a fee. For instance, the country’s main airline Croatia Airlines allows small dogs in the cabin for 150 HRK (approx. 24 USD depending on the current exchange rate) + VAT (25%) on domestic flights, 50 EUR on flights within Europe, and 70 EUR on flights outside of Europe. Dogs must be transported inside a carrier or bag with dimensions no larger than 115 cm/45.27 inches total. The carrier must also have a water-resistant bottom. And most importantly, the maximum weight of the carrier or travel bag AND your dog must not exceed 8 kg/17.64 pounds. This is VERY important! If your dog is on the “heavier” side, you better get your paws on an ultra lightweight carrier that’s spacious enough for your dog.

Sniff out my expert tips on finding the BEST travel bag for your small dog!

Although I don’t recommend cargo transport (where dogs are kept in the baggage compartment throughout the flight), you can sniff out more information HERE.

Bus

Generally barking, only small dogs in carriers are allowed although the rules may vary depending on the bus company or individual driver. Again, E.U.-recognized service dogs are exempt from the rules.

Ferries

YES, dogs are allowed to travel FOR FREE on all the Jadrolinija ferries, Croatia’s largest ferry line! Well, unless they’re being transported for commercial purposes which is NEVER the case for spoiled dog travelers like me. Like on other transportation systems, your dog must not pose a risk or disturb other passengers. Dogs must be muzzled and leashed OR travel inside a carrier with dimensions not exceeding 45 X 35 X 25 cm with a water-resistant bottom. Like Croatia Airlines, the total weight for the carrier and your dog must NOT exceed 8 kg. One dog per passenger. Dogs can stay at open decks intended for passengers but cannot access the lounges, cafes, and restaurants (although enforcement depends on the staff or complaints of other passengers). Be sure to always have your dog’s vaccination records handy.

On day cruises, small dogs are usually allowed but you will need to get clearance from the cruise company ahead of time. These small companies are usually willing to make accommodations in exchange for your business. However, some destinations are not dog-friendly (e.g. Lokrum Island) so do your research beforehand!

As an international dog traveler, I’ve also set my tiny furry paws in and out of Croatia:

Rome, Italy to Dubrovnik (flight)

Ljubljana, Slovenia to Zagreb (train)

Zagreb to Budapest, Hungary (train)

Dubrovnik to/from Budva, Montenegro (bus)

Dubrovnik to Athens, Greece (flight)

WOOF, hope you have a blast traveling to Croatia with your dog! Feel free to share your dog-friendly experience with me. BARK AT ME.