Has Anyone here actually taken a dog to Morocco?? (1 Viewer)

[sallys]

Hi All
On recommendation from TheOnlySue who we met at Setthorns last week, we have joined your friendly site and are posting for the first time.
Sue says there are loads of Morocco experts on here who will be able to fill in the blanks for us on the 6 month trip we are planning that will hopefully include November and December in Morocco.
We have a dog and have established what is required to take him over and more importantly to bring him back. What I am struggling to find is experience from people who have taken their dog with them, and the difficulties that they have encountered. How easy is it to exercise a dog off lead, are there restrictions on where you can take them (souks etc), any problems with stray dogs etc etc
Any advice/info you can give would be hugely appreciated. Going with out little man is not an option but the more we see/read about Morocco the more we want to go.
Thanks for any help
SallyS

 

[tonka]

Welcome..
We were with Sue on the recent Morocco trip..
Cant help with anything specific but one of the group "Cydersid" had their dog along with them. Plenty of French seem to take them, so cant see it being a major issue.
Hopefully someone will come along with all your answers.
Morocco. :thumb::thumb::thumb:

 

[Peter & Elaine]

Elaine and I are interested in this too as our white rat of a westy will be coming with us in new year as Elaine's has told me no rat no trip
I did say they could both stop at home then I would go on my own
The pain and bruises will eventually go away

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[Geo]

More importantly has any one brought their dog back
There were a few dodgy looking Tagines on the Menu out there

 

[DM14742]

I've taken my dog to France & there was enough information given to me from our Vet to even reconsider that again.
Main problem is taking them outside their environment, it leaves them open to virus's, biohazards and parasites that they have no immunity to and I don't think they can be innoculated against everything.
Its a calculated risk, there are websites that can inform you locally what to look out for, for instance in the Dordogne last year sandflies (that carried a really nasty disease) were a problem but more so in an evening so I made sure the dog was back in the Van by dusk. There were also stretches of the river where dogs had died of a bio infection so we avoided those areas as well.
Its all about being informed and then balancing the risk.

 

[Reallyretired]

I've taken my dog to France & there was enough information given to me from our Vet to even reconsider that again.
Main problem is taking them outside their environment, it leaves them open to virus's, biohazards and parasites that they have no immunity to and I don't think they can be innoculated against everything.
Its a calculated risk, there are websites that can inform you locally what to look out for, for instance in the Dordogne last year sandflies (that carried a really nasty disease) were a problem but more so in an evening so I made sure the dog was back in the Van by dusk. There were also stretches of the river where dogs had died of a bio infection so we avoided those areas as well.
Its all about being informed and then balancing the risk.

Theres just as many problems staying at home, our local park had some nasty disease that caused a lot of grief to local dogs. In Spain SWMBO and myself were bitten by sandflies. Meg wasn't because of her flea/tick stuff. Pity they don't make it for humans.

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[DM14742]

Theres just as many problems staying at home, our local park had some nasty disease that caused a lot of grief to local dogs. In Spain SWMBO and myself were bitten by sandflies. Meg wasn't because of her flea/tick stuff. Pity they don't make it for humans.

Hey I'm not going to argue with a Hospital Pharmasist Our Vet just said that as well as the obvious vaccinations dogs have for such as Parvo Virus they gain a background immunity to things that could cause them grief by just living in their environment, the same is true for us I suppose.
Take us out of that & what happens, we get the shits a bit of a growly stomach possibly other things a bit more debilitating & again its probably the same for dogs.
Couple that up with hot weather & long travel distances & if you're not right on it your dog could be suffering.

 

[The Dudess]

Leishmaniasis

Leishmaniasis is caused by sandflies and is now fairly prevelant in most Mediterranean countries. There is now some treatment for it however it is not always successful.

.

We take our dogs to Crete frequently (in fact one of our dogs is Cretan) and although we know about this disease it has not stopped us taking them. They can just as easily get other nasty diseases from a walk in the local park/wood in the UK such as Weil's disease caused by rat's urine.

My main concern for our dogs when we are travelling is being attacked by stray marauding dogs. No idea whether this is a problem in Morocco, however I would suggest you take your dog regardless - a holiday isn't a holiday without your best friend with you is it? :thumb:

 

[Bluemerle]

I've taken my dog to France & there was enough information given to me from our Vet to even reconsider that again.
Main problem is taking them outside their environment, it leaves them open to virus's, biohazards and parasites that they have no immunity to and I don't think they can be innoculated against everything.
Its a calculated risk, there are websites that can inform you locally what to look out for, for instance in the Dordogne last year sandflies (that carried a really nasty disease) were a problem but more so in an evening so I made sure the dog was back in the Van by dusk. There were also stretches of the river where dogs had died of a bio infection so we avoided those areas as well.
Its all about being informed and then balancing the risk.

I don't see how taking your dog "outside their environment" is any different to taking yourself to a new environment.
Dogs die in this country from strange illness that cannot be traced, blue algea kills dogs. Dogs died after walks in New Forest, Sandringham estate, to name just two places.
Vets are now promoting treatment against your dog getting Lung worm, caught by eating slugs or anything that slugs have made contact with. So unless your dog never leaves a house, then every dog is at risk.

I have never taken my dog to Morroco, but would have thought the biggest issue to contend with is offending the local population, who through religous beliefs consider dogs to be dirty animals!
Whateveryour beliefs it is their country.

I look forward to hearing from people that have taken dogs, as it is on my list of places to visit.

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[DM14742]

Leishmaniasis is caused by sandflies and is now fairly prevelant in most Mediterranean countries. There is now some treatment for it however it is not always successful.

.

We take our dogs to Crete frequently (in fact one of our dogs is Cretan) and although we know about this disease it has not stopped us taking them. They can just as easily get other nasty diseases from a walk in the local park/wood in the UK such as Weil's disease caused by rat's urine.

My main concern for our dogs when we are travelling is being attacked by stray marauding dogs. No idea whether this is a problem in Morocco, however I would suggest you take your dog regardless - a holiday isn't a holiday without your best friend with you is it? :thumb:

Yes but they are or should be innoculated against Weils Disease (Leptospirosis) that's my whole point they aren't covered by innoculation or due to environmental protection in places like Morocco that's why I feel its important to be informed about theregion you are visiting & take sensible precautions including speaking to your Vet.

 

[Snowbird]

Personally I have not taken a dog to Morocco but a friend travelling with me did twice. the main problem was he could not use public transport as although it was common practice to see goats and sheep on the bus, dogs are not allowed on. Most taxies will not allow them on either, they do allow some strange people to share your ride though.
Those were the main problems my mate had.

 

[vwalan]

do like lots do .leave the dog with a friend in spain .
many morrocans have dogs as pets .
there is no religous reason for them not to have them. just black dogs hang around in shadows and bite the marocs feet when passing . dogs go all over the place . run around and have loads of fun .
yes there can be dog fights there is a pack sorting out to happen. but then tourists dogs abroad or in uk have to sort them selves out .
you may be asked for the proof of the tetra result of the blood test that uk dogs used to need . new passport dogs wont have had one .but its wise to have it done here in uk before going abroad any way.
i know dogs that have been going to maroc all their life every winter .

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[themogs]

They eat dog out there, don't they.......
or is that Hong Kong ???
Dog on a stick springs to mind !!

 

[canopus]

Has anybody managed to answer the OP's post - can a dog be taken into Maroc?

 

[Peter & Elaine]

Has anybody managed to answer the OP's post - can a dog be taken into Maroc?

Still waiting for a positive reply but I think the answer is yes
But then what do I know

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[Snowbird]

Has anybody managed to answer the OP's post - can a dog be taken into Maroc?

I thought I had. The answer is yes.

 

[Peter & Elaine]

I thought I had. The answer is yes.

Sorry snowbird I had seen that
But do we need any thing different to what's needed for eu country's entry exit rules I have looked on a few sites and all seem to differ slightly
I have tried defra site and I don't have a degree in gobaldygook

If I can't sort it we may have to change our plans for next year as Elaine will not leave dog in care for so long

 

[Snowbird]

The rules are changing constantly. I was talking to someone only the other day regarding parrots being moved around Europe. When I enquired some years ago it was an absolute nightmare, but now its simple. The only sure way is to contact DEFRA and ask if any extra measures must be taken. My friend who took his dog was Dutch and I know he had the dog passport up to date as he often visits Norway where the rules are stricter as they are not in the EU. Morocco as you know is not Europe and although you will have no problems taking your dog there and bringing it back to Spain as no checks are made regarding the pet passport, you may have a problem on re entry to the UK when they see the Moroccan stamp in YOUR passport if you follow my drift .
As I said earlier, the only safe way is to contact DEFRA to clarify the situation.

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[canopus]

Dave you've hit the nail on the head 'problem is re entry into the UK'. Morocco is an 'unlisted country' on the Defra site - from our understanding non listed countries require the rabies jab and blood test - which was how it used to be for Europe.

This therefore suggests that a positive blood test is required and then a 3 calendar month wait before re-entry into UK. The implication is you can be away for 3 months and then re enter the UK. However, implied interpretations are no good when you are facing the UK Borders Agency. The only sure way is to contact a vet who is Defra registered to issue pet passports, and get a written answer from them.

Incidentally we are faced with the same predicament. Can we take the dog? If not we will have to stay over the other side of the Med.

 

[Snowbird]

My "Moroccan" guard dog Coco, when off duty on the beach at Tagazout. When on duty, he is a make my day dog :Cool:

 

[sallys]

Hi
Thanks for all the replies
I have spoken to DEFRA and to get back into the UK the dog needs to have had a blood test for (rabies anti-bodies I think) taken at least 1 month after the rabies jab. A successful result will ensure re-entry up until the date the next jab is due.
I think there is a possible problem getting the dog back into Spain and this requires a visit to a vet no more than a week before entry into Morocco. There are forms to fill in but I am struggling to get details. Will contact vet in Spain to check and report back.
The documents you get in Spain may not be asked for, but they can be and if not in place the dog can be refused travel back - can you think of much worse?? From blogs I think lots of people wing it without this documentation but I am not happy to risk it.
Would still love to hear reports from anyone who has been over with their dog.
Thanks again for the help

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[scotjimland]

I think you are right to be cautious .. I know for a fact that people were winging it when we visited..

There is a thread on Facts that has a lot of information .. (and misinformation).. the pertinent part I picked up and is what you were asking about ..

sorry, not allowed to post the Facts link but the topic is easily found using Google search: "dogs visiting morocco" it's about the fourth hit.

Since my last crossing a month ago the issued document from our Vet has changed. I think as from 1st April i.e. a few days ago.

It is now a triplicate and issued on behalf of the Consejo General De Espana and is called a Certifcado Veterinario De Salad [Veterinary Heath Certificate ]. I think it now needs to be issued 48 hour prior to journey, but not sure.

It now contains and requires more information than the earlier version.
Interestingly the form now has the line, in Spanish AND English [why just English I wonder?].......

WARNING: In View of possible changes in thr legislation, it is advisable to consult web site

 

[scotjimland]

Found this by Googling . "Consejo General De Espana Certifcado Veterinario De Salad"

Link Removed

Link Removed

 

[motorhomer]

We recently returned from a desert detours tour of morocco. Two of the people on the tour had dogs with them and certainly getting back into Spain was no issue. (one lives in Spain, the other in France) Personally I am less sure of getting back into the UK and would take advice from Defra, although I was told that the regulations were eased quite a bit recently.

My observations were that the Moroccans do not often have dogs as pets, there are lots of wild dogs, lots of Moroccans are frightened of dogs and surprisingly were horrified when they saw people picking up mess after dogs. If I took a dog I would never let it off the lead and be very careful about all of the strays, and often they roamed around camp sites at night. Eating rubbish which was not nice!

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[scotjimland]

How to travel FROM a NON EU and unlisted country (Morocco) is on the DEFRA site

https://www.gov.uk/take-pet-abroad

An ‘unlisted’ country is any country not included in the list of EU and non-EU countries.

When travelling to or returning to the UK from an unlisted country, your pet needs:

a microchip
a rabies vaccination (make sure your pet is microchipped first or the vaccination won’t count)
a blood test - the vet must take the blood sample at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination (the date of vaccination counts as day 0, not day 1)
[HI]an official third country veterinary certificate[/HI]
tapeworm treatment (for dogs only)
You must also use an authorised carrier and an approved route.

My understanding of the text is that this has to be done in Morocco..

Third country official veterinary certificate
Outside of the EU authorised vets issue official veterinary certificates instead of pet passports.

[HI]This certificate allows your pet to enter the UK[/HI] (or another country in the EU). You’ll need other supporting documents too. Check your certificate for full details.

They authorities may be lax when you arrive in Spain.. but I wouldn't chance it at Dover..

 

[sallys]

Thanks ScotJimLand
Interestingly when I spoke to DEFRA they made no mention of additional documentation to get into the UK, and were only concerned about the blood test (being the only additional requirement to the standard EU pet passport).
Seems so hard to get a definitive answer on here or Facts (which I have also looked at). I'm sure some of that is due to inconsistancy at the Morocco end but would have thought entry into Spain would have constant regulations.
I'm sure Detours must abide by the official rules - has anyone travelled with them and have knowledge of the procedure?
Cheers

 

[scotjimland]

Thanks ScotJimLand
Interestingly when I spoke to DEFRA they made no mention of additional documentation to get into the UK, and were only concerned about the blood test (being the only additional requirement to the standard EU pet passport).
Seems so hard to get a definitive answer on here or Facts (which I have also looked at). I'm sure some of that is due to inconsistancy at the Morocco end but would have thought entry into Spain would have constant regulations.
[HI]I'm sure Detours must abide by the official rules [/HI]- has anyone travelled with them and have knowledge of the procedure?
Cheers

yes, I have traveled with DD ..

there were two dogs on our trip and both owners were very worried about getting back into the UK .. but I don't know the circumstances.. or who advised them.. they seem to have gotten into Morocco under the radar (MH seat) and hoped to return the same way..

an example of integrity .. .. we were given the return tickets by DD to make our own way back to Spain .. it was only when we got to the port that we discovered we had no ferry tickets for the two kids..

so I wouldn't depend on DD for "official rules"

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[sallys]

Hi All
Still haven't managed to find anyone who has actually taken their dog to Morocco. Please post or PM me if you have as I am a bit anxious about how easy/difficult it will be over there.
Many thanks

 

[rainbow chasers]

http://www.pettravel.com/immigration/morocco_EU.cfm

This might help.


There are lots of feral dogs and strays around there, so do be prepared if you decide to walk around with your dog - and keep him on a leash and away from 'situations'

 

[cydersyd]

Hi All
Still haven't managed to find anyone who has actually taken their dog to Morocco. Please post or PM me if you have as I am a bit anxious about how easy/difficult it will be over there.
Many thanks

Hi Sallys, I have just returned today from Morocco where we have been for just over two months with our dog Gerry.

Despite all the stories you may have heard I have no bad reports to make. Our dog, a springer had a great time, no threat to her was made by any other dog, wild or otherwise. Children often came up to stroke her which made her tail wag faster.
Wild dogs showed an interest but didn't approach and if they got too close the act of bending down as though to pick up a stone the dogs fled.

No interest was shown by the authorities at the docks either going in or coming out. British customs this morning didn't stop us to ask any questions despite having a dog on board displayed in the windsceen.

Hope this helps to allay your concerns.

Cydersyd.

PS. Assuming your dog has a current pet passport, nothing else is required. The titri blood test was carried out at the inception of the passport and providing the passport has been maintained it still applies. C

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