Couleur Croatie

Travel in Croatia with a dog

Your dog is a full member of your family and you do not plan to go on vacation without him ...
No problem, you can easily make him share your holiday in Croatia.

Entry formalities in Croatia for pets

Entry into Croatian territory is governed by the legal rules applied in the European Community.
You must have in your possession the passport of the dog supplied and filled by the veterinarian and including:
- certified identification information of your dog
- its unique number
- the position of the dog 's electronic identification chip and its date of implantation.
- up-to-date vaccinations (vaccine mark, serial number, vaccination date and vaccine expiry date). Rabies vaccination is mandatory.

Traveling with your dog in Croatia

The rules are different depending on the kind of transport used:
- airplane: according to the companies, your pet can travel in the cabin in a bag up to a certain weight (less than 6 or less than 8 kilos generally) or in the luggage compartment. The number of dogs per flight is limited, it and prudent to book as soon as possible. The price of the dog is dependent on its weight or is a fixed price.
- ships / ferrys: the dogs are accepted in the ferries, kept on a leash.
- bus: there is no regulation, it is at the good will of the driver and the other passengers. Some drivers will accept the dog in cage in the lugage compartment for intercity trips. If the dog is accepted, it can be considered as a hand luggage or as a person, in that case you have to pay the ticket. In city buses, dogs are possibly tolerated in a small bag, but most often refused.
- taxis: depending on the agreement of the driver; most of the time refused.
- Rental cars: possible with a dog but you have to announce in advance (when booking) the transport of a dog to the company, so that an appropriate car will be prepared and provide protections for the seat.

Accommodations 'dogs welcome' in Croatia

In each type of accommodation you will find some that accept dogs:
- in hotel: more and more hotels every year accept dogs.
- in campsite: many campsites accept dogs, in the whole camp or in a specific area of the camp. Some campsites are equipped specially for dogs: showers for dogs, sale of food and accessories for dogs ...
- the simplest remains however the private rentals, in house or apartment.
The reception of dogs can be free or paid, it can also be dependent on the size of the dog. Additional cleaning fees are sometimes required ... in any case it is better to ensure the modalities before booking your accommodation.

Activities with your dog in Croatia

Beaches:
If your dog likes to swim in the sea, you will find almost anywhere isolated coves or wild places in nature. Most frequented beaches are forbidden to dogs, you will see a ban sign. However, there are beaches where dogs are accepted, and even some beach areas reserved for people with their dogs. You will not have a problem finding a place, even in high season, especially if you go in the morning or at the end of the day. It's even simpler off-season, just do not bother other people.
Some beaches accepting dogs:
  - Kvarner region and Istria:
  The islands of Krk and Losinj were the first equipped
  Rijeka beaches Kostrena and Ploce
  Porec beach of Kampa Istra
  Islands of Rab and Cres
  - North and Central Dalmatia:
  Islands of Pag, Ugljan, Murter
  Zaton near Zadar
  Bol on the island of Brac
  Split beaches Kasun, Znjan and Duilovo, model of the genre opened in 2014 with all the specific infrastructure for dogs.
  - Southern Dalmatia:
  On the peninsula of Peljesac in Trstenik
  Island of Korcula in Lumbarda
  Island of Vis in Komiza
  Mlini to the south of Dubrovnik
  .... and many others !

National and natural parks: dogs are accepted on condition that they are kept on a leash, except in the Veliki Brijun park and in the boats of the Kopacki Rit park.You can take a walk to the parks of Plitvice, Krka and others. However, if you wish to bring your dog to spend the night in a shelter, ask for the agreement.

Cafes and restaurants: generally dogs are accepted on the terraces, however it is preferable to ask the staff for the agreement.

Services for your dog

- Veterinary services: you will find veterinary offices in cities all over Croatia. Veterinarians are competent. Veterinary practices also sell food and animal care products.

- Food, accessories and pet care products: you will find pet shops everywhere, most easily in cities and they are well provided with foods, drugs, cosmetics... Most of supermarkets sell pet food:  Plodine, Konzum ... and also shops of care products such as DM, Müller ...

Dogs exhibitions in Croatia

Dogs shows can be an opportunity to visit the country, there are in all regions and some international exhibitions span several days and thus give the opportunity to win maximum rewards in a short period. More and more breeders and individuals register their dogs in Croatian competitions.

- The biggest event is the Dalmatia dog shows which includes 2 days in Dubrovnik followed by 4 days in Zadar. The dates for 2017 are already fixed: CACIB Dubrovnik on 25 and 26/04/2017, CACIB Zadar from 28/04 to 01/05/2017: 6 opportunities to compete and win medals.

- Other CACIB contests (approximate dates based on 2016):
           - Rijeka: 2 days early February
           - Varazdin: 2 days at the end of May
           - Umag: 2 days early June
           - Split: 2 days CACIB + 2 days CAC end of July,
           - Osijek: 2 days mid September
           - Karlovac: 2 days at the end of September
           - Zagreb: 2 days at the end of November.
For more information, visit the website of the Croatian Canine Federation: www.hks.hr