Travel with dogs in Croatia: is Croatia Dog Friendly?

Nobody likes to leave their beloved pet at home while they go on holiday, so why not take your dog with you? If you’re hopping on the Venice – Croatia ferry, there’s no reason why your best friend can’t join you for the adventure. Here are some things to think about if you’re planning on visiting Croatia with a dog.

Can I take my dog to Croatia?

Yes, you certainly can! However, travelling to Croatia with a dog without having to put your pet in quarantine means making sure your dog meets the following criteria:

• Your dog needs to hold a valid pet passport and health certificate
• You’ll need to make sure your dog is microchipped with an ISO 11784/11785 compliant 15 digit pet microchip
• You’ll also need to make sure your dog has had a rabies vaccination that’s been administered since the microchip was implanted – the rules state that “If your pet is entering Croatia from a rabies-free or rabies-controlled country, the primary rabies vaccination must be administered no sooner than 21 days before entering Croatia.” Booster vaccinations are required to keep the vaccination valid – see here for more details.

You’ll find lots more detail on Croatia’s pet passport rules here and a useful Q&A about travelling with a pet in Croatia here.

Dog-friendly Croatia

Having made sure your dog meets these travel regulations, travelling with your best friend is as simple as booking yourself into a dog-friendly hotel, of which Croatia has many – take a look at these pet-friendly hotels in Croatia for starters. You might find that some hotels ask for a cleaning fee if you’re bringing a dog with you, but not all of them will.

Most shops don’t allow dogs in (as is the case in most countries), but plenty of restaurants do – just make sure you ask before bringing your dog in if there aren’t any signs saying you can’t.

Although many don’t allow dogs, there are still plenty of beaches where dogs are allowed in Croatia, including some that are actually designated ‘dog beaches’. There’s a (non-exhaustive) list of dog-friendly beaches in Croatia here. You’ll be able to enjoy some wonderfully picturesque hikes with your dog, too, though you’ll probably need to keep your pet on a lead. Even the glorious Plitvice Lakes hiking trails are dog-friendly.

We’re sure your best friend will love Croatia just as much as you will. Need more inspiration for your Croatia holiday? Take a look at some of our other posts to get some ideas for your travel itinerary:

• What to do in Porec
• What to see in Rovinj
• What to do in Pula