Brazil is a fantastic country for dogs, with plenty of dog-friendly travel options to explore. In these post-pandemic times, it feels like more and more, people are taking their dogs on holidays. Our dogs are part of the family, and they got used to spending time with us during lockdown. With so many dog-friendly travel options available, it feels natural to want to take them on holiday with us. So if you’re planning an epic trip across Brazil, should you bring your dog too?

Should I bring my dog to Brazil on holiday with me?

This is fundamentally a question you will need to answer yourself, but there are a few big things to consider.

• Cost: Flying internationally with dogs is not cheap. Not only will you have to pay for the airline tickets, but you’ll also need to pay for vet visits beforehand, any tests and treatments required, as well as fees for a reputable pet travel agency to manage all the paperwork involved. Once you’re in the country, there will be ongoing costs and considerations. These include paying for additional bus tickets and accommodation fees for your pet.
• Potential stress for your dog: Flying internationally can be tough on your pets. We can’t explain to them where we’re going, or how long it will take, or what will be involved. So being stuck inside a cargo container for a long-haul flight can be a scary, stressful experience.
• Breed and size considerations: One thing to keep in mind is that Brazil is not a good place for internal travel if you have a brachycephalic dog (like a Pug or a Bulldog). These flat-faced breeds can struggle with breathing issues. They can also have trouble regulating their temperature sometimes. Because of this, no airlines within Brazil will take them as passengers.
• Bureaucracy: There’s a lot of paperwork and expense involved with getting your dog into Brazil. You’ll also need to get them back home. If money is no object for you, you can use a pet travel agency to manage the process for you, but be prepared for some hefty costs.
• Time spent in the country: You’ll need to weigh up the pros and cons alongside the length of time you’ll be spending in Brazil. If you’re coming to spend a year or two in Brazil, then the hassle and cost is definitely worth it. If you’re only coming for a short time, it may be best to leave them at home.

What are the rules for entering Brazil with a dog?

To bring your dog or cat to Brazil, you must present an International Veterinary Certificate or Pet Passport. It must be issued or endorsed by an official veterinarian from your country’s veterinary authority. Brazil accepts official pet passports only from countries that reciprocally accept the Brazilian Pet Passport. Currently, the European Pet Passport is not valid for entry.

While a pet microchip is not required, the International Veterinary Certificate/Pet Passport must adhere to Brazilian sanitary requirements, including a rabies vaccination for animals 90 days or older, with the trip occurring 21 days post-vaccination for the first shot. Animals under three months may enter without the rabies vaccine under certain conditions. The certificate is valid for 60 days from the issuance date, contingent on the rabies vaccination’s validity. Animals can return with a Brazilian Pet Passport if all requirements are met and endorsed by an official veterinarian from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food Supply. For additional details, contact vigiagro@agricultura.gov.br or visit the Brazilian government website about International Animal Transport.

Flying with your dog

You may be able to fly with your dog in the cabin with you, depending on their breed and size. Speak to a pet travel agency about how to manage this, as this normally requires your dog to be recognised as an emotional support animal by the airline in question.

Otherwise, animals can travel as live cargo (special flights that only transport animals, not people) or in the hold (underneath the plane in a special area designed for animals).

As mentioned earlier, brachycephalic breeds (breeds with flat faces, like French bulldogs) cannot fly on any internal flights in Brazil. Given what a big country Brazil is, it can take a long time to travel by land, so keep this in mind when deciding on your itinerary. For instance, travelling from Rio de Janeiro to Florianópolis (an hour or so by plane) will take over 14 hours by car or bus.

Finding dog-friendly hotels and Airbnbs

The good news is that Brazil offers a broad range of pet-friendly accommodation. From hotels to Airbnbs, it’s easy to add ‘pet-friendly’ as an option and explore the results. One thing to keep in mind is that there’s usually a fee for bringing a pet, and some hotels have a limit on how many pets can stay per room. Before you book, it’s good to check what these fees are beforehand. Airbnb usually factors this into the price before you book, but other hotel booking sites add these fees on later once you arrive.

Traveling on buses with dogs

We had a French Bulldog (named Piauí) while living in Brazil, and that meant we couldn’t fly anywhere internally with him. But we didn’t let that stop us. We took him all over the country, from Barra Grande in Piauí to Jericoacoara, over to Pipa and to Brasilia and Pirenópolis in the heart of the country. We even took him as far south as São Paulo and Florianópolis.

And yes, we did it all on buses!

You’d be surprised how easy it was to travel on a bus with dogs. Of course, you need to be organised, but it was definitely worth it.

We’ve travelled all over the country with Expresso Guanabara. Their rules are fairly simple. Dogs should be 10kg or less, they need to have an ‘atestado’ (health certificate) from the vet, and you need to buy a ticket for them. They also can’t bother any other passengers, or they may be asked to get off the bus. Your need to prearrange all of this before you travel, so take your dog to the rodoviaria (bus station) so they can be weighed and looked at before tickets are issued. You may also need to fill out a form as well, with their details, etc.

We are very lucky in that our dogs love hopping in their travel bags and they could happily sleep all day without complaint. Long-haul bus journeys in Brazil usually stop every few hours for a meal and a bathroom break. It’s usually a half-hour stop, so that gives you time to give your dog something to eat, a short walk and a toilet stop. It’s much easier if you’re travelling with someone, so you can tag team – one of you can stay with the dog while the other grabs snacks, uses the bathroom, etc. and then you can swap.

Not all locations where buses stop will be dog friendly. There may also be loads of stray dogs hanging around these places for food scraps. So keep that in mind…

Brazil is perfect for fun dog-friendly day trips

Our dogs joined us on so many fantastic adventures in Brazil, and they adored every minute. We took them on a rollercoaster in Pirenópolis, on speedboats in Bahia, on dune buggies in Lençóis Maranhenses. We spent many lazy days in Pipa sitting by the sea, drinking caipirinhas while our pups splashed and sniffed around. So many great memories!

Things to be aware of

While Brazil is accommodating to pets, there are a few things to keep in mind. Some nature spots, like national parks, do not accept dogs – so plan ahead to avoid disappointment. For example, when we took our dogs to Pirenópolis, only one nature park was dog friendly – Salto Corumbá. We had a great time there, but without that park, we would have struggled to find anywhere else to enjoy the waterfalls and nature of the area.

Most restaurants and bars are accommodating, particularly if they have outdoor areas, but again, be prepared for some places to turn you away.

As mentioned, you’ll normally have to pay extra for hotels and buses if you’re bringing a dog. Also, some Ubers won’t take you if you have a pet – we used to get around this by always bringing their carry bags with us. If they were inside their bags, most drivers were happy with that.

Fundamentally, travelling with a pet requires more work and planning. But given how much joy dogs bring to our lives, we definitely think it’s worth it.

If you’re looking for a pet agency to help you make plans for travel in or out of Brazil, we highly recommend Pet Friendly Turismo. Honestly, when we took our dogs from Brazil to the UK, we couldn’t have done it without them. They speak English, they know the rules and regulations and they took care of everything, so we could enjoy the trip without worrying about making bureaucratic mistakes. We can’t recommend them highly enough.