Living here · Guides
Both of us at Top Ten are dog people — so we'll say it plainly: this is one of the easiest places in Europe to have a dog. They're welcome in most places, the vets are good and — in our experience — often much cheaper than in the UK or the Nordics, and the coast is built for the kind of life a dog loves. Here's what to know, honestly.
Straightforward — just done in the right order.
Every dog needs an ISO microchip and a rabies vaccination, and the order matters: the chip must go in first (or the same day), otherwise the rabies course has to start again. After a first rabies shot there's a 21-day wait before travel, so the youngest a puppy can arrive is about 15 weeks.
Your EU pet passport covers it. Up to five pets per person under the normal non-commercial rules.
Since Brexit, a UK pet passport is no longer accepted for entry. You'll need an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) from an authorised vet, issued within 10 days of travel — budget roughly £100–£250 per trip. Once here, register your dog in the local municipal register.
Spain's animal-welfare law (Ley 7/2023) — and what's actually in force.
The headline rules are sensible: don't leave a dog alone for more than 24 hours, don't keep them permanently on a balcony, terrace or in a vehicle, keep them under control in public and pick up after them. Fines for real breaches run from a few hundred to several thousand euros.
Two things people ask about:
The law sets out third-party liability insurance for every dog. It's inexpensive and often already included in home insurance — worth sorting, and genuinely useful.
A short, free online course for dog owners is written into the law, but as of this guide it is not yet enforceable — the implementing regulation hasn't been published, so no fines can be issued for it yet, and it's still unclear whether existing owners will need it. We'll update this when it lands.
Spain now sets aside proper "playas caninas" — stretches where dogs can run and swim.
The everyday part, which is where Spain really wins.
Most café and restaurant terraces welcome dogs — it's normal to see one dozing under the table next to you, and nobody blinks. Parks are generous: Parque de la Paloma in Benalmádena is a local institution, green, shaded and made for a long walk. Off-season, many beaches are relaxed about dogs out of high summer too.
Vets are the quiet luxury here — plentiful, excellent, English-speaking in the main towns, and in our experience often much cheaper than back home for routine consultations and vaccinations — we save some things for when we're here. There are 24-hour clinics along the coast. Pet shops and grooming are everywhere, and pet insurance is worth comparing — prices vary a lot with breed and age.
It adds up to a simple truth: a dog isn't a complication to life here. It's part of what makes the coast feel like home.
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We've done it ourselves, and we're happy to help — from the paperwork and timing to finding a home with the garden, terrace or beach walk your dog deserves.
Talk to usGuide written October 2026. Spain's animal-welfare rules are still being rolled out and beach zones change by season and by town — always confirm the current details with your local ayuntamiento or vet. This is general information, not legal advice.
