Dog-Friendly Ferries to Europe: Pet Rules by Operator
Dog-friendly ferries from the UK to France, Spain, the Netherlands and Jersey compared: where your dog stays with each operator, pet cabins and pet lounges.
📋 Essential Pre-Departure Checklist
- ✓Microchip implanted before, or at the same time as, the rabies vaccination
- ✓Rabies vaccination at least 21 days before travel (after the first vaccination)
- ✓Animal Health Certificate from an official vet: valid for entry into the EU for 10 days after issue (GB residents cannot use a pet passport)
- ✓Pet place booked with the ferry where the route requires it: pet lounge, kennel or pet-friendly cabin
- ✓Muzzle and lead to hand (muzzles are compulsory outside the vehicle on Brittany Ferries)
- ✓Tapeworm treatment for dogs 24 hours to 5 days before arriving back in Great Britain
Where does my dog stay on the ferry?
There are four set-ups, and each operator uses its own mix: in your vehicle on the car deck (you cannot stay with your dog there during the sailing), in a pet lounge where you sit with your dog, in an onboard kennel, or in a pet-friendly cabin with you. Rules differ between operators and even between routes of the same operator, so check the table below and the operator’s own pet page before you book. Every operator here asks you to declare your pet when booking, and pet places are limited.
Ferry to France with a dog
On Dover–Calais, the shortest crossing, dogs can stay in the vehicle with P&O Ferries, DFDS and Irish Ferries. If you want to sit with your dog, P&O sells a Pet Lounge upgrade and Irish Ferries a Pet Den; both are for passengers travelling with a vehicle and both have outdoor space. DFDS’s Newhaven–Dieppe route offers the vehicle, one of three onboard kennels or a pet-friendly cabin. On Brittany Ferries’ western Channel sailings to Normandy and Brittany, pets stay in the vehicle or in a pet-friendly cabin. Foot passengers cannot bring pets on P&O’s Dover–Calais, and DFDS does not take foot passengers on its Dover routes; Newhaven–Dieppe accepts foot passengers with a pet if they book a kennel or pet-friendly cabin.
Ferry to Spain with a dog
On Brittany Ferries’ sailings to Spain (Portsmouth to Santander and Bilbao, Plymouth to Santander), pets cannot stay in the car. Dogs travel in a pet-friendly cabin with you or in an onboard kennel; cats must travel in a pet-friendly cabin. Dogs must be muzzled in port and on board whenever they are outside your vehicle or their cabin or kennel, including in the exercise area. Pet places are limited, so book them first and plan the rest of the trip around them.
Ferry to the Netherlands with a dog
The North Sea routes are long crossings. On P&O Ferries’ overnight Hull–Rotterdam, pets cannot stay in the vehicle: book an onboard kennel or one of six dog-friendly cabins on each ship. On DFDS’s Newcastle–Amsterdam, pets stay in a pet-friendly cabin (up to two pets) or a dog-friendly kennel, and there is a dog-friendly exercise deck; pets cannot travel on the Amsterdam mini cruise. On Stena Line’s Harwich–Hook of Holland you can book a heated kennel or a pet-friendly cabin, and foot passengers must book one of the two for their pet.
Ferry to Jersey with a dog
DFDS’s Portsmouth–Jersey sailing has the widest choice: leave your pet in the vehicle, book a two-berth pet-friendly cabin (up to two pets), or sit with your dog in the Dog-friendly Lounge, which has its own outdoor area and must be pre-booked. On Poole–Jersey and Jersey–St Malo, pets travelling with a vehicle stay in it; foot passengers’ pets travel in an approved carrier in a dedicated area on board.
Can you take dogs on a ferry?
Usually, yes. Most car ferries carry dogs, and many let them travel free. What changes from one operator to the next is where the dog spends the crossing: in your car on the car deck, in a pet lounge or outdoor pet area, in an onboard kennel or in a pet-friendly cabin. Foot passengers can often bring a dog, but on some routes only if they book a kennel, lounge or cabin, and a few routes do not accept pets with foot passengers at all. Assistance dogs are accepted in passenger areas on the operators below.
Dogs on UK island and Irish Sea ferries
Dogs travel free with Wightlink and Red Funnel to the Isle of Wight: Wightlink’s car ferries have pet-friendly lounges and on its FastCats pets can go anywhere on board, while Red Funnel’s vehicle ferries have a pet lounge (the North Lounge on deck A) and dogs are welcome on the Red Jet. On CalMac every pet needs a pet ticket: choose “pet in passenger lounge” for the designated indoor pet areas (numbers are capped) or “pet remains in car”. NorthLink, to Orkney and Shetland, does not allow pets in its internal public areas; they travel in pet-friendly cabins (a £15 supplement per pet), kennels or, on MV Hamnavoe, the dog lounge. The Isle of Man Steam Packet lets pets stay in your vehicle free of charge, and Manxman also has kennels, two pet lounges and pet-friendly cabins. Across the Irish Sea, P&O Ferries’ Cairnryan–Larne carries pets free but they must stay in the vehicle, and Irish Ferries carries pets with foot passengers and motorcyclists only when they are booked into a kennel or Pet Den.
Dogs on ferries in North America and the Canaries
Washington State Ferries allows leashed pets in most passenger areas, except about half of the indoor cabin at the galley end; large dogs must stay on the floor, and other pets must be in a crate or carrier. BC Ferries keeps pets in your vehicle or in designated pet areas (outdoor pet decks at set times and indoor pet areas on select vessels), with dogs on a leash no longer than 1 metre and a maximum of two pets per handler; pets are not allowed in cafeterias, food areas or terminal buildings. In the Canary Islands, Fred. Olsen Express sells a ticket for every pet: a carrier at floor level in the lounge (pets up to 10 kg), a pet sofa next to your seat or a pet room.
Paperwork: leaving and returning to Great Britain
If you live in England, Scotland or Wales, you cannot use a pet passport to enter the EU; you need an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) from an official vet for each trip. The AHC is valid for entry into the EU for 10 days after it is issued. Your pet must be microchipped before, or at the same time as, its rabies vaccination, and you must wait at least 21 days after the first vaccination before travelling. Before returning to Great Britain, dogs need a tapeworm treatment from a vet no less than 24 hours and no more than 5 days before arrival. Operators check documents at check-in.
Dog-friendly ferries compared
Where your dog travels on each operator’s UK routes to France, Spain, the Netherlands and Jersey. “Vehicle” means the dog stays in your car on the car deck for the whole crossing.
| Operator & route | Where your dog travels | Foot passengers with pets |
|---|---|---|
| P&O Ferries: Dover–Calais | Vehicle, or the Pet Lounge (paid upgrade for dogs, vehicle passengers only, with an outdoor area). Up to 5 dogs per booking. | Not allowed (guide dogs excepted) |
| P&O Ferries: Hull–Rotterdam | Onboard kennel, or one of six dog-friendly cabins per ship. Not in the vehicle. | Check with P&O: its pet and foot-passenger pages differ |
| Irish Ferries: Dover–Calais | Vehicle, or the Pet Den (indoor area with an outdoor walkway; required for motorcyclists with pets) | Pets are accepted with motorists and motorcyclists only |
| DFDS: Dover–Calais, Dover–Dunkirk | Vehicle | No foot passengers on these routes |
| DFDS: Newhaven–Dieppe | Vehicle, onboard kennel (three on board) or pet-friendly cabin | Yes, with a kennel or pet-friendly cabin booked |
| DFDS: Newcastle–Amsterdam | Pet-friendly cabin (up to 2 pets) or dog-friendly kennel; some pets can stay in the vehicle | Yes, with a cabin or kennel booked |
| DFDS: Portsmouth–Jersey | Vehicle, pet-friendly cabin (up to 2 pets) or the Dog-friendly Lounge with outdoor area | Yes: Dog-friendly Lounge or pet-friendly cabin |
| Brittany Ferries: UK–France | Vehicle or pet-friendly cabin | Check with Brittany Ferries |
| Brittany Ferries: UK–Spain | Pet-friendly cabin, or kennel (dogs only). Not in the vehicle. | Check with Brittany Ferries |
| Stena Line: Harwich–Hook of Holland | Heated kennel or pet-friendly cabin | Must book a kennel or pet-friendly cabin (max 3 pets) |
Checked 2026-09-29 against: P&O Ferries: travelling with a pet · P&O Ferries: Pet Lounge · P&O Ferries: travelling as a foot passenger · Irish Ferries: pet travel FAQ, Dover–Calais · DFDS: pet travel (all routes) · DFDS: pet-friendly cabins, Newcastle–Amsterdam · Brittany Ferries: pets on Pont-Aven (France and Spain sailings) · Stena Line: can I bring my pet? · GOV.UK: taking your pet to an EU country · Wightlink: travelling with your pet · Red Funnel: dog-friendly travel · CalMac: travelling with pets · NorthLink Ferries: travelling with pets · Isle of Man Steam Packet: travelling with pets · Irish Ferries: pet travel FAQ, Ireland–Britain · Washington State Ferries: pets · BC Ferries: travel with pets · Fred. Olsen Express: travel with pets. Policies change; confirm with the operator before booking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which ferries to Europe are dog-friendly?
The main UK–Europe operators all carry dogs: P&O Ferries, DFDS, Irish Ferries, Brittany Ferries and Stena Line. What differs is where the dog travels (vehicle, lounge, kennel or cabin) and whether foot passengers can bring one. Compare them in the table above.
Can my dog stay in the car during the ferry crossing?
On Dover–Calais, yes, with P&O Ferries, DFDS and Irish Ferries, and on Brittany Ferries’ sailings to France. Not on Brittany Ferries’ sailings to Spain or P&O’s Hull–Rotterdam, where your dog needs a kennel or pet-friendly cabin. You cannot stay in the vehicle with your dog during the sailing.
Which ferries have a pet lounge?
P&O Ferries’ Pet Lounge and Irish Ferries’ Pet Den on Dover–Calais, and DFDS’s Dog-friendly Lounge on Portsmouth–Jersey. All three must be booked in advance and have outdoor space for your dog.
Which ferries have pet-friendly cabins?
Brittany Ferries (on its Spain sailings and on France sailings where the ship has them), P&O Ferries’ Hull–Rotterdam (six per ship), DFDS’s Newcastle–Amsterdam, Newhaven–Dieppe and Portsmouth–Jersey, and Stena Line’s Harwich–Hook of Holland. Numbers are small, so book early.
Can foot passengers take a dog on the ferry to France?
Not on P&O’s Dover–Calais, and DFDS does not carry foot passengers on its Dover routes. DFDS’s Newhaven–Dieppe accepts foot passengers with a pet if you book a kennel or pet-friendly cabin.
Can you take a dog on a ferry?
On most car ferries, yes, and many carry dogs free. Where the dog travels depends on the operator: in your vehicle, a pet lounge or pet area, a kennel or a pet-friendly cabin. Foot passengers usually need to book a kennel, lounge or cabin, and some routes do not take pets with foot passengers.
Are dogs allowed on Isle of Wight and Scottish island ferries?
Yes. Dogs travel free with Wightlink and Red Funnel. On CalMac every pet needs a pet ticket, choosing either the indoor pet areas or staying in the car; NorthLink carries pets in pet-friendly cabins, kennels or, on MV Hamnavoe, the dog lounge.