🇨🇾Adopting a rescue dog from Cyprus

Cyprus is the furthest of the five countries from the UK, and as an island it has no road route — dogs travel by air or sea. Its rescues rehome mixed-breed street and shelter dogs.

Getting a Cypriot dog to the UK

Cyprus is an EU country, so the entry rules are the standard microchip, rabies vaccination, 21-day wait and tapeworm treatment — see the rabies and 21-day guide. Because it's an island, expect transport by air (or sea) rather than the road hauls common from mainland Europe.

The health tests that matter

Cyprus has a Mediterranean climate, so the profile leans towards sandfly- and tick-borne "Mediterranean diseases" — most notably Leishmaniasis, alongside Ehrlichiosis, Babesiosis and heartworm. ESCCAP UK & Ireland recommends screening imported dogs for these exotic pathogens; confirm what your dog has been tested for and plan follow-up testing with your vet.

The dogs

Cypriot rescue dogs are predominantly mixed-breed street and shelter dogs. The individual dog's history and temperament matter far more than country of origin.

Sources

• GOV.UK — bringing your pet to Great Britain
• ESCCAP UK & Ireland
• BVA — the disease risk from imported dogs