Sending samples from countries outside the European Union to Spain and collecting them from a location within Spain
Procedure for authorizing samples from other countries:
1.For shipments from outside Spain, you must hire an international courier service other than DHL as this courier service does not handle the entry of biological samples of animal origin through Spanish customs, for transport at your own expense.
If you hire FedEx or TNT, you should be aware that this courier service will incur an additional charge for customs fees and charges, that you must paid to them.
2. The courier company will request pre-authorization for the import of biological material from us, providing us with the shipment details. We will then request this from the corresponding Spanish Ministry and send it to them for authorization to allow the sample to enter Spanish Customs.
3. If you wish for an individual to bring the sample to Spain personally, please keep the following in mind:
A person is not authorized to transport a biological sample without the proper documentation and authorization from the Spanish Ministry. According to the procedure established by the Ministry, the sample will be shipped in accordance with current regulations, under sealed, refrigerated, or frozen conditions.
Request for pre-authorization to import the sample
To request pre-authorization for the import of the sample so that the Ministry can authorize it, you must complete the "Annex for Rabies Serology," which you must request by email from us. You only need to complete the subsection "Sample Information" for samples brought by individuals, leaving the subsection for samples sent by specialized courier service untouched.
You must also indicate the animal´s name, the microchip number, and mark with an “X” the serum and the corresponding species, as appropriate, and send it to us. We need you to provide this information at least one week in advance of your trip.
With this information, we will request authorization to import the sample from the Ministry. As soon as the Ministry provides us with the signed import permit authorizing the import of the biological sample, we will send it to you.
If we receive a sample at our center without having requested and obtained authorization from the Ministry, it cannot be analyzed and will be securely destroyed, according to the instructions of the Spanish Ministry.
The declaration of the biological sample to Customs is mandatory.
If a private individual brings serum samples, they must take the necessary safety precautions during transportation and present them for inspection at the Animal Health Inspection Service at the Airport, so that the samples can be subject to the appropriate inspection process.
Collection of samples once they are already in Spain
For shipments originating from mainland Spain or already imported into Spain from another country, we offer our clients a collection service at no extra cost. If you would like us to pick up your package from an address in Spain, when you have the package ready for collection, please send us an email requesting collection. In the email, you must indicate the full postal address, as well as the day and time slot in which you would like us to send a courier, with a minimum two-hour window. Please also provide a contact telephone number so we can provide it to the courier in case they need it. If the shipment is from a town far from the province capital, collection must be between 9 a.m. and 13 p.m. We collect from Monday to Thursday, to avoid the shipment being held without delivery over the weekend. To request a collection, 24 hours, notice before is sufficient. Remember to have the package ready before the scheduled collection time, as couriers do not wait for it to be prepared.
The serum, approximately 0.5 mL, must be sent refrigerated and well protected in an isothermal container or box (polystyrene box, insulated bag, cooler, thermos, etc.) to insulate the sample from the outside temperature. Place a pre-frozen refrigerant (ice pack, thermal gel bag, etc.) inside the package to keep the sample cold, as the courier will not keep the refrigerated package.
Shipments with ice inside are not accepted by the courier. Please do not use ice, as it will melt and wet the documentation and packaging, also compromising the delivery of the rest of the courier's shipments. If this happens, it may be held on the courier´s platform, jeopardizing its delivery. Any costs arising from returning the package to its origin will be borne by the client who sent it.
In order for us to cover the courier service, the package must not exceed 100 cm in width + length + height, nor exceed 2 kg in weight.
You must send the serum along with the order form, which you can download from our website (Rabies tab). Complete all sections directly from your computer (we do not accept handwritten forms), and print it. All sections of this form are required to perform the test and issue the report. The sample and the form must be placed inside a package, so that a single package is sent.
Completion time and delivery of results
The test completion time is 7 to 9 business days. Once the test is completed, we will send you the report, in English and Spanish, with the result by email with a digital signature, along with the invoice, once the payment has been received for the test by deposit or transfer to the bank account number shown at the bottom of the form (we do not accept check, credit card or bizum payments).
If the animal is traveling to Korea, Australia, China, or Japan, you must indicate this on the order form, as in that case you will also need a paper report with handwritten signatures. For countries outside the European Union, we recommend checking with the destination country if they accept electronic signatures. If we need to issue a paper report with a manual signature, we are not responsible for shipping the report by postal mail. If you require it, please provide advance notice so we can have it ready. You must send a courier at your own expense to collect the report from our facilities.
For animal importation into the European Union, the sample can be taken at any time while the animal is currently vaccinated and provided that the animal was identified with a microchip at the time of its first vaccination. For cases of the first vaccination of previously identified animals and/or vaccinations coupled with microchip implantation, regulations require that at least 30 days must pass before sample collection. If the animal was given its first vaccination before microchip implantation, this vaccination will not be considered valid, and the 30 days will be counted from the vaccination given after microchip implantation. For travel to countries outside the European Union, please check with the destination country to see if they require additional requirements.
Please note that, if the result is favorable, you must wait at least 3 months from the date of sample collection before the animal is allowed entry into the European Union if the animal resides in other countries.
The report is valid indefinitely in the European Union, provided the animal continues to be vaccinated regularly, strictly following the vaccination schedule.
Additionally, if it is useful, we provide links to the Ministry where all information related to the movement of companion animals is published, including the documentation required for bringing the animal into the European Union.