Planning to travel with a Pit Bull, XL Bully, Rottweiler, or another breed that sometimes faces restrictions? Check the rules before choosing a route or booking transport. Permission to keep a dog at home does not automatically mean you can bring that dog into another country.
Use the map below to explore sourced summaries for selected destinations. Choose a breed, then click a country or use the country selector. Each reviewed entry explains what was checked and links to the relevant official guidance. Gray countries and missing breed entries have not been verified.
Source checks: October 8, 2026. Coverage is selective. *Green applies only to the stated scope; it is not permission to travel. Gray means this breed/country entry has not been verified.
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How to read the restricted dog breeds map
The colors describe the rule identified in each entry, within its stated scope. Red indicates a prohibition, sometimes with narrowly defined exceptions. Amber indicates additional controls or a classification question that needs resolving. Green means no prohibition was identified on the specific list or in the specific rule checked; it does not confirm that your dog can enter, stay, or fly.
Read the country panel before drawing a conclusion from its color. An Australian entry may describe a federal import list, while a Swedish entry describes breed-specific ownership rules. Those are different checks. Canada’s current entries highlight Ontario restrictions, not a single policy for every province. The United Kingdom outline includes jurisdictions with different travel rules, so its panel identifies the scope of the guidance used.
The map is deliberately selective. If an entry is gray or says “Not reviewed,” we do not have a verified answer for that breed and destination. Start with the destination’s official import authority and local dog-control authority rather than assuming that a missing restriction means permission.
Three separate checks before you book
Can your dog cross the border?
First, establish whether the destination permits your dog’s breed or type to enter. Import restrictions may cover named breeds, crosses, or dogs assessed by their appearance. Some rules also distinguish between a short visit, relocation, and the return of a dog already legally resident in the country.
An exemption for existing owners is not automatically a visitor permit. If an official page describes an exception, ask the responsible authority whether your dog and proposed journey meet it. Resolve that question before spending money on tickets, tests, or accommodation.
What rules apply during your stay?
The second check concerns keeping and handling your dog at the destination. A dog may be eligible to enter but subject to additional controls once there. These can involve licensing, muzzling, leash requirements, or restrictions on access to public places. The exact requirements belong to the relevant jurisdiction, not to a general worldwide breed label.
Check the place where you will actually stay, including any state, province, canton, or municipality along the route. A national summary is useful for orientation, but it cannot settle every local rule. For a road trip, include the places where you expect to stop as well as your final address.
Will the carrier accept your dog?
Border permission and airline acceptance are separate decisions. Contact the operating carrier with your dog’s breed or type, size, proposed route, and travel method. Ask whether it will accept your dog on that particular service and which container requirements apply. A general pet policy does not settle every booking.
Do not buy a reinforced crate simply because a guide mentions “CR82.” Confirm the required specification with the carrier first. IATA publishes transport standards, but does not approve individual crate brands or models. A product advertised as “IATA approved” should not replace checking the airline’s actual requirements.
Mixed breeds, pedigrees, and physical classification
A breed name on veterinary records may not answer the legal question. Some rules include crosses or use physical characteristics to determine whether a dog falls within a prohibited type. For example, GOV.UK explains that banned-type classification depends on appearance rather than the breed name alone.
Pedigree can matter in a different way elsewhere. France’s category rules distinguish certain dogs with recognized pedigree from morphologically similar dogs without it. That is a reason to read the destination’s classification criteria carefully, rather than applying the same advice to every country.
A veterinarian’s letter may be relevant where the authority requests that evidence, but it is not a universal exemption or a guarantee of admission. Ask the responsible authority what documents and assessments it accepts. Describe your dog accurately and keep its identification consistent across the records you submit.
Check connections and the return journey
A route has more than one destination. Ask about transit conditions for any connecting country, particularly if your dog changes carriers, clears customs, or leaves the airport. Transit should not be assumed to have the same rules as a holiday visit, and it should not be assumed to be exempt from entry requirements either.
If your itinerary includes the United States, consult the CDC’s guidance on dogs traveling through US airports. The applicable requirements depend on the circumstances of the connection. Check your return journey at the same time; eligibility for the outward trip does not establish eligibility for coming home.
Breed restrictions and pet health paperwork are different
A microchip, rabies vaccination, passport, or health certificate can form part of the animal-health requirements for a journey. Completing those steps does not override a breed restriction. Confirm breed eligibility first, then work through the health and documentation requirements for your origin, destination, and travel date.
For EU travel, use the European Commission’s current guidance for travel within the EU or entry from outside the EU. The applicable documents and transitional arrangements depend on the journey. There is no blanket “April 2026 microchip database” instruction in this guide.
For US entry or return, start with the CDC’s dog import guidance. It considers factors including your dog’s recent travel history and where it was vaccinated. You also need to check any other destination requirements that apply to the trip.
Questions about traveling with restricted breeds
Does a restricted breed mean my dog cannot travel?
Not always. Some entries describe handling or ownership controls; others describe an entry prohibition. Read the scope and official source to find out which applies. If the answer depends on classification or an exception, obtain confirmation from the responsible authority before booking.
Can I visit with an XL Bully if it is legal where I live?
Not necessarily. The Republic of Ireland prohibits XL Bully imports, while Great Britain’s entry guidance requires a banned-type dog to already have a valid exemption certificate. These are destination-specific rules. Check the jurisdiction you plan to enter and do not assume that an ownership document from elsewhere will be accepted.
Why are some countries gray?
Gray means the selected breed/country entry has not been verified in this map. It is an information gap, not a statement that the destination has no restrictions. We have removed unsupported country classifications rather than presenting them as settled answers.
Does green mean my airline will carry my dog?
No. Green relates only to the scope described in the country panel. The carrier still needs to confirm acceptance for the specific route, dog, and travel method, and other entry conditions may apply.
How current is the information?
Source checks for this revision were completed on October 8, 2026. Reviewed country panels show that date and the sources used. A review date records when we checked the stated rule; it is not a promise that legislation or carrier policies will remain unchanged. Reopen the official guidance when planning your trip.
Sources and coverage
The map links directly to government or official veterinary-authority guidance for the scope of each reviewed entry. This revision includes breed-related summaries for Australia, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, and Sweden, plus a limited Ontario example for Canada. The US panel links to federal health entry guidance without supplying a verified breed classification.
Other countries remain available to select, but their former unsourced classifications have been withdrawn. This is a travel research guide, not an official eligibility checker. If the rules leave your dog’s status unclear, contact the authority named in the source before arranging the journey.
Carrier and container guidance is based on IATA’s Traveler’s Pet Corner and its published pet-container requirements. Border, transit, and health guidance is linked in the relevant sections above.
