Dogs on Croatian ferries and catamarans: New rules introduced

New rules have been introduced

If you have a dog that weighs more than eight kilograms and you want to travel to a Croatian island, you might encounter a potential problem. 

Since last month, Croatian state-owned ferry company Jadrolinija has implemented a new rule – dogs heavier than eight kilograms are not allowed to travel on the catamaran and can only travel on ferries. 

There has been unrest among islanders, but Jadrolinija is trying to calm the situation.

According to Jadrolinija, this change is due to a single complaint and a visit from the veterinary inspection.

“It was determined that they should travel under the supervision of their owners. However, according to the Law and the Navigation Safety Regulations, it is not possible for a passenger to be outside during the catamaran’s voyage,” Ante Rados, regional manager at Jadrolinija Zadar, told Nova TV.

Jadrolinija catamaran – new rules for dogs

The State Inspectorate responds that they haven’t banned anything but issued a warning.

Until recently, dogs used to travel on the catamaran, but according to the Veterinary Inspection, they found that the conditions there are not suitable for animals. 

They suggested that the shipping company align the conditions with the Animal Protection Act. It’s still unclear who will weigh the animals at the entrance to the ship. 

Bigger Dogs can travel on Jadroliniija ferries which have open decks

There are no scales on board, so this task will likely fall to the ship’s crew. Jadrolinija assures that this is not a long-term situation.

“We will strive to find a solution together with animal protection services, so we don’t expect any concrete solution to be available soon,” said Rados.

Until they find one, dogs weighing more than eight kilograms will travel by ferry. Lighter ones can still travel on the catamaran inside the lounge, provided they are in their dog bags.