Madrid, Spain – While the use of emotional support animals is growing globally, Spain currently does not legally recognize them as having the same rights as certified assistance dogs. This leaves owners navigating a complex landscape of individual company policies and evolving regulations, particularly for those seeking to travel with their animals or relocate to the country.
Unlike the United States, where registered emotional support animals (ESAs) can often access public spaces typically off-limits to pets, Spanish law, as defined by Royal Decree 409/2025, focuses solely on assistance dogs. These include guide dogs, signal dogs, and other medical assistance dogs trained to aid individuals with disabilities. Since 2025, these certified dogs have full access to public buildings, transport, and even beaches and swimming pools throughout Spain.
The distinction is significant. Emotional support animals, defined as pets providing therapeutic comfort to individuals with diagnosed mental health conditions, lack this legal protection. While professional certifications for ESAs are becoming more available in Spain, they do not guarantee access rights.
This lack of formal recognition impacts travel arrangements. Flagship Spanish airline Iberia explicitly states that “therapy or emotional support dogs are NOT considered to be assistance dogs and are therefore subject to the same acceptance conditions as those for pets.” Air Europa maintains a similar policy, classifying emotional support animals as standard pets subject to standard pet travel fees and regulations.
The situation highlights a growing divergence in international approaches to animal-assisted support. In many countries, the therapeutic benefits of ESAs are increasingly acknowledged, leading to legal accommodations. Spain, however, remains focused on the established framework for assistance dogs, typically registered with organizations like ADI (Assistance Dogs International), IGDF (International Guide Dog Federation), or ONCE (Spanish National Organisation of the Blind).
For individuals seeking to move to Spain with an emotional support animal, or those already residing in the country and wishing to obtain one, the process is less straightforward. Obtaining a letter from a qualified mental health professional – a psychologist or psychiatrist – certifying the animal as a therapeutic necessity is generally required. Organizations like AETANA, the Association of Animal-Assisted Therapies, can provide guidance, but this certification does not automatically confer legal access rights.
Each establishment or transport provider then individually decides whether to accommodate the animal, based on its own internal policies. This creates uncertainty for ESA owners and requires proactive communication and preparation.
Despite the lack of specific ESA legislation, Spain’s broader animal welfare laws, which came into force in 2023, are evolving the legal landscape. The law recognizes animals as sentient beings, shifting them from being considered mere possessions. This has implications for animal ownership, including the mandatory requirement for civil liability insurance for dogs across all regions of the country.
Public transport options are also evolving. ALSA, the long-distance bus service, allows one companion animal (dog, cat, or ferret weighing under 10 kg) per passenger, travelling in the hold within a carrier. Renfe, the national rail operator, permits dogs, cats, ferrets, hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, and certain birds, also under 10 kg and within a carrier. Some AVE high-speed train lines allow dogs up to 40kg on specific routes. Several Spanish cities are becoming more pet-friendly, allowing dogs on metro systems and buses, though some require carriers.
The legal status of emotional support animals in Spain remains a developing issue. While not currently recognized under the same legal framework as assistance dogs, the evolving animal welfare laws and increasing awareness of the benefits of animal-assisted therapy suggest a potential shift in the future. For now, owners of emotional support animals in Spain must navigate a system reliant on individual policies and proactive communication to ensure their companions are welcomed and accommodated.
