Fulbrighting with Fido

Excited to go to Europe, but worried about leaving your best (dog) friend home? I brought my 70-pound golden retriever, Bear, with me on my three-month Fulbright to Brugge. Absolutely no regrets!

Fulbrighting with Fido

Shy? Well a pet will help you meet people anywhere and everywhere you go. I’ve had hundreds of people stop to pet, hug, and take their picture with my dog. Dogs are allowed on most buses, trams, and trains (but not the highspeed rail) in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Worried about being lonely? Your furry pal will keep you company day and night while you are far from family and friends. Many shops, hotels, bars, and even restaurants will welcome your pet (and often give them treats and water) even more so than in US.

Downsides? Getting the paperwork to bring Bear (your Fido) to Europe is a big fat hassle, right up there with getting your visa. And, it’s not cheap. Plus, I strongly recommend you take a direct flight (you don’t want to end up one place and your pet somewhere else). Review and pick an airline with a good pet record, some have better policies in place than others. I flew Air France and they were great.

Once in the EU, there is no quarantine requirement and you and your pet can travel freely within the EU. Have fun with Fido!

Fulbrighting with Fido
Fulbrighting with Fido

Madeline Kass is a 2018-2019 Fulbright Scholar to Belgium. She is currently a visiting professor of law at Seattle University School of Law and professor emeritus of Thomas Jefferson School of Law. She teaches courses on environmental and natural resources law, endangered species and marine life law, and torts. She will be studying, writing, and teaching on issues of comparative EU/US environmental law at the College of Europe in Bruges in spring 2019. Madeline holds a B.S. in biology from Tufts University, a J.D. from Berkeley Law, and an M.E.S. from Yale University.

Articles are written by Fulbright grantees and do not reflect the opinions of the Fulbright Commission, the grantees’ host institutions, or the U.S. Department of State.