Coming to Alanya with your pet: heat, ticks and paperwork

Plenty of visitors arrive in Alanya with their animal every year — some for a couple of weeks, some for the whole season. The climate here differs from what most pets are used to in three noticeable ways.

Heat becomes a problem earlier than you expect

In July and August daytime temperatures regularly pass 35 °C, and humidity is high. Dogs cool themselves by panting rather than sweating, and panting becomes less efficient as humidity rises. So 32 °C with high humidity can be harder on an animal than a dry 35 °C.

• Move walks to early morning and late evening
• Test the asphalt with the back of your hand; if you cannot hold it for five seconds, it is too hot for paws
• Never leave an animal alone in the car, even briefly — a car parked in shade heats up within minutes
• Flat-faced breeds (bulldogs, boxers, Persian cats) tolerate heat markedly less well

Heavy panting, dark red gums, unsteady walking and unresponsiveness are emergency signs. Move the animal somewhere cool and call a clinic without delay.

The tick and flea season is longer here

Because of the mild climate, external parasites are active for a much larger part of the year in Alanya. Protection that is paused over winter in northern Europe leaves a gap if the same calendar is followed here. Which product and which interval suit your animal is for the vet who examines it to decide; picking a drug and dose from the internet is dangerous, particularly with cats.

A daily check is simple and effective: ear margins, neck, armpits and between the paws. If you find a tick, do not tug at it — removing it the wrong way can leave the mouthparts in the skin.

Paperwork: start before you travel

Travelling between countries with an animal involves a microchip, rabies vaccination and, depending on the country, a rabies antibody test. The timing matters: there are waiting periods between the vaccination and the test, and between the test and the journey — which is why the process starts months ahead.

The same preparation applies to the return trip. While you are in Türkiye, you can use the clinics in this directory that offer microchipping and passport services.

Airline rules and destination-country requirements change; confirm the binding details with your airline and the official source in the destination country. This page is general guidance.

Keep with you through the holiday

• The food it is used to — a sudden change of diet while travelling upsets digestion
• A photo of the vaccination record or passport
• The phone number of the clinic nearest your accommodation, saved on day one
• A folding water bowl; access to water on the beach and on walks is harder than you would think