Pet Travel
If you are considering taking your dog on holiday with you, or you are moving abroad and wish to take your pet with you, please do get in contact with us so that we can discuss their individual needs.
Following Brexit, there are new travel guidelines in place for pets travelling from the UK to the EU. Please note that the current UK pet passport will no longer be valid for travel. We have outlined the changes to the pet travel requirements below:
Outlined below is a brief overview of what needs to be done before you pet is allowed to travel to Europe, all dogs and cats must be:
1. Be microchipped
2. Be Vaccinated against Rabies
3. Wait at least 21 days after the rabies vaccination has been given to travel
4. Travel with an Animal Health Certificate (AHC), which must be issued within 10 days of travel. The current UK pet passport will no longer be valid for travel.
In order to issue an Animal Health Certificate (AHC), we will require you to bring your pet’s vaccination history & date of microchip implantation to the appointment (if we don’t already have a record of this).
The AHC will be valid for 10 days after the date of issue for entry into the EU, for onward travel within the EU for 4 months after the date of issue & for re-entry back into the UK for 4 months after the date of issue. You will therefore need a new AHC for every trip from the UK to the EU going forward.
On arrival in the EU, you must enter through a Traveller’s Point of Entry (TPE)- where you may be asked to present proof of microchip and rabies vaccination as well as the AHC.
For return to the UK from the EU, your pet must be accompanied by one of the following documents:
• An in date AHC that was issued in the UK and used to travel to the EU
• An existing EU pet passport (both UK issued and EU issued.)
Dogs returning to the UK still require a treatment against the tapeworm E.multilocularis 24-120hrs before arrival into the UK, which must be given by a vet who then signs the AHC before travel.
Should you have any queries regarding your pet’s travel, please do not hesitate to get in contact with us on 01483 538990. For further information, please see the government guidelines.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pet-travel-to-and-from-great-britain
It is also important to mention here that Pet Travel is not something to be undertaken lightly. It can put you and your pet at potential risk of contracting very serious diseases. Depending on your method of transport, it can be extremely stressful for your pet- planes can be very noisy and terrifying for animals who have no concept of the situation ending. We generally do not recommend pet travel for cats, due to the fact that they are a territorial species, and would not enjoy being put in a new environment for brief periods.
References:
Improve International
DEFRA
Catherine Hannah BVSc MRCVS