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Pet Travel Scheme
Pet Passport
Preparing Your Pet for Travelling Abroad

Pet Travel Scheme
On 28th February 2000 the 'Pet Travel Scheme' (PETS) came into force. Initially for a trial period of one year it allowed dogs and cats to travel, to EU countries, with their owners without the mandatory six month quarantine period on return to the UK.

Five years on many thousands of pets have holidayed successfully in Europe and, despite a little 'fine-tuning', the system remains largely unchanged.

Although the UK continues to use the term 'Pet Travel Scheme' you will actually now apply for a EU Pet Passport. If you intend visiting a EU country, with your dog or cat, you will need to plan your pet's passport at least six months before you intend to travel. The  first requirement will be to have your pet microchipped for identification (the 'chip' must be ISO standard 11784 or 11785 - if not you are advised to take your own scanner with you).

Once your pet is over the age of twelve weeks it will require a rabies vaccination and then blood tested one month later to check immunity levels. Please note your pet cannot return to the UK until six months following the date of the successful blood test. Within 24-48 hours of returning to the UK your pet must also be treated for ticks and tapeworms.

If you are planning on taking your pets on holiday be warned that the "pet passport" scheme takes about seven/eight months to arrange, because you need to wait for your pet to build up antibodies following a rabbies vaccination.  The passport process commences with microchipping your pet, to ensure that it can be identified, then the animal has to be vaccinated against rabies and wormed.

Insurance
If you already have a pet passport and insurance,  make sure your policy provides for emergency expenses abroad.  Otherwise you may be stuck if your pet becomes ill or needs treatment in a foreign country.  Pet insurance providers vary in the amount of cover they offer for costs you may incur overseas, as well as how much they will pay for kennel or cattery fees.  It is worth noting that chipping and neutering your pet will greatly reduce the cost of insurance.
Please check with the DEFRA web site for up to date information on the Travel Scheme.

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Pet Passport

If you are planning a trip abroad with your pet later in the year, being organised with the paper work now is vital.  

The PETS passport scheme allowing dogs to travel between certain countries with no quarantine has been in place for a few years now and many dogs have their own passport.  If this is the case, as long as rabies vaccinations are kept up to date (to the day), the planning of a family holiday abroad is much easier.

If you do not have a PETS passport for your dog, you are looking at 7 - 8 months to get all the necessary requirements allowing your pet re-entry into the UK without the need for a stay in quarantine.  Below are the main points of what needs to be done to acquire a passport and take your pet abroad:

1.  Microchip and rabies vaccination – You must have your pet microchipped so that it can be identified.  Once the microchip has been fitted, your pet must be vaccinated against rabies. This is the first stage needed in order to get a PETS passport.  These two procedures can be carried out in the same consultation at the vets but the microchip needs to be inserted before the vaccination is given.

2.  2nd rabies vaccination – Some veterinary practices give a 2nd rabies vaccination a couple of weeks after the first.

3.  Blood test – After your pet has been vaccinated, it must be blood tested to make sure the vaccine has given satisfactory protection against rabies.  To check the rabies vaccine has been successful, a blood test is taken 30 days (no less) after the vaccine is given.  

4.  Once the results are back,  you can get an official PETS certificate from a government-authorised vet.   This then allows you to go away on holiday with your dog .

5.  It is a good idea that your vet examines your pet a couple of days before travelling.  This is a requirement of some airline and ferry companies.  

6. Before re-entering the UK, your pet must be treated against ticks and worms. This must be done 24-48 hours before check-in for journey back to UK. Any qualified vet can carry out the treatment. The vet must issue an official certificate of treatment.

You will have to sign a declaration that your animal has not been outside any of the PETS qualifying countries in the six months before it enters the UK .  You will need to see a local vet to administer and sign the correct paperwork. Your pet must enter Britain from a PETS country by an authorised route.

Whenever you are considering a long journey with your pet, whether in the UK or abroad, we recommend you should speak to a vet about the journey and ensuring your pet is healthy enough to cope with the trip.  At the same time, you should check the regulations involved in taking a pet abroad as they can change slightly and so we advise you to check with DEFRA to make sure you have all the right paperwork with you when travelling.  The Defra website is www.defra.gov.uk or alternatively call their PETS helpline on 0870 241 1710.
Travel in the UK and Ireland does not require a pet passport but ensuring your pets vaccinations, worming and flea treatments are up to date is strongly advised.  A future Pet supermarket newsletter will discuss travel with your pet in the UK and how to make this trip as enjoyable and stress free as possible.

THE PET TRAVEL SCHEME (PETS) AND THE EU PET PASSPORT

On 1st October 2004 Regulation EC998/2003 of the European Council and Parliament takes effect.


All the information you need to know at http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/index.htm
M.A.F.F. Pet Travel Scheme Helpline                                   0870 241 1710   
    
Passports for Pets                                                                       0208 870 5960

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Preparing Your Pet for Travelling Abroad


The Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) applies to all cats and dogs. It allows them to enter or re-enter the UK from approved countries without quarantine as long as they meet certain criteria.

Step 1. Microchipping    
Fitting a microchip. You can have a microchip fitted at any time but it must be done before your pet is vaccinated against rabies and blood tested.

You can now arrange to have your pet vaccinated against rabies.

Your vet should record the microchip number on your pet's vaccination record at the time of vaccination. The microchip number and date of microchipping will be recorded in the EU Pet Passport.

If your pet was vaccinated against rabies before it was microchipped, it will need to be vaccinated again.

Step 2. Vaccinating
When to Vaccinate
Pets must be at least three months old before vaccination is permitted. After this time vaccination can take place at any time after the microchip has been implanted. Before administering the rabies vaccine, your vet will check the microchip number.

If your pet has been vaccinated against rabies before it was identified by a microchip, it will have to be fitted with a microchip and vaccinated again. This is to make sure that your pet is correctly identified when it is vaccinated.

Your vet should now arrange to have your pet blood tested. This should take place about 30 days after vaccination.

Vaccination Record
When your pet is vaccinated, make sure that your vet has recorded the following details on its vaccination record card:

* its date of birth/age (if known)

* the microchip number (and date of insertion, if known)

* the date of vaccination

* the vaccine product name

* the batch number

* the date the booster vaccination is due

* sign, date and stamp
 
Re-Vaccination (boosters) 
After a pet has been successfully vaccinated against rabies, it must be given booster vaccinations to keep the passport valid. Your vet will advise you when this must be carried out as it must be within the specified time given by the vaccine manufacturer and should be recorded on the vaccination record card. The revaccination interval for cats may be different to that of dogs.

Rabies booster vaccinations will be noted in the pet passport and the expiry date is the latest date for further revaccination..

Step 3. Blood Testing
Arranging a Blood Test
After your pet has been vaccinated, it will need a blood test to make sure that the vaccine has given your pet sufficient protection against rabies. The vet will take a sample of your pet's blood and send it to an approved laboratory for testing. Remember to take your pet's vaccination record card with you when the blood sample is taken.

When to Blood Test
Your vet will advise you on the best time to get your pet blood-tested. Make sure that your vet records the date on which the blood sample was taken.

Failed Blood Test
If your pet fails the blood test it will have to be revaccinated and blood tested again. No further blood tests are required after the first test which gives a successful result provided the pet is subsequently revaccinated within the intervals specified by the vaccine manufacturer. If there is a break in the specified vaccination programme, a further blood test will be required after revaccination, and a further period of six months must elapse before the pet can re-enter the UK.

Step 4. Certification
The EU Pet Passport
To bring your pet back into the UK you will need an EU Pet Passport. This will be issued to you by a Local Veterinary Inspector (LVI) or by a Government approved source in one of the qualifying countries.The transport company staff who check your pet will need to see the passport, so make sure it is kept safe. Before issuing a a passport in the UK the LVI will need to examine the pet and check that it: 

* can be identified by its microchip number.

* has a current vaccination against rabies given after the microchip was implanted.

* had a blood test showing that the rabies vaccine has given satisfactory protection against
..rabies.

* shows no clinical signs of rabies

If your pet does not meet these requirements,a passport will not be issued.

Most small animal veterinary practices in the UK have a resident LVI. If your own vet is not an LVI, they may be able to tell you where the nearest one works. If not, contact your local Animal Health Divisional Office for details 

The Passport:

* may be issued at any time after the above requirements have been met .

* will be valid for the duration of the most recent vaccination.

* will expire if your pet does not receive a booster rabies vaccination prior to the expiry of the ..last vaccination.
 
Validity of a Pet Passport
A Pet Passport will not become valid for entry into the UK until six months have passed from the date the blood samples was taken which gave a successful test result. If the passport is issued after the six months period has passed, it will be valid for entry into the UK immediately. The passport will remain valid up to the date that the pet's booster vaccination is due. This is shown on pages 4 & 5 of the passport as the 'valid until' date.

Arrange for your animal to travel with an approved transport company on an authorisedroute
Your pet must enter the UK from a listed country travelling with an approved transport company on an authorised route.

 Listed countries, transport companies and routes
 
 Defra checklist
Above information as supplied by DEFRA is up to date as of September 9 2007

There is some good advice on travelling abroad on the website  http://www.dogsaway.co.uk

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