What you must do to take your
dog or cat abroad
PETS will allow your dog or cat to re-enter Britain without the need for
quarantine following travel to certain foreign countries. To do so, the pet
must successfully go through the following procedures in the order shown:
Microchipped
Vaccinated against rabies
Blood tested by a recognised laboratory with the successful result certified
in the pet passport
Treated for certain parasites 24-48 hours before return to the UK and have
this certified in the pet passport
But these requirements are more complicated than they seem, and getting
the timing right is all important. Below we give a guide to what you must
do, and when...
Now
1. Check the Government website for latest details or call the PETS helpline
on 0870 241 1710
• are the countries you plan to visit listed in the scheme?
• do those countries have any additional requirements?
• check return travel routes. Your pet must return to the UK with an authorised
transport company on an authorised route
At least 8 months before you travel...
2. Have your pet microchipped by your vet
3. Have your pet vaccinated against rabies
At least 6 months before you travel...
Following vaccination you must then wait up to 30 days, after which your
vet must blood test your pet to check it is now immune to rabies. The waiting
time for results can be anything from 1 to 4 months. Blood sample should be
taken as close to the time recommended by the manufacturer as possible.
If the results are successful, an EU pet passport will be issued by your
vet. Your pet will only be allowed to return to the UK six months after the
date the blood sample (which led to a successful test result) was taken.
Travelling to most EU countries will not require any additional certification.
However, non EU countries may demand an export health certificate. If you
are travelling to a non EU country you should contact your local Animal Health
Office in the UK (listed on the DEFRA website). They will send the certificate
to your vet 10 working days before the date you intend to leave the UK. You
must check whether your animal can meet the export health conditions which
apply.
The week before you travel...
Around this time it’s wise to find a vet at the port or airport from which
you will be returning to the UK, able to provide the necessary parasite treatment
If you require an Export Health Certificate, you must now visit your vet
to obtain it (see point 6, above). If your pet is sufficiently healthy and
your pet complies with the conditions applicable, the vet will sign the certificate
and hand it to you.
We also recommend that your vet checks the current position of the pet’s
microchip. This can sometimes move around under the skin and may be difficult
for port authorities to locate.
Please remember to take with you all important documentation including pet
passport, Export Health Certificate and vaccination certificates.
Before returning to the UK
24-48 hours before your return
to the UK...
The tick and official tapeworm treatment can be administered (and certified
in your passport) in any of the PETS qualifying countries. This treatment
should be carried out 24-48 hours prior to embarkation. Your pet’s passport
will need to be certified to confirm this has been carried out. Before boarding
a ferry or entering the Eurotunnel, you will be required to show your pet
passport which includes certification of the parasite treatment and successful
rabies vaccination (unless travelling by air when these checks will be carried
out at the airport of arrival).
This information is still accurate at this time, but we would sound a note
of caution that as and when the rules are updated that the DEFRA website (http://www.defra.gov.uk) is going to
be the primary source which will be most quickly updated with new information.
reprinted with kind permission from
John Helps BVetMed CertSAM MRCVS
Veterinary Manager- SABU
Intervet UK
