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Pet Travel Guidance

• Animal Health, Welfare and Trade
• Animal welfare

From 1 January 2021, there are new procedures to follow when travelling with your Pet from Great Britain (GB) to Northern Ireland (NI). GB has become a ‘Part II Listed’ Third Country for the purposes of pet travel and this will mean there will be additional documentary requirements, health preparations and checks for travelling with a pet from GB to NI. The term “pets”, for the scope of this guidance, comprises dogs (including assistance dogs), cats and ferrets.

There will be no routine checks on the non-commercial movement of pets from GB to NI until further notice . Officials will reserve the right to undertake checks should there be a suspicion of illegal activity or welfare concerns.

When travelling with your pet dog, cat or ferret, the rules you must follow depend on the country you are going to or coming from. There are 4 categories of countries. The category your country falls into will determine the preparations you need to make for your pet to travel.

• Details for travelling from a Part 2 Listed Country (including GB) to an EU Member State (including NI) are listed here
• Any person travelling from NI to GB with a pet and returning to NI , will be required to adhere to the EU requirements for travelling into the EU/NI from a Part II listed country.
• If travelling from NI to GB and not returning to NI with your pet, there are no documentary or health preparations.  However there is a legal requirement that dogs are microchipped at 8 weeks old . It is recommended that you check with your transport company before travelling as they may need a statement from a vet confirming your pet is fit to travel.
• There is no change to the requirements for travelling from NI within the EU including the Republic of Ireland (ROI). Travel within the EU currently requires a pet passport and rabies vaccination.
• If you are planning to move pets from NI to outside the EU, it is recommended that you contact the competent authority of the country of destination in advance of your journey, as there may be additional requirements that have to be met. If you need to apply for an Export Health Certificate instructions can be found here.

Before travelling with your pet from NI your pet may need some or all of the following:

• A pet passport (if you live in NI you can obtain a pet passport directly from one of the veterinary practices participating in the pet travel scheme)
• A  microchip (or legible tattoo imprinted prior to 3 July 2011)
• A valid  rabies vaccination
• 21 day wait from the date of rabies vaccination before being eligible to travel to other EU countries
• An  animal health certificate  (unless you have a pet passport issued in Northern Ireland)
• Tapeworm treatment  for dogs if you’re travelling directly to Finland, Republic of Ireland (ROI), NI, Norway or Malta
• Check with your transport company as they may need a statement from a vet confirming your pet is fit to travel
• Pet owners travelling to an event in NI from any country, including GB, should complete this declaration
• Before moving dogs for commercial purposes from GB into NI, read the latest guidance here . You need to obtain an Export Health Certificate (EHC) and pre-notify, giving at least 24 hours advance notice of the arrival of the consignment in NI by creating a CHED-A on TRACES.NT, uploading scanned colour copies of the EHCs and any supporting documents. Where the document is too large to send as one file, it is acceptable to send it in two parts. Further guidance on pre-notification can be found here , with more detailed information on timescales for pre-notification here .

These requirements also apply to Recognised Assistance Dogs

• The EU Pet Travel Regulation covers the movement of up to 5 pets with their owners.
• Where more than 5 pets are travelling in a consignment (see exception for Travelling to Shows ) or in the case of commercial movement of pets, as well as the preparations needed for pet travel, the requirements for commercial trade laid down by the ‘Balai’ Directive  must also be met. Commercial trade includes any transfer of ownership and also relates to dogs travelling for the purpose of re-homing.

On Arrival in Northern Ireland

• Pet owners travelling to an event in NI from any country, including GB, should make this completed declaration available to a DAERA Portal Inspector upon arrival in NI
• Pet owners returning to NI from an event in GB should also complete this declaration
• On arrival in NI - if you do not have the correct documents or your pet has not been properly prepared, it may be licensed into quarantine until it fully meets the entry requirements or be sent back to the country it travelled from. You must pay the costs for this.

Further Information

• Full guidance , including all Pet Travel Country Category Requirements can be found here .
• The EU Pet Travel regulation Regulation (EU) 576/2013 details the documentary, health and compliance check requirements for the travel of pet dogs (including assistance dogs), cats and ferrets between and into Northern Ireland to avoid the quarantining of animals
• How to Complete a Pet Passport
• Pet Passport Scheme - NI Veterinary Practices listed here
• The  Guide Dogs Association has advice about taking assistance dogs abroad
• Commercial Movement of Pets
• A list of EU Member States can be found  here
• A list of Part 1 listed countries can be found here
• A list of Part 2 listed countries can be found here
• An Unlisted country is any country not included in the list of EU, Part 1 or Part 2 listed countries
• For countries outside of the EU, authorised vets issue EU animal health certificates instead of pet passports. More information here
• If you need an EHC and you cannot find the one you need, contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency  (APHA). Contact Details: Tel: 0370 241 1710 Email: [email protected] (for those living in England, Scotland, Wales, Channel Islands or Isle of Man)
• Information on movements of other types of pet can be found here
• Guidance on bringing a pet bird into Northern Ireland from another EU/EEA country can be found here
• Further information is available from the DAERA website: Travelling with Pets or by telephone 0300 2007840
• Specific queries should be forwarded to: [email protected]

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Frequently Asked Questions

Please read through our Frequently Asked Questions for more information about Animal Health Certificates and the services we offer. If you have a general question about pet travel, please contact the Pet Travel Helpline on 0370 241 1710 or [email protected]  

The following information applies to dogs, cats and ferrets:

• The first step is to make sure your pet is microchipped. 
• Next, get your pet vaccinated for rabies by your own vet. This must be done at least 21 days before an Animal Health Certificate can be made. 
• Contact Pet Travel Pass to request your Animal Health Certificate; please follow the instructions here and email our application form and evidence of your pets rabies vaccine. Up to 5 pets belonging to the same owner can go on the same AHC.
• Your Animal Health Certificate must be issued less than 10 days before you plan to leave the UK and is valid for 120 days once you enter the EU
• An Animal Health Certificate is a single use document valid to leave the UK and return to the EU once only
• Dogs must be treated for tapeworm 24-120 hours before returning to the UK by an EU vet and the treatment entered on the Animal Health Certificate. If you are travelling to Ireland, Finland, Norway or Malta there is a requirement for dogs to be treated for tapeworm 24-120 hours before entering these countries. The treatment is not required to return to the UK directly from these countries

From the 1st January 2021, UK Pet Passports are no longer valid for travel to the EU and you will require an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) for your pet to travel. Like a pet passport, this document is used to prove that you are the owner of the pet, that your trip is for non-commercial reasons and that your pet meets the requirements for travel such as a valid rabies vaccination, confirmation of microchip scanning at the time of rabies vaccination and tapeworm treatments. Up to 5 pets belonging to the same owner can go on the same Animal Health Certificate and the AHC is valid for one return trip into the Eu

Our standard Animal Health Certificate costs £100 for the first pet with additional pets belonging to the same owner costing £30 per pet, up to 5 pets per Animal Health Certificate. Please note, this price only applies if you supply all the required paperwork 10 days or more before you require the Animal Health Certificate. 

• To clarify, we must receive all the correct documentation a minimum of 10days before you need the AHC; this does not mean 10 days from the first contact as there is often a delay getting the documentation we require from vets.  

Our fast-track Animal Health Certificate service (travelling 3-10 days from receiving the correct documents) is £130 and £30 for subsequent pets belonging to the same owner.

Our emergency Animal Health Certificate service (less than 48 hours between receiving the correct documents and your travel date) is £200 for the first pet and £50 for additional pets belonging to the same owner. 

Our repeat AHCs start from £80

Read more about fast-track and emergency Animal Health Certificates here

Pet Travel Pass is a low-cost, mobile certification service. Our Official Veterinarian works from home making certificates, then we meet up with you at convenient locations in the Nottingham area (e.g. hotels, retail parks etc) to issue the certificates. As we are not paying rent on a clinic building, we can pass substantial savings on to pet owners and our AHCs are typically less than half the price of local veterinary clinics. 

Depending on the day you collect your certificate, we will meet you at either Giltbrook Retail Park NG16 2RP near M1 junction 27 or Sherwood Business Park NG15 0EA near M1 junction 27. Our collection times are scheduled around our main in-clinic jobs and are typically Tuesday and Thursday evenings, Wednesday mornings and every other Saturday morning. During our busier summer months, we are available to issue certificates every day apart from Sundays. 

Please remember that the person named on the Animal Health Certificate will need to attend the collection and you will need to bring the pets named on the certificate so their microchip can be scanned and matched to the Animal Health Certificate.

Animal Health Certificates are valid to leave the UK for 10 days from the date of collection, however, we recommend collection no more than 8 days before the Animal Health Certificate is required, to allow for travel delays which could result in your certificate expiring. 

Your pets Animal Health Certificate can be used to enter the EU for up to 10 days from the date of collection. Please note, the AHC is valid for a single entry into the EU and cannot be re-used . 

Once inside the EU, a pet can travel within the EU for up to 120 days . Once the pet exits the EU, a new Animal Health Certificate is required to re-enter the EU.

If you wish to travel within the EU for longer than 120 days, you will require an EU vet to produce a GB Pet Health Certificate or EU pet passport to return to the UK. 

No. We are purely a pet export certification service.  Please get your pets rabies vaccine done at your local vets before asking them to send your pets medical records to us as evidence of the vaccine. 

We require 2 pieces of paperwork in order to make your pets Animal Health Certificate. The first is our simple AHC application form which you can find here . The second piece of information is evidence that your pet has a valid rabies vaccine and that their microchip was scanned and verified by your vet before the rabies vaccine was given. 

The easiest way to send evidence of rabies vaccination and microchip scanning is to ask your veterinary practice to email your pets clinical history to [email protected] . We also accept previous Animal Health Certificates where no details have changed as well as existing UK pet passports. We may need to contact your vet if any clarification is required so we recommend starting the AHC process at least a month before you travel.

We cannot accept any document which does not state that the microchip was scanned at the time of rabies vaccination or hand written documents such as vaccine cards

Yes, our Official Veterinarian has been a vet for 15 years and a DEFRA authorised Official Veterinarian for 14 years. We are listed on the UK government approved list of export vets in the East Midlands area, which you can check here

Our Animal Health Certificates are such good value for money because we have a fraction of the overheads of a veterinary clinic. We collate the information we need to make your Animal Health Certificate online and produce your AHC from home, before issuing it to you as a mobile service which further keeps our prices down as we do not have the overheads of a practice building.

You can read our reviews on Google and Facebook for reassurance.

Animal Health Certificates are a complex, long document; typically at least 10 pages long. Each page of the document requires multiple stamps and signatures and a detailed knowledge of how to complete the certificate is needed to ensure mistakes are not made. They can only be completed by an Official Veterinarian, which is a particular qualification beyond a standard veterinary qualification. 

Each Animal Health Certificate typically takes an experienced vet an hour to complete, once all the required documents are supplied, but may take longer if multiple animals are added to the certificate.

Owners are often horrified by prices quoted by local veterinary practices for an Animal Health Certificate, and vets are often accused of profiteering and "ripping people off". However, please consider that during the hour an Official Veterinarian takes to complete the certificate, they could have treated 4-5 unwell pets or performed a life saving surgery. During that hour, nurses and reception staff still need their wages to be paid, expensive equipment needs to be paid for, drug stocks need to be maintained and the rent or mortgage on the practice needs to be paid. 

This is why online services such as Pet Travel Pass can offer such competitive prices for Animal Health Certificates; we have a fraction of the overheads of a traditional veterinary practice. 

In fact, our services are often used and recommended by veterinary practices in the Nottingham, Derby and South Yorkshire area so they can free up their vets precious clinical time for doing what they are trained to do; treating sick animals. 

Unfortunately due to misuse, we no longer advertise a telephone number on our website. Because we work in clinical practice alongside our Official Veterinarian duties, we cannot accept phone calls during the working day. We do understand some people prefer talking on the phone so if you would like a call back, please email [email protected] with your number and we will call you back when we are free. 

The cost of our Animal Health Certificates is kept low by minimising overheads; this includes not having reception staff and streamlining the Animal Health Certificate application process as much as possible. 

We recommend you start the Animal Health Certificate process 1-2 months before you plan to travel. We offer 3 services; Standard, Fast Track and Emergency Animal Health Certificates. Please see here for more details. 

Most pet owners book their Animal Health Certificates many weeks or even months in advance. For our standard £100 service, we need to receive all the correct paperwork a minimum of 10 days before you require your Animal Health Certificate. Sending incorrect, out-of-date or incomplete documents will cause delays, which is why it is important that you send the correct documents described here .

Urgent requests (less than 48 hours) can often be accommodated but this incurs an additional cost. Read more about emergency Animal Health Certificates here

An Animal Health Certificate can only be issued once 21 days have lapsed from the rabies vaccination, unless it was an in date booster..

You can contact us to order your pets Animal Health Certificate anytime after the rabies vaccine has been given, and we urge you to give plenty of notice but we will not be able to complete the Animal Health Certificate until 21 days have passed from the rabies vaccine, unless it was a booster. 

A maximum of 5 pets (dogs, cats or ferrets) belonging to the same owner can be added to a single Animal Health Certificate. The pets must all be owned by the same person who is named on the AHC and all the pets must be travelling together. An Animal Health Certificate cannot be used for commercial reasons e.g. a breeder sending puppies abroad for sale cannot use an Animal Health Certificate and an Export Health Certificate (EHC) is needed instead 

We do NOT accept receipts from your veterinary practice, microchip certificates or any document which does not state that the microchip was scanned when the vaccine was given. 

Scanning a pets microchip before giving the rabies vaccination is a vital part of the Animal Health Certificate as it proves that particular animal has been vaccinated for rabies. If we don't have evidence of this, we will not be able to make your Animal Health Certificate

If you don't have evidence of rabies vaccination and microchip scanning before vaccination, you can request that your vet emails a copy of your pet’s clinical history directly to us. This should include your pet’s description (name, breed, sex, date of birth, colour, microchip number), the vaccine’s information (brand and date administered) and it must be noted that the microchip was verified at the time of vaccination.

Unfortunately, if we are not able to verify your pets rabies vaccination and microchip scanning at time of vaccination we will not be able to make your pets Animal Health Certificate.

We offer AHC collections on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, Wednesday mornings and every other Saturday morning weekend as well as on bank holiday Mondays. Our collection times are seasonal and more collection times are available at our busy times of year- summer and Christmas. 

Emergency AHCs can be collected out of the scheduled hours dependent on our vets availability. There is an additional cost for this service, please visit this page for more information on how to apply for an Emergency Animal Health Certificate.

The owner named on the Animal Health Certificate will need to come to collect the certificate along with the pet(s) named on the certificate so their microchip can be scanned and verified to be reading correctly. 

If you have questions about the requirements to enter non- EU countries, please contact the UK government Pet Travel Helpline at [email protected] or 0370 241 1710. 

We are often able to produce AHCs at short notice, provided all the information required is supplied correctly. Please note, there is an additional charge for AHCs produced at short notice; click here to read more about our emergency Animal Health Certificates

No, we are unable to post Animal Health Certificates. The APHA rules state that we must physically scan your pet’s microchip and witness the person who is named on the AHC (the owner) signing the document.

Collection is from close to junction 27 or 26 of the M1. You must bring your pet to the collection and the person named on the certificate must come to the collection point with their pet to sign the Animal Health Certificate 

The Animal Health Certificate must be collected by the owner who is named on the document. We also need to scan your pet’s microchip on the day of collection so both the named owner and the pet(s) need to be physically present at the collection point. 

No, this is not a requirement for issuing an Animal Health Certificate. We only need to scan your pets microchip. Despite it's name, an Animal Health Certificate is not a health check, it is an official document which proves to the EU authorities that your pet is identifiable by their microchip and has had a valid rabies vaccine.

Some airlines require a “Fit to Fly” certificate which is an additional piece of paperwork, separate from an Animal Health Certificate. We may be able to help with this, please contact us if you require a Fit to Fly certificate. 

As part of the EU pet travel scheme, dogs require treating for tapeworm 24-120 hours before returning to Great Britain from the EU. Only an approved tapeworm treatment can be used and the treatment has to be witnessed by and verified on your pet Animal Health Certificates by a veterinary surgeon. Typically, this is done in the EU before you return from holiday but if you are only going for a short trip, this can be done in the UK. 

There are also some notable exceptions to the tape worming rules; if you are going from Great Britain to Ireland, Norway, Finland or Malta, your dog will need treating for tapeworm 24-120 hours BEFORE they leave Great Britain and not when they return.

We are able to offer this service by prior arrangement only and at an additional fee of £10 for dogs up to 10kg and £20 for dogs up to 20kg and £30 for dogs over 30kg including worming treatment. 

Please note: This service is only available by prior arrangement and we require your dogs bodyweight in advance of certificate collection so we can bring the correct treatment to your collection appointment. Tapeworm treatment is not required for cats or ferrets.

It is important to note that there is no one "perfect" way to complete an Animal Health Certificate; they can be hand written or typed. The stamps may be red or blue and some vets may put more stamps on certain pages than others. Paragraphs may be crossed out with a Z or using individual lines and the number of pages may vary. The last page (evidence of rabies vaccine) can be a copy of clinical history, a photocopy of a vaccine card or passport or a rabies vaccine certificate. Neither variation is right or wrong.

As government Official Veterinarian work is our main job, we always ensure  our knowledge of the certification process is kept up to date and the process we use to make Animal Health Certificates is based on the latest guidance from DEFRA. We have made many hundreds of Animal Health Certificates since they were released in January 2021 and we regularly receive positive feedback from Eurotunnel and ferry companies on how well our Animal Health Certificates are completed. 

We are authorised to issue Fit to Fly certificates and Export Health Certificates however our availability for these is seasonal and depends on how busy we are with Animal Health Certificates. Please contact us for a quote for an Export Health Certificate as each certificate varies in its requirements. 

Copyright © 2023 Low cost Animal Health Certificates | AHCs from £80 in Nottingham- All Rights Reserved.

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Guidance: Contact APHA

Animal plant health agency, pet travel scheme and quarantine (gb).

Find out how to bring your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain .

Pet Travel helpline [email protected] Telephone: 0370 241 1710 Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm (closed on bank holidays)

Check the rules on pet travel into Northern Ireland .

Animal disease

If you think an animal might have a notifiable disease :

In England, call the Defra Rural Services Helpline on 03000 200 301 and choose the relevant options for APHA.

In Wales, telephone 0300 303 8268. There is an option for callers to hear the telephone message in Welsh. We will try to connect you to a Welsh-speaking person

In Scotland, contact your local Field Services office

Post-mortems

Great Britain: contact your local Post-mortem Examination Centre

Bovine tuberculosis (TB)

In England, telephone 03000 200 301 or email [email protected]

If emailing, please include:

• your telephone number
• your business name and address
• County Parish Holding Number AKA CPH (if you have one)
• the type of enquiry you want to make in the subject (like testing or restrictions)

In Wales, telephone 0300 303 8268 or email [email protected]

Animal health and welfare

The helplines are open Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm. There is an out of hours facility on the same number for reporting suspicion of notifiable diseases in animals or urgent animal welfare issues.

For welfare reports, email [email protected]

Please include:

• your telephone number if comfortable with sharing
• your name and address if comfortable with sharing
• WhatThreeWords or Map Reference of the incident
• the type of enquiry you want to make in the subject (like Welfare Report)

Alternatively, call the Defra Rural Services Helpline on 03000 200 301 and choose the relevant options for APHA.

[email protected] Telephone: 0300 303 8268

Theres an option for callers to hear the telephone message in Welsh. We will try to connect you to a Welsh-speaking person.

You can send correspondence in English or Welsh to:

Gwasanaeth Maes Cymru/Wales Field Services Swyddfeydd Penrallt Offices Caernarfon Gwynedd LL55 1BN

Artificial breeding controls

Great Britain: telephone 03000 200 301 or email [email protected]

Animal feed controls

England: telephone 03000 200 301 or email [email protected]

Wales: telephone 0300 303 8268 or email [email protected]

Scotland: contact your local Field Services office

Poultry Health Scheme

England: telephone 03000 200 301 or email [email protected]

Laboratory services

See guidance on laboratory services and prices

Animal imports

Great Britain: telephone 03000 200 301

For advice on import requirements and authorisations for live animals or animal products, email: [email protected]

For imports risk management, email: [email protected]

You can find more details on how to import live animals and germinal products from the EU to Great Britain .

You can also find further information on rules to follow if youre transiting animals and animal products through Great Britain .

Animal exports

Exports of animals and animal byproducts.

Great Britain: telephone: 03000 200 301

Email addresses

Exports of cattle, pigs, sheep and goats: [email protected]

Export of horses and ponies: [email protected]

Export of semen, ova and embryos of all animal species: [email protected]

Exports of pet animals (cats, dogs, ferrets and all other small pet animals): [email protected]

Export of meat products, meat preparations, dairy products, pet food, hides and skins, wool, pharmaceutical products and other miscellaneous animal products: [email protected]

Support for Product of Animal Origin export application forms: [email protected]

Export of fish and fishery products: [email protected]

Exports of poultry and hatching eggs, birds, zoo and circus animals and all other live animals not covered by other teams: [email protected]

Welfare in transport: [email protected]

Artificial breeding controls: [email protected]

Animal registration and licences, including byproducts

Animal byproducts (site approval and registration).

England: telephone 03000 200 301 or email [email protected]

Animal gatherings and shows (including birds) licensing

In England: telephone 03000 200 301

For animal gatherings, email: [email protected]

For bird gatherings only, email [email protected]

Please include the following information in your email:

• date or dates of the gathering
• location of gathering (address and postcode)
• types and numbers of birds expected
• purpose of the gathering - such as show, sale, racing

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Pet travel webchat

Webchat can help with general pet travel requirements. If you have a specific question, call our helpline.

We are running the webchat as a trial, so we may ask you to provide feedback.

Webchat opening hours

• Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm
• Bank holidays, Closed

Webchat - There are currently no agents available, try again later.

Pet travel guidance

• Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain
• Taking your pet dog, cat or ferret abroad

• Pet owner resources

Here you can find information regarding travelling with a pet. While BSAVA can provide relevant information on some aspects of pet travel, it is strongly recommended that vets and pet owners check the Defra website for the latest information and that vets also check the relevant APHA website for OV updates. BSAVA cannot accept responsibility for any information that may be out of date.

Pet owner information

BSAVA has prepared a  poster  to help inform owners of the health and welfare implications of taking their pets abroad.

Tick and Tapeworm Controls

Ticks carry a range of diseases that can affect both humans and animals. Some of these diseases (such as Lyme Disease) already occur in the UK, while others are much more prevalent in parts of Europe (see section on  diseases risks abroad ). Tapeworms are common in the UK and rarely cause problems. However, in parts of Europe there is a particular tapeworm ( Echinococcus multilocularis ) which, although it does not cause illness in your pet, can cause a serious illness in people (alveolar echinococcosis).

It is therefore important, for both your pet’s and your own health, to provide your pet with protection while you are away as well as complying with any regulations for re-entry into the UK.

Rabies and Vaccination

The UK is currently free from  rabies ; however, it is important to be aware that rabies does still occur in parts of Europe. Even countries like France and Spain have seen occasional cases in illegally imported dogs in recent years and both Norway and Italy have reported cases.  Read the most up-to-date guidance about rabies in bats from Defra.

It is a requirement to have your pet vaccinated against rabies before travelling abroad and it is important that any animal entering the UK complies with the regulations. If you or your pet are bitten while abroad, you should seek appropriate medical/veterinary advice.

Always think about your pet’s welfare

While it may seem like a nice idea to take your pet abroad with you, it is important to think about the welfare of your pet and the possible stress caused by the journey; changes in climate while abroad and any possible disease risks. It is also important to check whether your pet insurance provides cover while abroad and whether there are any restrictions.

Visit your vet for up-to-date advice

There are regulations that need to be followed if you plan to travel with your pet. While the new regulations make travelling in Europe easier, the disease situation is constantly changing so it is important to discuss appropriate preventive healthcare before each trip.

Exotic diseases

When travelling abroad, your pet may be at risk from a number of diseases that don’t normally occur in the UK, such as  leishmaniasis, heartworm and tick-borne diseases . Before you go, it is important to be aware of the diseases that may occur in the areas that you will be visiting, and take advice from your veterinary surgeon on how to minimise the risk for your pet.

Leave your pet at home

Having considered all the information, you may decide that it is more appropriate to make alternative arrangements and leave your pet at home while you are away.

Pet Travel regulations - advice for pet owners

You can obtain information on pet travel requirements here .

If you have any questions you can contact the pet travel helpline for information:

Email:  [email protected]

Telephone: 0370 241 1710 Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm (closed on bank holidays)

Pet Travel regulations - advice for vets

You can obtain general information on pet travel requirements here .

For OVs, please access APHA’s  Vet Gateway  for information on pet travel requirements.

Also, please see BSAVA news articles on our website which are regularly updated with information on Brexit & Pet Travel

If OVs have any questions, please email  [email protected]  or telephone 03000 200 301.

Disease risks abroad

Echinococcus multilocularis.

A taeniid tapeworm endemic in much of Europe, from central France eastwards. Foxes are the main definitive hosts and voles and other small rodents act as intermediate hosts. Dogs are easily infected and although the adult parasite produces no clinical signs in dogs, it can cause a potentially fatal condition in humans (alveolar echinococcosis).

Read more on the  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website

Read more on the  PubMed website

The microscopic eggs are infective immediately. Infection is uncommon but not impossible in cats.

In endemic areas it is recommended that dogs that have access to rodents are wormed monthly with praziquantel. It is also important to advise clients that the eggs can also be found in the dog’s coat especially if it becomes contaminated with fox faeces. It should also be remembered that dogs will need to be treated for tapeworm before re-entry into the UK.

Tick-borne diseases

Although the requirement to treat pets for ticks before re-entry into the UK has been removed the need to treat them before travelling abroad has not. While both ticks and tick-borne diseases such as  Lyme disease  ( Borrelia burgdorferi ) are present in the UK, there are also species of tick ( Rhipicephalus sanguineus ) and diseases (e.g.  Erlichia  canis,  Babesia  canis  and  Hepatozoon  spp.) which are not. While the majority of ticks are found in pasture and woodland, it should be remembered that  R. sanguineus  can be found in domestic environments such as homes and kennels.

Acaracides should be applied before travel, animals should be checked regularly and visible ticks removed. It should be remembered that frequent water exposure may reduce the efficacy of the acaricidal product and products should be reapplied in line with the manufacturer’s instructions.

Other vector-borne diseases

Leishmaniasis  is an infectious and potentially fatal disease caused by a protozoan parasite common in Mediterranean coastal areas and transmitted by phlebotomine sand flies. Despite the name, which relates to their brownish colour, the flies are found in woodlands and crevices in old buildings. The sand flies are active from May to October and feed mainly at dusk and dawn. Prevention involves avoiding the sand flies and the use of insect repellents such as those containing synthetic pyrethroids ( do not use in cats ), although repellents alone cannot be relied upon to prevent disease. A vaccine for dogs is now available in the UK.

Dirofilaria immitis  (heartworm) is a nematode worm endemic in Mediterranean areas. Dogs are the primary definitive host; however, the cat is a susceptible if not ideal host. Microfilariae are spread by blood-sucking mosquitoes during feeding and the larvae migrate to the pulmonary artery and adjacent areas where they develop into adult worms. Many mosquitoes are capable of transmitting the parasite, including species present in the UK. While the synthetic pyrethroids have some repellent effect on mosquitoes, these should not be relied upon and preventive treatments such as Milbemycin or Selamectin should be given throughout the mosquito season, starting one month before exposure.

Rabies Rabies in Europe is predominately sylvatic rabies, with wildlife species, especially the red fox ( Vulpes vulpes ) accounting for approximately 80% of all rabies cases. While many western European countries have successfully controlled rabies in wildlife through the use of oral vaccination programs it should be remembered that sporadic cases do still occur, usually in illegally imported animals.

Risks to humans

While travelling pets will be protected by vaccination, it is important for clients to realise that they will not be and to get immediate treatment for any bite wound. It is also important to stress to clients the importance of not deciding to rescue strays of unknown health status as this risks introducing a number of diseases into the UK. Read more about rabies risks on the Public Health England (PHE) website  here  and the risk by country  here

Disease risks in the UK

It is likely that the changes in the regulations will increase the number of pets travelling between the UK and Europe. This coupled with the loss of pre-entry tick treatment means that we are likely to see more of the “exotic” diseases mentioned above. While the risk of rabies entering the UK is still considered to be very low, and most likely to be brought in by an illegally imported animal, it would be wrong to be complacent and we must remain vigilant. Rabies is a notifiable disease and any suspect case should be reported immediately to  APHA  here . The suspected animal should be kept isolated and restrained along with any other animals that which have had contact with the suspect case. A veterinary officer will normally come to the practice immediately and will manage the investigation.

Classical rabies was eradicated from the UK in 1922. The last case of rabies in an animal outside of quarantine in the UK was a dog in Camberley in 1970. The last case of rabies in quarantine was reported in 2008. The Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) was launched in 2000 to allow people to bring in or travel with their pets, while ensuring the UK remains free from rabies and certain other exotic diseases. In total, 752,945 pet animals have entered the

UK under PETS since 2000 (ferrets have only been able to enter under the scheme since July 2004), and there have been no cases of rabies in any of these animals (Defra 2010). However, since 2001, nine rabid dogs have been illegally introduced in France, and all but one of these was imported from Morocco through Spain. Illegally imported dogs continue to pose a risk of rabies in otherwise rabies-free regions and both Italy and Norway have reported cases of Rabies in wildlife (see  recent outbreaks ).

It is thought that our island status makes it unlikely that terrestrial rabies will be re-introduced through wildlife and that the largest risk for rabies entering the UK would be through an infected animal imported into the country illegally. Defra have admitted that the changes to the Pet travel regulations that came into effect on 1 January 2012 do increase the risk of rabies being introduced to the UK. Although the risk is still very small, calculated to be one rabies introduction every 211 years, or one rabies case for 9,809,601 animals imported; however, these figures assume 100% compliance with the regulations (V.L.A. 2010).

Defra (2010). Zoonsis Report: UK 2010. London, Defra. V.L.A. (2010). A quantitative risk assessment on the change in likelihood of rabies introduction into the United Kingdom as a consequence of adopting the existing harmonised Community rules for the non-commercial movement of pet animals.

Rabies in bats

Cases of bats infected with one of the two European bat Lyssavirus (EBL) subtypes, EBL2, have been confirmed in the UK as recently as 2008. One of these cases resulted in the unfortunate death of a bat worker in Scotland in November 2002. EBLV is transmitted through contact with an infected bat, for example through bites, scratches or saliva. All reported cases have so far occurred in Daubenton’s bats ( Myotis daubentonii ), a common species which often comes into human contact as it roosts in houses. Up to 8% of Daubenton’s bats carry antibodies to the virus. To date classical rabies has never been recorded in a native European bat species. You can read more  here .

Defra’s Rabies Control Strategy is available  here . Defra takes a precautionary approach to possible contacts with bats by bat workers and others handling bats on a routine basis as well as any incident where a member of the public has come into contact with a bat. A comprehensive range of advice is available from Public Health England (PHE)   is available  here , which includes recommended pre-exposure vaccination for those handling bats, and immediate precautionary administration of rabies vaccine for anyone bitten or scratched by a bat. ). Specific advice on pre-exposure prophylaxis is available  here

Advice for veterinary surgeons dealing with bats

• Veterinary staff dealing with bats on a frequent basis should be vaccinated against rabies (see below). Handling of bats should where possible be limited to those staff that have been vaccinated
• Bats should always be handled with protective gloves. Latex gloves are suitable for the smaller species and light leather gloves such as driving gloves with disposable latex gloves on top are suitable for the larger species
• A suitable field guide (e.g.  A Field Guide to British Bats , Greenaway and Hutson, 1990, Bruce Coleman Books, Uxbridge) should be used to familiarise staff as to the different bat species
• All bats acting strangely and Daubenton’s bats in particular should be handled with extra care.
• Suspicious cases should be reported to relevant government departments at local level – information is available  here .
• If bitten or scratched by a bat, wounds should be cleaned with soap and water or a suitable disinfectant and medical advice sought
• Information on the need for post-exposure treatment can be obtained  here
• The Veterinary Laboratory Agency carries out surveillance of submitted bat carcasses. All dead bats (not just suspected rabies cases) should be submitted to the National Reference Laboratory for Rabies, APHA, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB.

Rabies vaccination

Rabies vaccines can be obtained from General medical Practitioners (GPs

Advice to clients

Clients should be discouraged from handling or approaching sick, injured or trapped bats. Assistance should be sought through the Bat Conservation Trust helpline on 0845 130 0228 or in Scotland, the Scottish SPCA (03000 999 999) or the Scottish Natural Heritage Batline on 01463 725000.

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Animal Health Certificates

Travelling to an eu country or northern ireland.

Animal Health Certificates (AHCs) replace Pet Passports for non-commercial movements of pet dogs, cats and ferrets to the EU (European Union). They are also required for non-commercial movements to Northern Ireland.

In order to use an Animal Health Certificate for travel to the EU or Northern Ireland your pet must either be travelling with you, or must travel within five days of your departure. If this is not the case then different export documentation will be required. Your pet must have received a valid rabies vaccination at least 21 days prior to the date of travel, and the AHC is valid for a single entry into the EU or Northern Ireland within 10 days of signing.  Learn more about pet travel requirements for the EU & Northern Ireland.

Pre-appointment information

So that we can book you a pet travel appointment, we require the following pre-appointment information:

1. Please complete the form below.  Alternatively, you can download a copy of the form here and email it to us – see no.2

2. Please email the following to [email protected] and put in the subject line: your surname, pet name(s) and destination:

• Evidence of date of microchipping (if available)
• A Pet Passport (for vaccines administered prior to 1st January 2021). Please include Sections I to V of the Passport (pages 4 to 8) and ensure the passport serial number is visible at the bottom of each page.
• A rabies vaccination card or certificate, showing the date of vaccination, vaccine details, and that the microchip was read prior to administering the vaccine.

You must also bring these original documents to your appointment; without original documents we will be unable to issue a certificate.

Further information on travelling abroad with your pet can be obtained from the Government’s Pet Travel Scheme helpline: 0370 241 1710 (8.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday) or by emailing [email protected]

Once we have received your completed form and the supporting evidence below, we will contact you to book your pet travel appointment.

Animal Health Certificate pre-appointment form

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Travel With a Pet

Do you want to travel with your pet to another State or country? Before you go, you may need to complete certain paperwork or tasks, such as getting a health certificate for your pet. Meeting these requirements takes time, so contact your veterinarian for help as soon as you decide to travel (whether by plane, car, boat, train, or other means).

Not all animals qualify for pet travel.

What is considered a pet? A pet is a privately owned companion animal not intended for research or resale and includes only certain animal groups.

Find out if your pet qualifies to travel

Your animal doesn't qualify for pet travel and is subject to different import regulations and export regulations if you:

• Don't see your pet listed below.
• Are exporting semen or embryos from any animal.
• Have a pet that's considered livestock or poultry, like pigs or chickens.

The following animals qualify as pets, meaning they're subject to pet travel requirements:

The following birds DON'T qualify as pets, meaning they're subject to different regulations:

Because they may carry and transmit certain diseases to the U.S. poultry industry, these birds are regulated as poultry.

• Guinea fowl

View import regulations and export regulations if the type of animal you have does not qualify as a pet.

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Pet travel: checks on pets by transport carriers

How sea, rail and air transport companies check that dogs, cats and ferrets travelling to Great Britain are following the pet travel requirements.

This guidance provides information for sea, rail and air carriers on how to check pets entering Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales).

Pet carriers and checkers are responsible for checking that the rules for bringing a pet into Great Britain are met, and dealing with:

• passengers with pets that do not meet the requirements
• suspected certification fraud
• suspect cases of disguised commercial activity
• suspect cases of smuggling, identified anytime between check-in and disembarking
• recording data of all pets that have travelled on their routes and any that are found to be non-compliant

Transport companies checking pets coming into Great Britain must be authorised by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).

Contact the pet travel helpline to apply for authorisation as a transport carrier for pets.

Published new guidance.

Updated PT44

Updated document

AHVLA documents have been re-assigned to the new Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).

First published.

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