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Taking your pet abroad
Non-Dangerous races
If you meet the rules of the UK Pet Travel Scheme (PETS), you can take your pet cat, dog or ferret abroad and return to the UK without the need for quarantine.
Before travelling, you must take your animal to a vet so that it can be:
• fitted with a microchip
• vaccinated against rabies
• issued with a pet passport (if it’s travelling in the EU) or has a third country veterinary certificate
- You must wait 21 days from the date of the rabies vaccination before travelling.
- Dogs must also be treated by a vet for tapeworm, not less than 24 hours and not more than 120 hours before its scheduled time of entry into the UK.
- Once these steps are carried out, you can travel to (and return from) most EU countries and some non-EU countries.
- Unlisted countries
- An ‘unlisted’ country is any country not included in the list of EU or non-EU countries. You need to take extra steps if you return from an unlisted country.
- Book the return journey before you leave
- You must book your return journey in advance with a PETS-approved sea, air or rail route.
- Most major ferry companies, airlines and rail operators are approved.
- When you return to the UK
- Your pet’s microchip will be scanned and its passport inspected.
- If you don’t have the correct paperwork or your pet hasn’t been prepared properly, it will be put into quarantine or sent back to the country it travelled from.
- Travelling with multiple animals
- There are extra rules if you’re travelling with more than 5 cats, dogs or ferrets.
- Other types of animal
- There are different rules covering the movement of other types of pets.
Documentation
To bring your dog, cat or ferret into (or back into) the UK, it must be accompanied either by an EU pet passport or a third country official veterinary certificate.
The passport or certificate must show that your pet has been microchipped (a tattoo is only acceptable in certain circumstances), vaccinated against rabies and if necessary blood tested. It must also show that your dog has been treated against tapeworm.
Cats coming from Australia must be accompanied by a certificate showing protection against Hendra disease. Cats and dogs coming from the Malaysian Peninsula must be accompanied by a certificate showing protection against Nipah disease. See below for further information.
You are responsible for making sure you have the necessary documentation for your pet to enter the UK. Make sure it is correctly completed and your pet meets all the rules. If your pet does not meet the entry rules, it will not be allowed to enter the UK unless it is licensed into quarantine.
If you are bringing more than five pets with you to the UK, either from Europe or another country, then you will require additional documentation....
The Pet Passport
How to get an EU pet passport
In Great Britain, a pet passport is issued by an Official Veterinarian (OV). If your veterinary practice does not have a resident OV, your vet will tell you where the nearest one works. Your local Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency Office can also provide these details.
When you go to get the pet passport take your pet with you along with its identity and vaccination record and, if applicable, the blood test result. Your pet will only need a blood test if you are taking it to an unlisted third country and bringing it back to the UK or other EU Member State later. In that case, the blood sample must be taken at least 30 days after your pet was vaccinated
Before you take your pet out of the UK, make sure that the vet has completed sections I-IV of the pet passport, and section V if it has needed a blood test.
Validity of the passport
The passport is valid for entry (or re-entry) to the UK 21 days after your pet was vaccinated against rabies. If 21 days has already passed and its vaccinations have been kept up to date, then you can use the passport immediately to travel or return to the UK. The passport will remain valid provided your pet is re-vaccinated by the “valid until” date in section IV.
Replacing the passport
When the passport is full, for example, you should apply to your vet for a new one. Take the old passport and your pet with you.
Third country official veterinary certificate
A new third country certificate
(document in PDF format) became available from 1 January 2012 for the non-commercial movement of up to five pets from all third countries into all EU Member States, including the UK. This can be issued by official veterinarians in all third countries. The current certificate is being phased out although it can still be issued after 1 January 2012 as long as it is signed no later than 29 February 2012.There is new certification for three groups of dogs, cats and ferrets entering the EU from third countries:
Non-commercial movement of up to five pets (Annex 2 certificate)
Non-commercial movement of more than five pets (Annex 1 certificate)
Commercial movement from third countries (Annex 1 certificate)
Validity of the certificate
For non-commercial movements, the Annex 1 or Annex 2 certificate is valid for entry into the EU for 10 days from the date of issue and remains valid for a total of four months from the date of issue for further intra-Community travel. The Annex 1 certificate does not apply to all third countries but only those listed in EU Regulation 998/2003 and in Part 1 of Annex II of EU Regulation 206/2010.
If your pet is due a rabies revaccination when it is in the EU and before the certificate expires, the certificate cannot be renewed and will have to be exchanged for an EU pet passport (see below).
Changing the certificate for a pet passport
If the certificate expires while you are in the EU, and you wish to continue travelling in the EU with your pet, you will need to exchange it for an EU pet passport. In addition to the certificate, you will need to provide the vet with your pet’s identity and vaccination record and blood test result (if needed).
Other documents you might need to enter the UK
Cats from Australia
A cat from Australia is prohibited from entering the UK unless it is accompanied by a certificate from the Australian Veterinary Authorities confirming that at they been not been on a holding where Hendra virus has been confirmed during the 60 days prior to export.
Dogs and cats from the Malaysian Peninsular
A dog or cat from Malaysia (Peninsular) is prohibited from entering the UK unless it is accompanied by a certificate issued by the Malaysian government veterinary health services which confirms:
Fitness for travel
The transport company that you use to bring your pet into the UK may require you to provide a veterinary statement that it is healthy and fit to travel before they will allow it to board.
It is advised that before you bring your pet into the UK to check with the transport company if they need this statement and the form which it should take. It may be provided either by:
completion of section IX of the EU Pet Passport by a veterinarian confirming that ‘the animal is in good health and able to withstand carriage to its destination.’ or
a private statement from a veterinarian stating that: ‘On [date], I examined the animal described in EU Pet Passport/third country official veterinary certificate numbered [enter serial number] and found it to be free from clinical signs of infectious or contagious disease, including external parasites, and in my opinion, is fit to travel.’.
Additional Documentation
What you need to do if you are travelling from the UK to an EU country after arriving from a non-EU country
If you plan to continue travelling to another EU country under the Pet Travel Scheme with your dog, cat or ferret after you have arrived in the UK you can use your third country veterinary certificate to do so until it expires.
Alternatively, you can apply to a Local Veterinary Inspector for an EU pet passport. You are recommended to do this if you wish to return to the UK.
The passport will be issued on production of your pet’s third country official veterinary certificate, its vaccination record and a copy of the blood test certificate (unlisted countries only) all of which must show your pet’s microchip number.
What you need to do if you are travelling with more than five pets
The number of pets that can be moved between EU Member States – including into and out of the UK – is limited to five per person. If there are more than 5 pets moving with an accompanying person , the following rules apply:
The movement of the pets must be non commercial and as a consequence of them travelling with the owner – there should be no transfer of ownership involved.
For moves from the UK to another EU Member State: each group of more than five pet animals belonging to one pet owner will require a health certificate issued by the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency. Applications for the certificate should be made at least 10 working days prior to the date of travel. The new health certificate is not evidence that your pets meet the Pet Travel Scheme rules and is in addition to having a completed and valid pet passport.
For moves from another EU Member State to the UK: an official veterinary surgeon in that Member State will supply the health certificate.
Animals entering with this certificate must travel on an approved route and will be subject to pet checks at the point of entry.
Couriers may transport more than 5 pets if the above conditions are met.
What you need to do if you are not accompanying your pet during its journey
