Foreign Pet Travel
Our experienced vets have all the suitable qualifications to complete the paperwork for your pet to travel abroad or to Northern Ireland.
The rules change on a regular basis so please contact the surgery where one of the team would be happy to assist you.
General Advice
New rules apply to pet travel to the EU and Northern Ireland after January 1st 2021.
Before your dog, cat or ferret can travel to the EU or NI, you need to:
- Have your dog, cat or ferret microchipped.
- Vaccinate your dog, cat or ferret against rabies – your pet must be at least 12 weeks old before it can be vaccinated.
- Wait 21 days after the primary vaccination before travel.
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Visit us to obtain an Animal Health Certificate (instead of a Pet Passport) no more than 10 days before travelling to the EU.
As long as you keep your pet’s vaccinations up to date, they will not need repeat vaccinations every time they travel to the EU or Northern Ireland.
When returning from the EU, you will need either your Animal Health Certificate, a current EU or pre-2021 UK Pet Passport, or a GB Pet Health Certificate.
Visit gov.uk for further information.
Travel advice
Animals travelling out of the United Kingdom will be exposed to diseases not prevalent in Britain. Many of these diseases are carried by parasites, such as ticks, mosquitoes and sand flies, all of which can be prevented. Please contact us before travelling to make sure your pet is protected, and for specific advice on the countries that you are travelling to. We will also check your pet’s microchip before travelling; just phone before coming in. If your pet should ever stray then it can be identified at any vets or rescue centre and returned to you immediately. In the case of theft or dispute then your ownership can be confirmed. We do offer reduced rates to implant a microchip whilst your animal is having a general anaesthetic for any reason such as routine neutering.
