Taking your Pet’s abroad post Brexit
22nd January 2021 | Posted by The Team at Coquet Vets
As of the 1st of January 2021 all current pet passports issued in Great Britain are no longer valid for travel to Europe or Northern Ireland. Last August, we published an article on the planned changes for pet passports in anticipation of Brexit. Now that Brexit has happened, here is the latest update and what you need to know about taking your pet on holiday to Europe or Northern Ireland.
What are the new requirements from 1st of January 2021?
The new requirements are as follows:
Your dog, cat or ferret must be microchipped.
They must receive a rabies vaccination. They must be older than 12 weeks to receive this.
21 days after the vaccination they can travel. It is important that you keep your pet’s rabies vaccinations up to date.
No more than 10 days before travelling you must visit us so one of our Official Vets can issue an ‘Animal Health Certificate’ to enable you to travel to the European Union (EU). Proof of your pet’s microchipping date and rabies vaccination history will be required.
How long will my ‘Animal Health Certificate’ be valid for?
Once issued, an ‘Animal Health Certificate’ will be valid for 10 days from the date of issue for entry into the EU or Northern Ireland (NI). It will also allow you to have onward travel within the EU and NI for 4 months from the date of issue, as well as allow re-entry into Great Britain for 4 months from the date of issue.
Certain countries also require your dog to receive treatment for tapeworm (Echinococcus multiocularis), for example Malta or Republic of Ireland. It is particularly important that you check the specific country requirements for your destination. This is also true if you are returning to Great Britain from a country that is not free from tapeworm. Treatment must be administered between 24 to 120 hours before re-entry.
When you arrive in the European Union or Northern Ireland you must enter through a designated Travellers’ point of entry (TPE) where you will be required to present your ‘Animal Health Certificate’ alongside proof of your pet’s microchip, rabies vaccination and if required tapeworm treatment.
A new Animal Health Certificate will be required for each journey to the European Union or Northern Ireland.
Where can I find out more information?
As you can see this process can take a long time and involves a lot of paperwork. It is important that you carry out your research very carefully for your intended destination, as each individual country may have different criteria for entry and indeed for returning home.
Our vets are always here to help you, but as an owner it is deemed your responsibility to ensure everything is in order before you travel.
The DEFRA government website has a lot of information available for you and of course you can always contact us on 01665 252250 or email at info@coquetvets.co.uk
