As the summer holidays approach, many of us are looking forward to an overseas get-a-way, and some of us may even take our furry friends away too. It is important to note that there are some critical steps that need to be carried out before your pet can travel overseas (from the UK).

As of January 2021, Great Britain issued pet passports are no longer valid for European travel, and instead you require an Animal Health Certificate. In order to issue an Animal Health certificate, your pet must meet the following requirements:

1. Your dog, cat or ferret must be microchipped

2. They must receive a rabies vaccination. They must be older than 12 weeks to receive this

3. 21 days after the vaccination they can travel. It is important that you keep your pet’s rabies vaccinations up to date.

4. No more than 10 days before travel, you must visit us so one of our Official Vets can issue an ‘Animal Health Certificate’ to enable you to travel to the EU. Proof of your pet’s microchipping date and rabies vaccination history will be required.

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. 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 very 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 by a vet between 24-120 hours before re-entry.

When you arrive in the EU or NI, 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 EU or NI.

As you can see this process can take a long time and involves a lot of paperwork. It is important 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; however, it is deemed your responsibility to ensure everything is in order before you travel. If you are travelling with your pets, please contact us as soon as possible so we have plenty of time to get everything in order.

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 us at info@coquetvets.co.uk