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Traveling with Your Pet to the EU: A Simple Guide
At Brockwell Vets, we know your pet is part of the family. Family holidays are just not the same without them. We’re here to make sure that your journey is as smooth as possible.
Microchip & Vaccinations:
Your pet must be microchipped and vaccinated against rabies at least 21 days before travel. This is the absolute minimum – we recommend that you arrange for the rabies as soon as you know that you are travelling.
The rabies vaccination that we provide is valid for 3 years after injection.
Obtain an Animal Health Certificate (AHC):
We can then issue an AHC – please note that this can only be done 21 days after the rabies vaccination. The appointment for this involves a microchip check and the document is produced the same day or the following day.
AHCs are valid for a single trip only and must be issued within 10 days of your departure.
Country-Specific Requirements:
Some EU countries have additional requirements.
For example, dogs traveling to Ireland, Iceland, Norway, and Malta need tapeworm treatment prior to entry. We’ll advise you on any specifics for your destination.
Bon Voyage!
Speak to our vets about your travel plans and any concerns you may have. Some airline companies require a separate health certificate prior to travel for example. The more we know, the more we can help.
When returning to the UK you will need to arrange for a vet in Europe to administer a tapeworm treatment between 1 and 5 days before arriving in the UK (>24 hours but <120 hours). If you are going for a weekend trip (<5 days) we can administer the tapeworm trip before you travel.
Pet Travel Beyond the EU
While the process can be a bit more complex, we can guide you all the same.
Each country has unique requirements
Unlike the EU, there’s no single set of rules for pet travel beyond its borders. Each country has its own Export Health Certificate (EHC) with specific regulations, including vaccinations, blood tests, and parasite treatments. The United States is unique – there is no need for an export health certificate for travel from the UK.
Early planning is essential:
EHC requirements can change, so it’s crucial to contact us as soon as possible to ensure your pet meets the latest guidelines well in advance of your trip. Australia, New Zealand and South Africa exports are particularly complex and require preparation times of 9-10 months!
Research your destination: We recommend searching online using keywords like “export dog/cat [country] gov” and visiting the official gov.uk website for detailed information on your destination country’s requirements.
Register your export
You will need to register your pet’s export on the gov.uk website and select Brockwell Veterinary Surgery as the exporting vet.
How We Can Help:
- Guidance and advice: We will help guide you on the process and ensure that all the steps are actioned in good time for travel.
- Necessary documentation: We will ensure your pet receives the required vaccinations, treatments, and certifications, and we will issue the necessary EHC for your journey.
Any questions? Please email/call/WhatsApp the team – William Chandler and Jenny Kalogera are both Official Veterinarians ready to help with exports.
