The Pet Travel Scheme
Travelling with your animal
The Pet Travel Sceme, or Pet Passport, allows us to bring animals back to the UK from some countries without going through quarantine. Full details of the countries included can be found at DEFRA's website
The steps in obtaining a pet passport are:
- The animal is permanently identified - a Microchip is implanted
- Rabies vaccination, this can be done at the same time as microchipping
- Blood test 21-30 days later - this checks that the vaccination has been effective, and that the animal has antibodies to Rabies. The sample is sent to an official laboratory
- A Passport can be issued
Please note: You can take your pet abroad as soon as the blood test shows adequate immunity and the passport has been issued, BUT your pet cannot re-enter the UK until 6 months after date of the blood sample.
Coming back into the UK:
You will need to have your pet treated for ticks and tapeworm 24-48 hours before your return. This must be carried out by a veterinary surgeon, who will sign & stamp the passport to confirm this, the authorities are strict about the timing.
There are some diseases found in Europe that are not common in the UK yet, do contact us for advice on prevention and signs.
There are different regulations if you are going to be resident abroad for longer periods of time - please contact DEFRA for information.