UK Pet Travel Planner

What changed, and why it matters

The old blue pet passport issued in Great Britain is no longer accepted for travel to the EU. In its place, every single trip needs an Animal Health Certificate, issued by an Official Veterinarian – a vet with specific government authorisation. Not every practice has one, and appointments book up in the school holidays, so this is the first phone call to make once you know your dates.

The three things that have to happen in order

First the microchip, then the rabies vaccination, then the wait. The order is not negotiable: if the chip was implanted after the rabies jab, the vaccination does not count and your pet has to be vaccinated again. Your pet must also be at least twelve weeks old on the day of the vaccination. After a first vaccination – or the last of a first course – you wait at least twenty-one full days, counting the day after the jab as day one. Some vaccines take longer, so confirm the product with your vet.

Boosters and the twenty-one day wait

If a booster is given before the previous vaccination runs out, the cover is unbroken and there is no new waiting period – you can travel straight away. If the previous one expired first, even by a day, the booster legally counts as a brand new first vaccination and the twenty-one day clock starts again. Diarise boosters early; it is the single most common reason for a cancelled holiday.

The ten-day certificate window

You must enter the EU within ten days of the certificate being issued, counting the issue date as day one. Issued on 1 November means arriving by 10 November at the latest. That gives you a narrow booking window, and it is why the appointment cannot simply be made at your convenience weeks ahead. Once you are in, the certificate covers onward travel around the EU for four months and your return to Great Britain within that same four months.

Tapeworm treatment coming home

Dogs returning to Great Britain need treatment containing praziquantel, given by a vet no less than twenty-four hours and no more than one hundred and twenty hours – five days – before arrival, recorded on the certificate with the date and time. Treated at one o'clock on a Monday afternoon, your dog can arrive any time after one o'clock Tuesday and must arrive before one o'clock on the Saturday. Get the timing wrong and your dog can be refused entry or put into quarantine at your expense. Cats and ferrets do not need it.

Short trips are simpler than they look: if you are away less than five days you can have the treatment done here before you leave, and for a trip under twenty-four hours you must. Coming home directly from Finland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Malta or Norway, no treatment is needed – though many vets suggest worming within twenty-eight days of getting home anyway.

Routes, points of entry and paperwork

Pets must travel on an approved route and go through a travellers' point of entry, where the paperwork is checked. Allow extra time at the port; checks can take a while in peak season. Keep everything together in one folder: certificate, microchip number, rabies record with batch number, and the tapeworm entry with its time.

Up to five pets on one certificate

One Animal Health Certificate can cover up to five pets travelling with you, provided they are not being moved for sale or a change of owner. Different rules apply if you are taking more than five, or attending a competition or show.