Travelling with pets
If you are travelling with a pet within the EU and other qualifying countries, your pet must have a microchip for identification and a rabies vaccination. We can then issue your pet with an authorised EU passport. Your pet is then able to travel freely within the EU and qualifying countries 21 days after the rabies vaccination has been administered.
Each year, before going abroad, we would encourage you to contact APHA) to ensure that the requirements for the countries have not changed. Once we know that the requirements have been double checked, we can offer you advice on how to protect your pet from ticks, mosquitoes and sandflies against the life-threatening diseases they can transmit.
If your pet is visiting a country outside the EU please contact APHA to verify the relevant import requirements. Plan ahead as your pet may require an APHA issued export health certificate.
Qualifying countries and territories
Pets from unlisted non-EU countries such as India, Brazil and South Africa will be able to enter the UK if they meet certain strict criteria to ensure they are protected against rabies. The requirements include a blood test and a three-month wait before they enter the UK.
Please call the clinic to discuss current requirements, particularly if your pet does not yet have a passport and you are planning to travel.
While you are abroad
It’s essential that you treat your pet with the preventative anti-parasite medication we have provided. It may be worth considering taking out additional travel insurance cover for your pet. Please contact your pet insurance provider to enquire about this service. Remember that you are subject to the laws of the country you are in, and therefore you may be liable for damage caused by your pet.
Before returning to the UK
Your pet will need specific tapeworm treatments before returning. These must be administered not less than 24 hours and not more than 120 hours before departure by air, sea or Channel Tunnel back to the UK. Please visit a veterinary surgeon who will apply the treatments and fill in the appropriate pages for you in your pet's passport. Make sure the vet fills out the time of day as well as the date of treatment to ensure that there is no confusion.