Pet Travel Regulations

Pet Travel Regulations

Brexit has affected the requirements for travelling with pets in Europe and Ireland.  Now we are not part of the EU there is a different process to follow for pets entering Europe and coming back to the UK. The same procedures also need to be followed for travel to and from Ireland.  Under this travel system you will be able to take up to 5 pets away with you.

As with the previous pet travel scheme your pet will need to be microchipped and have an up to date rabies vaccination given more than 3 weeks before travel.

While we were still EU members your pet would then have been ready to travel with their pet passport.  Under the new system an approved Official Vet is required to see your pet before each trip, within 10 days of you leaving the UK.

This will involve examining your pet, checking their microchip and issuing an Animal Health Certificate. There will also be a declaration document to be signed by yourselves. 

Once completed the Animal Health Certificate is valid for 6 months for onward travel in Europe and entry back into the UK.

From most countries your pet will need to be given a tapeworm treatment by a vet 1-5days before coming back into the UK.  If you are travelling to a country which is classed as free of certain harmful tapeworms (Finland, Malta, Norway and Ireland) this treatment has to be given 1-5days before leaving the UK.

Animals must be at least 12 weeks of age to have their first rabies vaccination.  Boosters are given according to the vaccine data sheet advice, which is currently every 3 years. 

There were initially plans to reinstate rabies blood testing rules following vaccination but it has now been decided that blood testing is not needed for travel in Europe.

Countries outside the EU will have specific travel requirements and certificates that need to be checked in advance. Rabies blood sampling and testing for other diseases may be needed.

If you are planning on taking your pet abroad please let us know well in advance so we can make sure everything is completed with the correct schedule. 

Currently Dr Peter Harlow and Phil Owen are our approved Official Veterinary Surgeon to see your pets for their pre travel appointments.

We wanted to bring you up date with some changes to regulations for pets travelling from the UK to EU countries.

These came into effect on 22nd April 2026 and mainly affect UK residents who have been using EU pet passports to travel with their pets.

These EU pet passports will now only be issued animals belonging to people with their main home in an EU country and not to those of UK residents with holiday homes or who travel seasonally.

Any existing EU passports issued to pets of UK residents before April 2026 will no longer be valid for travel to EU countries but can still be used to return home to the UK.

All pets of UK residents must now visit an Official Vet to be issued with an Animal Health Certificate within 10 days of each trip to the EU. Peter Harlow and Phil Owen are able to issue these certificates and we usually designate a 45minute appointment to complete them.

The majority of pets that have been travelling abroad will already have been using the Animal Health Certificate system. There have been a few minor changes to this system with the most notable being an extension to their duration. Animal Health Certificates are now valid for 6 months of onward travel, rather than 4 months as was the case previously.

Please feel free to contact our team with any questions.