Travelling abroad with your pet
More and more pets are travelling abroad with their owners under The Pet Travel Scheme (PETS). The scheme enables dogs, cats and ferrets to return to the UK after travelling to a number of qualifying countries both within the EU and beyond without the need for 6 months’ quarantine.
For a cat or dog to enter (or return to) the UK as part of the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) and thus avoid quarantine, the following procedures must be carried out in the stated order:
- It must be microchipped,
- Then vaccinated against rabies, and
- A blood sample must be taken and sent to a European Union (EU) approved laboratory for testing. If the required level of antibodies is reached, the animal may enter (or return to) the UK 6 calendar months after the date that the sample was drawn, assuming all other rules of the Scheme are met.
Please note that Steps 2 and 3 above must be carried out in a PETS qualified country.
The procedures should be recorded in a PET passport, which may be obtained.
Further to this, it must be treated by an authorised vet against ticks and tapeworm not less than 24 hours and not more than 48 hours before checking in with a PETS authorised carrier (on a PETS authorised route), for the journey that brings the pet into the UK.
In addition to adhering to these requirements, depending on your destination it is strongly advisable to talk to your vet about whether you need to protect your pet against other serious diseases such as leishmaniasis, heartworm, babesiosis and ehrlichiosis which they may be exposed to while abroad.
Always consider your pet’s welfare and think about planning your trip to ensure that they have sufficient stops to stretch their legs and relax along the way. Think carefully about the temperatures that they are exposed to and make sure you have plans in place to keep them well hydrated and cool. Finally, remember to pack a ‘travel bag’ for your pet including his bedding, food, a water supply and things like his favourite toys. Your dog should also have plenty of room to turn around and lie down while you’re on route.
For further information on travelling abroad with your pet, contact your vet.
