Travelling abroad with your pet dog, cat or ferret? You need a pet passport.
It’s never been easier to take your pet with you to the EU and some long-haul countries. In order for your cat, dog or ferret to come back into the UK without going into quarantine, you will need a valid pet passport.
We are delighted to be able to offer our clients this service. Many of our vets are Official Veterinarians (OVs) meaning that they are authorised by the government to issue pet passports. Please make it clear on booking that you are coming to see about a passport, so that we can ensure one of our OVs is available to see you.
Before you start, there are two important things to remember:
- For most countries, the passport is not valid for return to the UK until 21 days after the rabies vaccination is administered. This means that you must allow at least three weeks to complete the process.
- Your pet must be at least three months old at time of applying for a passport.
Pet passport requirements
To get a passport your pet must have:
- A microchip
- A valid rabies vaccination administered at least 21 days before travel. Regular boosters are then required to keep the passport valid.
- Been treated for tapeworm by a vet 24 to 120 hours before re-entering the UK (dogs only). The vet must sign your pet passport to say this has been done.
Talk to your vet
Pet passports only cover minimum requirements. The best way to keep your pet safe and well when travelling is to talk to us about any extra precautions that need to be taken. Ticks and biting insects, for example, can transmit disease in much of Europe; and we highly recommend you take precautions against these despite there being no mandatory tick control in the pet passport scheme.
*There are different requirements for some countries, so wherever you are returning from, it’s important to check the latest UK Government information about travelling with your pet well in advance of your trip. It is your responsibility as the pet owner to ensure all requirements are met.
