NEWS: Changes to the Import of Pets into the UK under the Pet Travel Scheme

There are new (and better) rules for pets travelling to UK/Northern Ireland as of January 1, 2012. Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mrs Caroline Spelman) announced earlier today about changes to the rules on the movement of pets (dogs, cats and ferrets) into the UK under the Pet Travel Scheme

Basically, UK is falling into line with rest of EU. Pet dogs and cats from EU and listed countries with low incidence of rabies entering the UK from 1st January 2012 will no longer require a Blood Titer Test 6 months prior to travel. After microchip insertion and vaccination, the pet must wait 21 days prior to entering the UK.

Pets entering the UK from countries with a high incidence of rabies will be required to microchip, vaccinate and perform a rabies titer test 4 months prior to travel in order to avoid quarantine.

BIG news for pet owners traveling to the United Kingdom.


Comments

NEWS: Changes to the Import of Pets into the UK under the Pet Travel Scheme — 55 Comments

  1. Hello Adri – you will need to have an Annex IV form for the first country you will be entering in the EU (France). You can use the same Annex form to enter the UK. (no need for 2 forms). You will not need an EU Pet Passport to enter England. We have seen ads from several countries that provide this service. Here is a link to some reviews about LeShuttle and the reviewers mention who they use: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g190749-d6733994-r224565504-Eurotunnel_Le_Shuttle-Folkestone_Kent_England.html.
    Susan

  2. Hello Susan, congrats for this wonderfull blog!
    I am travelling with a cat from Argentina to London, going by airplane to Paris and then by car to Calais Eurotunnel shuttle terminal.I have three doubts:
    -Do I need 2 International third country Certificates, one for France and another for UK, as I have to state in it my destination and I won?t have any proof to show Paris authorities that I’m going to London as soon as possible?
    -Will my Third Country International Certificate be OK for the UK authorities or will they required me a EU Passport as I am entering from France, although I am planing to be there just for what it takes me to get to London by car?
    -Is there any taxi company you could recommend me, to get us to Folkestone with the Eurotunnel Shuttle?, as it seems too expensive to rent a car in France and leave it in UK, so the idea is to leave it at Calais
    I am looking forward to your reply
    Best regards

  3. Jaletta – the documentation proving that your representative will be flying within 5 days of your pet will be attached to its crate. This should be in the form of a copy of a ticket, boarding pass, etc. Although representatives may be confirming information at customs clearance, it would be difficult to do follow up if your representative is flying after your pet is claimed.
    Phil

  4. Hello.
    I would like to know what would happen if my designated representative that is flying within 5 days of my pet misses their flight? He has no intention to. I am just worried since I won’t be flying myself that should the unexpected happen what happens to my pet.

  5. Ella – you need to give your sister Power of Attorney to represent you as the legal owner. She will need a microchip, then she needs to be vaccinated for rabies (in that order), then wait 21 days after rabies vaccination to travel to the UK. Your pet will need an updated EU Pet Passport and a tapeworm treatment administered by a licensed vet between one and five days of travel. Your sister will need to sign a Declaration of Non-commercial transport declaring that the movement does not involve a change of ownership. The airlines may have this, but it is included in all of our instructions and forms for the United Kingdom here if you need them: http://www.pettravel.com/immigration/UnitedKingdom.cfm.
    Jason
    Susan

  6. Hi,my name is Ella ,i m from Romania but i live in Uk ,i have a little dog in Romania and next month my sister law coming here and i want to bring my little dog,she need some paper to travel.with her? In dog passport it s my name. Thanks

  7. Grumpy – the easiest way to travel from France to the UK is via Le Shuttle. However, you will need a car to do so. This is also true of the pet friendly ferries that travel between Calais and England. If you will not have a car available have a friend who can come pick you up and take you back, that would be the ideal way. If not, there are services that will do that. (Pet Chauffeurs).
    Susan

  8. To whom it may concern,

    I am travelling from Paris to London with my kitten( Grumpy who is born in Paris, and have been micro shipped and is 3months and have been vaccinated for rabies on his 3rd months and there is 21days between the vaccinations and the travel.My questions is: Which way should i travel with my cat? Eurostar does not allow cat/dogs? which is the simplest way of traveling one way and not traumatizing the kitten ? Ferry, plans?

    Looking forward to your reply

  9. Kay – according to EU regulations, you must wait 90 days after the date the blood was drawn for the titer test before entering the EU.
    Jason

  10. Hello,
    I wonder if you could clear something up for me. I’m a British citizen living in Cairo and want to take my puppy to Belgium with me for 1 week next month. She was microchipped and had the rabies vaccination here 1 month ago and now I need to have the rabies titer test done. My question is do we have to wait for 3 months after we get the results back before she can travel or can we travel as soon as we have the results? All of the vets we have asked here (as well as the airline and quarantine at the airport here) say she can travel as soon as we have the results but I have read here and somewhere else that we must wait 3 months. If you could clear this up for me I would really appreciate it as I don’t want to put my dog through the stress of traveling to then sit in quarantine for a week till we return.
    Many thanks

  11. “Pets traveling to an unlisted non-EU country that have been identified, microchipped and blood sampled 30 days after vaccination demonstrating a positive titration result before leaving the UK (or another EU country) may re-enter the UK without having to meet the three month waiting period. The vaccination, blood sample and positive titration result must be recorded on the pet passport.” Same process less the 3 month wait.
    Susan

  12. I was hoping someone could help me. I have a 2 year old French Bulldog (15 / 16kg) which I imported from Europe to Nigeria when he was a puppy (via a company called Europuppy)

    He was issued with a European passport and microchipped prior to leaving the EU and is fully vaccinated. His last rabies vaccination was 22nd July 2013 and was administered by our vets in Nigeria.

    I am returning to the UK from Nigeria shortly and ideally want to transport him back before his current vaccination expires.

    I’m just trying to get clarification on the status of his Rabies Vaccination – I understand that we need to provide a blood test taken at least 30 days after the vaccination was undertaken which we can provide given that the vaccination was administered in July 2013. However, is he subject to the 3 month wait period before he can travel (which means his current vaccination will expire before that period is exhausted) or can the 3 month period be waived as he was successfully blood tested (for his first rabies vaccination) issued with an EU Pet Passport and micrchipped prior to leaving the EU?

    The guidelines into entry into the UK from Non Approved Countries states in the small print…
    “If your pet was successfully blood tested and issued with an EU pet passport before it left the UK or other EU country to go to a non-approved country, the three-month waiting period before re-entering the UK will not apply (but all other rules still apply, including the requirement for the blood sample to be taken at least 30 days after vaccination).

    Thanks!

  13. Hi Susan,

    Thanks so much. One more question. As I am driving through France, they seem to want an ANEX II form and its the only country requesting this. Is this right?

    So, to sumarise, blue pet passport, antirabic vaccine done, microchipp, castrate, tape worm test done.
    Anything else? Many thanks for all the help xxx

  14. Hello Mani – if the vet in Romania issues your dog a blue pet passport, that, and proof of tapeworm test within one and five days of entering the UK is all you will need to travel through the EU. Yes, you should have a little carrier for your puppy. It is dangerous for a pet to travel in a car without some type of restraint. Plan to stop and give your puppy plenty of rest and play stops. Have a good trip.
    Susan

  15. Hi admin,

    I need a bit of help. I am planning to drive to Romania from the UK in my car next summer to bring a medium size male dog into the UK. I will be driving him back by car.
    I am aware he has to be microchiped, vaccinated agains rabbies, dewormed, passport released by the vet, all of this 21 days before departure. As my driving route back will be Romania – Hungary – Germany – France – UK (South East England), hope I did not miss any countries, will I ancounter any problems at all these borders? Do I need a little cage in the car for the dog. Along the paperwork for the dog, is there anything else I need to be aware of? Many thanks for your help. No need to use Google translate for the answer, English is fine.
    Have a great day.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *