Dog's teeth being brushed

Pet Travel

Want to take your dog, cat, or ferret on holiday with you? There are various things you need to investigate and it can be a bit of a minefield for pet owners!

Don’t worry – we are here to help you. Below you will find all the information you need to know.

Services We Offer for Pet Travel

Microchipping

Dog being microchipped

When travelling with your pet animals, they must be microchipped. Due to UK law, your pet dog should have been microchipped with their breeder, and as of June 2024, your pet cat is also required to be microchipped. However, if for whatever reason, your pets have yet to be microchipped, you must do so before you attempt to travel with them.

Learn more about microchipping

Vaccinations

If you want to take your pets travelling, then they must be vaccinated against rabies. This, therefore, impacts the age that you can travel with your pets. They need to be at least 12 weeks of age before they can be vaccinated against rabies, and pet travel to the EU and Northern Ireland can't happen until at least 21 days following their rabies vaccination.

This can particularly impact pet relocation, such as selling your puppies to overseas owners if you are a breeder.

Learn more about vaccinations

Examinations

Vet examining dog

In order to take your pet abroad with you, they must have a consultation with a vet. This will need to be completed before you're issued your Animal Health Certificate (this has replaced pet passports for EU travel). An EU health certificate is issued within 10 days of the date of travel; if you want to find out more about travel outside of the EU, please contact our surgery for more information.

Worming

While it's always a good idea to keep on top of worming your own pets, for travel to some countries, it is also a requirement. For example, if you are travelling to a tapeworm free country such as Finland, Malta, Norway, Republic of Ireland, or Northern Ireland, pet dogs will need to receive tapeworm treatment by a veterinary surgeon between 24-120 hours prior to their arrival into that country.

Pet Travel After Brexit

Please note – Brexit has changed the way we can travel to Europe with our pet dogs, cats, and ferrets, and the pet passport scheme has been replaced by the Animal Health Certificate. If you're planning to travel to the EU or Northern Ireland, find the comprehensive details about the EU pet travel scheme on our Pet travel leaflet.

If your pet is eligible for travel then we will ask you to complete an Animal Health Certificate Information sheet. Please only complete this form if you have been requested to by one of our veterinary surgeons. It is also important to keep in mind that in most cases, you can only take up to five pets with you when you travel.

If you have any queries or would like to discuss pet travel with one of our Veterinary Surgeons then please contact us.

DEFRA also has information on bringing a pet into Great Britain, learn more here.

Cat in sunglasses

Pet Travel FAQs

What documents do I need to travel with my pet?

You will typically need a health certificate issued by a vet when travelling to the EU, which includes proof of your pet's vaccinations, and most essentially, their rabies vaccination. It is also important to note that some countries require additional documentation so it's always best to check before you travel.

Are there breed restrictions for pet travel?

It's always important to check any breed restrictions for the country to which you are planning to travel. For example, some countries have strict regulation on dangerous dog breeds entering the country. Examples of these breeds may include:

  • Pit Bull Terrier breeds, such as the American Pit Bull Terrier
  • Dogo Argentino
  • Fila Brasileiro
  • Japanese Tosa
  • Perro de Presa Canario
  • Czechoslovakian wolfdog
  • Lupo Italiano
  • Kunming wolfdog
  • Saarloos wolfdog

Is quarantine required for my pet?

The need for your pet to quarantine is entirely dependent on the destination. For example, countries such as Australia have strict entry laws as they are free from a large number of diseases that could decimate the local wildlife population. It's always important for you to check the quarantine requirements of your chosen destination before you book your travel with pets.