With Brexit may come all sorts of problems. Certainly it has blown sky high the requirements regarding Pet Passports. What is written below is correct up to the end of the year. Thereafter we are not certain what will be required. Please contact the ministry if you need to know.
It is also essential to plan ahead especially if you wish to return to this country with your pet. The process of obtaining your pet passport is as follows –
Firstly, your pet MUST be micro-chipped to permanently identify it.
Secondly, and it can immediately follow the chip implant, your pet has to be vaccinated against rabies.
Before January 2012, if you wished to return to the UK with your pet then you next had to have a blood sample to prove that sufficient antibodies against rabies had been produced. This is now NOT necessary and a pet passport can be issued once the chipping and vaccination is done.
Again, before January 2012 the date of the blood test was important. Exactly 6 months from this date was the first time your pet would have been allowed back into the UK. Again this is now not the case and you can now travel 21 days after the rabies vaccination.
Also prior to January 2012, between 24 and 48 hours before your return a qualified Veterinarian had to treat your pet with appropriate products against ticks and tapeworms. Now there is no need for the tick treatment but at present you still have to get a dog de-wormed and the passport stamped prior to re-entry to the UK, however, the time limit is now 24-120 hours before your return.
To Summarise:
The regulations regarding travelling abroad with your pets has changed quite markedly since January 2012. Now travelling to and from the European union and numerous other specified countries becomes much easier. Your pet will require a identity-chip and a rabies vaccination. The chip should be inserted before the rabies vaccination. There is now no requirement for the blood sample to prove sufficient rabies antibodies have been produced by the pet and travelling can commence 21 days after the vaccination. For travel to and from countries not listed as safe by the ministry you should contact the ministry for the latest requirements. Returning to the UK is also easier with no need for the tick treatment. As things stand at the moment you still need to have a dog de-wormed prior to return to the UK (24-120 hours before returning).
Travelling abroad puts your pet at risk of some exotic and extremely serious diseases. While abroad regularly (at least monthly would be advisable) use Frontline to kill ticks, de-worm with Milbemax, get your pet a medicated collar to try and repel sandflies and do NOT allow your pet out at dawn and dusk when most insect biting occurs.
We strongly recommend insurance for both pet and owner whilst abroad.
The above is a summary in our own words of how the Pet Passport scheme works. However it is a bit of a mine field and we always suggest that you contact The ministry by phone 08702411710 regarding any pet export or travel plans. Even within Europe requirements differ from country to country.
More information can be found at the following website
http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pets/pets/travel/pets/pet-owners/#a
