Animal Health Certificate & Pet Travel Schemes

Travelling abroad with your pet can be an exciting adventure and sometimes a necessity. We can help you obtain the essential vaccinations and documentation to make your journey stress free and comply with the latest Pet Travel Scheme.

 

For pets travelling to Europe and Northern Ireland an Animal Health Certificate (“Pet Passport”) and up to date rabies vaccination will be essential. For pets travelling outside of these areas requirements vary so please check the official guidance.  Please note that the Republic of Ireland is part of Europe.

 

What is an Animal Health Certificate?

An Animal Health Certificate (AHC) is is a document that is required if you are taking your dog, cat or ferret to a country in the EU or Northern Ireland. Please note – AHC now replaces the old Pet Passport for travel with a pet from Britain to Europe.  The AHC must be completed and certified by a veterinary surgeon who has been approved by the APHA (Animal and Plant Health Agency), within 10 days of travel outside of Great Britain. Not all veterinary surgeons are able to provide these. The AHC contains vital details about your pets health and vaccination status to ensure they are safe to travel. You can have up to five pets travelling for non-commercial reasons on the same AHC.

 

Can any pet get an Animal Health Certificate?

In order to be issued an AHC your pet must:

• Be microchipped (with all details up to date)

• Have had a rabies vaccination at least 21 days before or be up to date with rabies boosters (only animals over 12 weeks old can have their rabies booster)

• It is recommended to be up to date with routine vaccinations

 

Does my pet need to have special worming treatments?

The following countries require your pet to have had a tapeworm treatment no less than 24 hours and no more than 120 hours (5 days) before arrival.

Finland, Malta, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Norway.

It can’t just be any worming tablet, the worming treatment must:

• Be approved for use in the country it’s being given in

• Contain praziquantel or an equivalent proven to be effective against the Echinococcus multilocularis tapeworm

 

Arrival at your destination and onwards travel

You will need to pass through a Travellers Point of Entry and present your documentation. This will apply if you move between countries in the EU on your trip.

Your pet’s animal health certificate will be valid after the date of issue for:

• 10 days for entry into the EU or Northern Ireland

• 4 months for onward travel within the EU

• 4 months for re-entry to Great Britain

 

Do I need to provide anything extra to return to Great Britain with my pet?

You may need to provide evidence of a tape worm treatment for your pet. This does not apply if you’ve been to Norway, Malta, Northern Ireland, Ireland or Finland.

If you are travelling from any other EU country than those listed above, you will need to take your pet to a veterinary surgeon before returning to GB to receive a tapeworm treatment. This should be no less than 24 hours and no more than 120 hours (5 days) before arrival. You should obtain evidence of this tablet being given.

You can provide any of the following documents to bring your pet back into Great Britain:

• • an EU pet passport issued in the EU (or in GB if issued before 1 January 2021), or a pet passport from another Part 1 listed third country

  • the animal health certificate (AHC) issued in GB used to travel to the EU – which you can use to re-enter GB for up to 4 months after it was issued

  • a GB pet health certificate (for travel into GB only)

Preparing for Pet Travel: What You Need to Know

If you’re planning to travel abroad with your pet dog or cat, it’s essential to understand the latest requirements under current pet travel schemes. To leave Great Britain and enter an EU country or Northern Ireland, your pet must have an Animal Health Certificate or AHC issued by an authorised vet. To travel to any other country in with world , your pet must have an Export Health Certificate or EHC. These certificates confirm that your pet meets the health, vaccination, and identification rules required by the destination country.

Before providing an Animal Health Certificate or Export Health Certificate your pet dog or cat must be pet microchipped and fully vaccinated with special consideration to Rabies vaccinations. In particular, your pet must be vaccinated against rabies at least 21 days before travel. These steps are vital to ensure a smooth journey and to avoid issues at border checks due to missing or incorrect documentation.

AHC certificates need to be issued within 10 days of travel and is valid for entry into the EU for up to four months for onward travel and return to Great Britain. According to UK government guidelines, the issuing vet must confirm all relevant details, including rabies vaccination status and microchip ID, to meet compliance under the pet travel schemes.

Vets 2 Your Pets will manage and advise on all travel requirements and can visit you home at required intervals to perform all necessary rabies vaccinations and provide documentation as required.

How Do I get a pet Animal Health Certificate?

Vets 2 Your Pets perform a home visit pet travel document and certification service. We have vets across the UK and are able to visit your pet at home; administer any required vaccinations, confirm  your pets identification and fitness to travel. Our Official Veterinarian will then produce your pets required Animal Health Certificate travel document in the 10 days leading up to your travel date. Give us a call to discuss all your requirements. 

Please note that all advice on this page was correct at the time of writing and is intended as a guide for pet owners. It is the responsibility of the pet owner to check the requirements for their intended country of travel.

Need some help? Pet Travel Scheme helpline pettravel@apha.gov.uk Telephone: 0370 241 1710