The good news is YES! Although not quite as easy as it once was, it’s still possible to take your dog along with you on your overseas travels. We regularly head to Portugal for a few weeks in the winter with our dog Snowy so can share with you exactly how it all works. You and pooch will be packing your bags and heading off on your travels in no time.
Before diving into the Pet Passport process you should know that it isn’t possible to fly with your dog in the cabin into the UK – regardless of their size. Unfortunately, that’s the rules and it doesn’t look like they’ll change any time soon. Some airlines will allow you to depart from the UK with dogs under 8kg, but not return. So that doesn’t really work.
But if you’re looking to plan an overseas road trip with your pooch, then look no further. I’ll cover transport options in a separate blog but relax, there are many pooch-friendly, hassle-free routes to choose from to take you across the continent.
Pet Passports are EU Pet Passports and can only be obtained in an EU country (or Northen Ireland, Switzerland and a few other countries) – but not the UK. UK dogs instead travel (at least initially) using an Animal Health Certificate (AHC). You can get an AHC from any vet – ask your usual vet how much they will charge (likely between £180 and £300) but also check out online AHC providers such as Passpets or PetTravelPass, who charge around £100 with additional pets at a reduced cost. Online AHC providers are growing in popularity, and you can probably find one local to you via a simple google search. They are also located on main motorway routes and close to ferry and Le Shuttle ports. Be sure to check their online reviews.
To get an AHC your dog must have had a rabies vaccination more than 21 days prior to travelling. The rabies vaccination lasts for three years. Your usual vet will administer the vaccine and it is absolutely crucial that the microchip is checked when the rabies vaccination is given, and that this is recorded in your dog’s clinical records. The online AHC provider will be unable to provide the certificate without this evidence.
The AHC must be obtained within 10 days of travel and the vet MUST physically check your dog’s microchip and confirm they are healthy to travel. They will ask you to complete an online form (including travel dates, destination and vaccination info) before making an appointment to meet and provide your AHC.
With your rabies vaccination up to date (at least 21 days before travel) and AHC appointment scheduled (within 10 days of travelling) you can relax and start looking forward to your adventure.
The only other thing to know is that pooch must be treated for tapeworm by a vet 24-120 hours (1 – 5 days) before returning to the UK. The treatment is in tablet form and must contain the ingredient Praziquantel which kills Echinococcus multilocularis. Its administration must be certified on the AHC in the table at the bottom of page 4 (or in the EU Passport). Any vet can do this so don’t worry about organising before your holidays. We usually wait until a few days before we know where we’ll be and a quick google maps search will show us a list of local vets. You can then email or call them to make the appointment.
The AHC is a single use document, allowing pooch to stay in the EU for up to 4 months. It’s well worth considering getting an EU Pet Passport whilst in Europe to avoid having to repeat this AHC process every time you travel. I would recommend contacting a local vet in your holiday location to ask if they are happy to provide an EU Passport and what they will require. Experiences differ depending on the vet; some vets insist on you having an EU address (France & Spain), whilst others accept a UK address (Belgium) – so do check ahead as it can be hit and miss as to how the EU vets interpret the rules.
Be prepared for the EU vet to administer a new rabies vaccination for inclusion in the EU passport. Some vets may be happy to transfer a UK administered vaccine into the EU passport although this isn’t always the case. We planned our EU Passport appointment in Spain when Snowy’s rabies vaccination was due to expire within 12 months but if your pooch has had a rabies vaccination more recently then check with your vet to ensure it’s safe to administer a second.
If you do decide to obtain an EU Pet Passport note that it must only ever be updated by an EU vet. The rabies vaccination must be updated every 3 years by an EU vet. In some countries the rabies vaccinations may only last 12 months so be sure to check and where possible have the 3 year version. The tapeworm treatments should also be added to the EU Pet Passport. Any UK vaccination records must be recorded separately elsewhere to ensure the EU Pet Passport does not become invalid.
If you don’t go down the EU Passport route don’t worry, many of the Online AHC providers offer reduced rates for repeat travellers. They’ll already have all of your pooches’ information stored so the process should be smooth and cost effective.
Follow these 4 simple steps and you can’t go wrong:
1) Book the rabies vaccination (at least a month before travel) – ensure the microchip is checked!
2) Arrange the AHC appointment (at least 10 days before travelling)
3) ENJOY YOUR POOCHTRAVELS
4) Visit EU vet for tapeworm treatment (1-5 days before returning to UK) – ensure AHC page 4 is updated
Seeing your pooch’s excited face when they know they’re joining you on your adventure will be well worth it – trust me!
You can find lots more hints and tips in my book Poochtraveller.
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