Taking Your Pet Abroad - The Pet Travel Scheme (PETS)
The Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) is the system that allows pet dogs, cats and ferrets from certain countries to enter the UK without quarantine as long as they meet the rules. It also means that people in the UK can take their dogs, cats and ferrets to other European Union (EU) countries, and return with them to the UK. They can also, having taken their dogs, cats and ferrets to certain non-EU countries, bring them back to the UK without the need for quarantine. The rules are to keep the UK free from rabies and certain other diseases.
You will need to consider that depending on where you travel to there are exotic diseases ( not usually found in the UK ) that your pet could contract, which are not preventable by vaccination. The most serious of these are:Leishmaniasis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis and Dirofilariasis (Heartworm Disease). All of these can have severe consequences in your animal; some can also cause disease in humans.
Take your pet for a health check with a vet before you make your plans to discuss the health implications for your pet and preventative measures you will need to take against rabies and these other diseases.
If using a carrier to transport your animals contact them well in advance to ascertain what paperwork you require and also what way your pet will be transported.
We strongly advise you to visit the Government website (ww2.defra.gov.uk) website for the most up to date information on the Pet Travel Scheme, at least 9 months before you intend to travel. Defra also run the Dog and Cat Travel And Risk Information (DACTARI) scheme which is a national voluntary reporting scheme which was set up to carry out surveillance of exotic diseases in dogs and cats in Great Britain.
A pet cat or dog, including guide and hearing dogs, must meet certain conditions to be able to enter or re-enter the UK without quarantine. New rules came into force on the 1st January 2012 and details can be found on the Defra website leaflet.
Bringing pets into the UK after 1 January 2012
This leaflet describes a summary of rules for bringing pets into the UK after 1 January 2012. Please note that all procedures, including administration of tapeworm treatment, must be carried out by a registered vet and recorded in the pet passport or third country health certificate.
The rules are to protect human and animal health and to reduce the risk of importing rabies into the UK. Animals not meeting all the rules must be licensed into quarantine.
There are no requirements for dogs and cats travelling directly between the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
The Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) is the system that allows pet dogs, cats and ferrets from certain countries to enter the UK without quarantine as long as they meet the rules. It also means that people in the UK can take their dogs, cats and ferrets to other European Union (EU) countries, and return with them to the UK. They can also, having taken their dogs, cats and ferrets to certain non-EU countries, bring them back to the UK without the need for quarantine. The rules are to keep the UK free from rabies and certain other diseases.
You will need to consider that depending on where you travel to there are exotic diseases ( not usually found in the UK ) that your pet could contract, which are not preventable by vaccination. The most serious of these are:Leishmaniasis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis and Dirofilariasis (Heartworm Disease). All of these can have severe consequences in your animal; some can also cause disease in humans.
Take your pet for a health check with a vet before you make your plans to discuss the health implications for your pet and preventative measures you will need to take against rabies and these other diseases.
If using a carrier to transport your animals contact them well in advance to ascertain what paperwork you require and also what way your pet will be transported.
We strongly advise you to visit the Government website (ww2.defra.gov.uk) website for the most up to date information on the Pet Travel Scheme, at least 9 months before you intend to travel. Defra also run the Dog and Cat Travel And Risk Information (DACTARI) scheme which is a national voluntary reporting scheme which was set up to carry out surveillance of exotic diseases in dogs and cats in Great Britain.
A pet cat or dog, including guide and hearing dogs, must meet certain conditions to be able to enter or re-enter the UK without quarantine. New rules came into force on the 1st January 2012 and details can be found on the Defra website leaflet.
Bringing pets into the UK after 1 January 2012
This leaflet describes a summary of rules for bringing pets into the UK after 1 January 2012. Please note that all procedures, including administration of tapeworm treatment, must be carried out by a registered vet and recorded in the pet passport or third country health certificate.
The rules are to protect human and animal health and to reduce the risk of importing rabies into the UK. Animals not meeting all the rules must be licensed into quarantine.
There are no requirements for dogs and cats travelling directly between the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
Babesia canis in red blood cell (arrow) image from Companion Animal Parasite Council
Dirofilaria (heartworm ) in blood smear from a dog
"The Lone Star Tick”, one of the tick species which can transmit Ehrlichiosis in the USA
The sandfly - the main vector that transmits Leishmaniasis