It feels like it has been a long, cold winter and I’ve been thinking longingly about a holiday in the sun. Have you? It used to be that if you wanted to take your dog on holiday with you, you’d need to stay in the UK. This is because there was a real concern about the threat of rabies. Although you could leave the UK with your dog, reentry meant your dog staying in quarantine for an extended period. Rules have changed while keeping strong safeguards against rabies. This enables dog owners to travel overseas more easily with their pets. If this is something that you’d like to do with your dog, you’ll need a pet passport and certain vaccinations. Planning ahead is really important. So if your dog isn’t yet travel ready, we’ve got the low-down on how to get a pet passport and when.
How to get a pet passport to travel in the EU
Firstly you will need to have an appointment at a vet’s surgery that issues pet passports. Not all vets surgeries do, but if yours doesn’t they will be able to tell you how to get a pet passport in your area. You will need to take records of your dog’s immunisations and provide details of his medical history. They will make sure your dog has the relevant vaccinations that are needed for the country to which you intend to travel. Travelling within the European Union (EU) with your dog is the easier way to go. If you want to go to non-EU or unlisted countries there is much more involved, so referring to the government website is advisable.
6 additional essentials for travel to the EU
There are 6 other things that are essential to ensure that your dog is able to travel within the EU:
Firstly, he must have a microchip. This is a legal requirement in the UK anyway, so you’ve probably already got that covered.
Secondly, he must receive a rabies vaccination. Your dog will not be able to re-enter the UK until 21 days after this vaccination has been given to your dog. This makes planning ahead for travel essential.
Thirdly, your dog must receive treatment for tapeworm. This must happen BEFORE you return to the UK and will need to be done between 24 hours and 120 hours (5 days) prior to your return by a licensed vet. Details will need to be included in your dog’s pet passport.
Fourthly, your dog needs to be more than 15 weeks old before he can travel to the EU.
Fifthly, check whether your current pet insurance policy is valid for overseas travel.
Finally, check on the pet transport regulations for the country that you intend to visit. An example is if you plan to travel to Spain. Spanish law requires that a dog in the car needs to be separate from the driver and restrained. Travall can help with this as the Travall Guard is a vehicle-specific dog guard that keeps your dog secure and comfortable in the boot. As you’ll be driving a long way you’ll also be glad of a rattle-free journey, unlike the noisy experience of a universal barrier.
Will Brexit affect how to get a pet passport?
As Brexit negotiations are still underway, all the existing rules about travel with dogs within the EU still apply. Full details from the government website are given here. Post Brexit things might change. Follow our blog, as we’ll keep you updated on the best ways to travel with your dog.
