PET TRAVEL

From 1 January 2021 onwards, the UK will have Part 2 listed status under the EU Pet Travel Scheme, meaning that people travelling from GB with their pets and assistance dogs will need to follow new requirements in order to travel to the EU and Northern Ireland.
Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) have now updated their pet travel guidance and pet owners are being encouraged to check the latest government advice about travelling from Great Britain to Northern Ireland or the European Union with their pets at the end of the transition period.

Before your dog, cat or ferret can travel to the EU or NI for the first time after 1 January 2021, you’ll need to take the following steps. These steps are similar to the current process for taking your pet to the EU, but you’ll need an animal health certificate (AHC) instead of a pet passport.

• You must have your dog, cat or ferret microchipped.
• Vaccinate your dog, cat or ferret against rabies – your pet must be at least 12 weeks old before it can be vaccinated.
• Wait 21 days after the primary vaccination before travel.
• Visit your vet to get an AHC for your pet, no more than 10 days before travel to the EU.

As long as you keep your pet’s rabies vaccinations up to date, you will not need to get repeat vaccinations for repeat trips to the EU or NI.

Animal Health Certificates (AHC)

Under Part 2 listed status, EU pet passports issued by GB Official Veterinarians (OVs) will no longer be valid to travel to Europe or Northern Ireland. Instead, a pet travelling from GB to the EU or to Northern Ireland will need an AHC from 1 January 2021. Please note, this would affect any travellers with pets arriving in an EU Member State after 23:00 GMT on the 31 December 2020. This will also apply to travel Northern Ireland.

An AHC is valid for:

 10 days after the date of issue for entry into the EU

 A single trip for entry to the EU

 Onward travel within the EU for 4 months after the date of issue

 Re-entry to GB for 4 months after the date of issue.