Obtaining a Pet Passport now makes travelling abroad with your pet to participating countries very easy indeed. In order to get a passport, your dog or cat will require to be identichipped, be fully vaccinated against rabies and have a blood test done to confirm that he/she has an acceptable titre of antibody to rabies after vaccination. Once this is completed, and presuming you keep the rabies vaccination up to date, you may travel in and out of the UK to participating countries as often as you like without the need for quarantine.

The six month rule. The six month rule states that your pet cannot re-enter the UK within 6 months of an acceptable rabies antibody blood test. Once this initial 6 month spell has passed, and rabies vaccinations are kept current, this rule will never be necessary again.

Generally speaking, we would identichip (if not already done) your pet at the same time as giving the first rabies vaccination. The second rabies vaccination is done 2 weeks later. Four weeks after this a blood sample is taken and if ok, an official Pet Passport will be created for your pet. Therefore if you want to take your pet on holiday, you will need to plan ahead to ensure the blood sampling is done 6 months prior to your return date from holiday.

There is, of course, nothing to prevent you travelling abroad as soon as the sample has been tested and your passport issued as long as you don't intend returning within that first 6 months.

Before re-entry to the UK, your pet will need to be treated against specific tapeworms and ticks, using approved products, between 24 and 48 hours before embarkation to the UK. The treatment will be carried out by any qualified veterinary surgeon in the participating countries and may be something you should research before travelling or on arrival at your destination. This treatment will be marked on the pet passport.

Prior to re-entry to the UK, the owner must also sign a declaration that the animal has not been outside the qualifying countries for six months before entering the UK.

For detailed information on the Pet Travel Scheme and Pet Passports we suggest you visit the DEFRA website for the most up-to-date advice. Click on the link below:

Various fact sheets can be viewed or downloaded here and there is also a Pet Travel Scheme Helpline on +44 (0)870 241 1710.

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