Introduction

• Pet passports are part of the EU Regulation on the movement of pet animals. Since the UK left the EU on 31st December 2020, Pet Passports issued in Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales) are no longer valid for travel to EU countries or Northern Ireland.
• Instead, from the 1st January 2021 a 3rd country certificate is required.  
• The certificate must confirm your pet's microchip number, the date it was implanted and record the rabies vaccination and blood test results. Blood tests following rabies vaccination are required for travel to the EU and for animals entering the UK from unlisted third countries (https://www.gov.uk/taking-your-pet-abroad; https://www.gov.uk/bring-your-pet-to-uk).
• Countries and territories that the UK will currently accept pet passports from are Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, and Vatican City.
• Dogs must be treated against tapeworms before entering the UK. The treatment will be recorded in their documentation.
• Tick treatments are not legally required under the scheme. However, the BVA and BSAVA strongly advise that prophylactic tick treatment is continued.
• You are responsible for making sure you have the necessary documentation for your pet to enter the UK. If you do not meet all the rules (See Pet Travel Scheme Pet Travel Scheme ), your pet may not be able to enter the country or may have to be licensed into quarantine on arrival.
• There is free movement of pets within the British Isles, including between the UK, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. However, owners with travel documents for their pets are advised to take these with them when travelling with their animal. 
• All pets moving between the UK and the Republic of Ireland should be microchipped, vaccinated against rabies and accompanied by the correct documentation. As both countries have had no indigenous rabies for many decades, systematic border compliance checks on pets travelling between the two are not applied. However, it is important that the rules are followed to ensure trouble-free travel between the two countries. 

For the latest information on pet travel, visit: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pet-travel-to-and-from-great-britain.​

EU Regulation on the movement of pet animals

• The European Regulation on the animal health requirements for the non-commercial movement of pet animals was published on 13 June 2003 as EC Regulation No 998/2003 and applied from 3 July 2004. The Regulation can be downloaded from the EU website (http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/food_safety/veterinary_checks_and_food_hygiene/f83009_en.htm).
• The Regulation sets out the requirements for the movement of pet animals (dogs, cats and ferrets) traveling within the European Community, and into the Community from non-EU countries. It also refers to importation requirements applying to rodents, domestic rabbits, birds (except certain poultry), ornamental tropical fish, invertebrates (except bees and crustaceans), amphibians and reptiles.
• The European Union has a webpage of Questions and Answers (http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/liveanimals/pets/qanda_en.htm).
• For movement of pet animals from non-EU countries, visit: http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/liveanimals/pets/nocomm_third_en.htm

New Regulations December 2014

• Minimum age of 12 weeks before rabies vaccination.
• Owner, or owner's agent, must enter the EU within 5 days of their pet (if they are not travelling together).
• New passports now have laminated strip and require additional contact details for authorising vet. However, existing passport remains valid for lifetime of pet - or until all spaces have been used up.

EU 3rd country certificate

Qualifying countries

Further Reading

Publications

Refereed papers

• Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
• Mansfield K L, Burr P D, Snodgrass D R et al (2004) Factors affecting the serological response of dogs and cats to rabies vaccination. Vet Rec 154 (14), 423-426 PubMed.
• Shaw S E, Lerga A I, Williams S et al (2003) Review of exotic diseases in small animals entering the United Kingdom from abroad diagnosed by PCR. Vet Rec 152 (6), 176-177 PubMed.
• Cox M, Barbier E B, White P C et al (1999) Public preferences regarding rabies-prevention policies in the UK. Prev Vet Med 41 (4), 257-270 PubMed.
• Scudamore J M (1999) Pet travel scheme. Vet Rec 145 (8), 236 PubMed.

Other sources of information

• Pet Travel Scheme Helpline (https://www.gov.uk/bring-pet-to-uk/complaints). Tel: 0370 241 1710 Email: pettravel@apha.gov.uk.