Pet Travel Scheme

We offer Pet Passports at all our surgeries, which will enable you to travel throughout the European Union (EU) with your Cat and/or Dog.

To travel, your pet will need:

• A microchip
• A rabies vaccination
• A Pet Passport

Firstly, the microchip needs to be placed into the animal (usually between the shoulder blades), after the microchip’s functionality has been checked, the rabies vaccine can be given. Once the microchip and the rabies vaccine have been done, we are then able to issue the passport.

When issuing the passport, we will have to check all your details with you. The passport will be valid for travel 21 days after the day of rabies vaccination.

Before returning to the UK, all animals returning to the UK are required to have a worming tablet given by a veterinary surgeon and recorded in the passport.

Owners must be aware that after the passport is issued, the responsibility to keep the rabies boosters and additional treatment up to date is that of the owner – NOT the veterinary practice. Also, some EU countries will have additional entry requirements, i.e. flea or sand fly treatment. These details are available for DEFRA or the embassy of the country you are travelling to.

To obtain this information, we advise you to contact the DEFRA office at Carlisle on 0370 241170 and ask for the Export of Small Animals section.

There is also a pet scheme website at Gov.uk.