The information in this blog post has been superseded by the details in our post-Brexit travel page and Brexit travel FAQs page and the Defra website.

On 16 December a Defra update was issued about post-Brexit pet travel. The good news is that the UK has been granted part 2 listed status by the EU. This means that dogs, cats and ferrets travelling to EU countries from the UK won’t need a blood test and a three-month wait after a rabies vaccination.

However, from 1 January 2021, UK-issued pet passports (issued under the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) won’t be recognised by the EU. Unless your pet has an EU-issued pet passport, it will need an animal health certificate (AHC), issued by a competent vet to travel from Great Britain (GB) to the EU or Northern Ireland (NI).

The steps to take before an AHC can be issued are similar to pet passport requirements —  microchip, then a rabies vaccination followed by a 21-day wait. The AHC must be issued no more than 10 days before you travel.

Pets entering GB from the EU or NI will need one of the following:

  • an EU pet passport (issued in the EU, or in GB before 1 January 2021), or a pet passport from a Part 1 listed third country
  • the AHC issued in GB used to travel to the EU — can be used up to 4 months after it was issued
  • a UK pet health certificate (for travel into GB only)

Find our more from the Animalcouriers post-Brexit travel page and Brexit travel FAQs page, or visit the Defra website.