Frequently Asked Questions - Pet Travel
“My cat never leaves the house. Does it still need to have the rabies vaccination and blood test?”
Yes
“I treat my pet regularly for ticks and tapeworms- must I treat my pet again prior to the flight to the EU ?”
Yes
"Is a 3rd Country Health Certificate Necessary?"
Yes. All pets entering the from outside the EU must have a completed 3rd Country Health Certificate. The only exception is if your pet has a valid Pet Passport that complies with the Pet Travel Scheme.
If a pet entering the does not have a Pet Passport or endorsed 3rd Country Health Certificate then a passport will need to be issued. This can result in delays (and extra costs) as a vet will need to be called out and proofs of the date of microchipping, appropriate valid rabies vaccination and blood test result will need to be supplied.
"Can my vet complete all of the 3rd Country Health Certificate"
No. At some stage an official vet will need to endorse the Health Certificate. This means that a practice stamp from the vet is not sufficient- there must be a second stamp- this is the endorsement by the "competent authority". There are examples of these stamps on the right hand side of this page. If a 3rd Country Health Certificate has not been endorsed then a Pet Passport will need to be issued.
This can result in delays (and extra costs) as a vet will need to be called out and proofs of the date of microchipping, appropriate valid rabies vaccination and blood test result will need to be supplied.
"Is all of the Health Certificate completed at the same time?"
Not necessarily. Depending on the location of the place of endorsement, this can be done at different times. For instance, your vet can complete the majority of the certificate (all except the tick and tapeworm treatments) in one location, the certificate can then be endorsed, and a separate vet could complete the tick and tapeworm treatments (at the appropriate time). Please note- the procedure may differ between countries- for instance, some endorsements are done at the airport at check in. You should check with your vet/authorities. The main thing is that the certificate MUST be endorsed.
“What happens if my pet misses the flight for which it was treated with ticks and tapeworm due to technical problems with the flight?”
If this happens then your pet will need to stay in isolation at
the airport, with no contact with any other animals. The airline or the shipping company responsible for this isolated boarding will need to write a letter to the effect, so that essentially the treatment will remain valid. If there are no facilities at the airport or you would rather your pet not stay at the airport then it will need re-treating for ticks and tapeworms. This should not be harmful to your pet.
“Is there a certain order that I should do things when preparing my pet to travel into the UK ?”
Yes, this is very important. Your pet must be Microchipped, then vaccinated against rabies. Your pet will then need to have a blood test- this must be sent to an approved lab, and the result should have an antibody titre of higher than 0.5 IU/ml.
“How long will it be after the blood test until my pet can travel?”
6 calendar months must pass from the date that the blood was drawn before the pet can travel.
“Will I need all the information about my pet’s vaccination and chip date again?”
Yes, you must keep the rabies vaccination up-to-date. The details of the microchip date, vaccination date and blood test date must then be recorded in either a Pet Passport or a 3rd country certificate (L358/17 EU Health Cert- Non Commercial Movement of pets).
“Do I need any other approval for my pet to be transported?
Only if you are getting a 3rd country certificate completed, then it must be endorsed by the necessary authority (this is not the same vet that completes the paperwork).
“Do I need to see a vet again before my pet leaves?”
Yes, between 24 and 48 hours prior to check-in, your pet must be treated by an approved vet with approved tick and tape treatments (the Tapeworm treatment must contain Praziquantal as an active ingredient). This treatment must be recorded on the certificate or the pet passport.
“What else should I worry about before my pet leaves?”
The original 3rd country certificate must accompany the pet, along with evidence of the microchip date, vaccination records and the rabies titre result. The preparation for the Pet Travel Scheme must be done in an approved country, and your pet must enter the country on an approved airline, via an approved route. In order for the pet to enter the country it must travel as manifested cargo and clear customs. In order for us to clear the pet through customs we will need a customs C5 form completed- one is available on the right to download, along with a map to the Animal Reception Centre at Heathrow; where pets can be collected from on the day of arrival.
“I am not confident my pet is going to arrive safely and I don’t think I’ve done everything I need to”
For further information regarding preparation, approved countries, carriers and routes, please see the DEFRA website..
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