How to take your dog out of Europe post Brexit
As we all know by now, the rules on travelling to the EU and Northern Ireland with your furry friends changed on January 1st 2021.
It may well not have been the first thing on your mind on that particular date, but now — as freedoms are slowly being restored in the UK and across Europe — you may be wondering how you can take your beloved pets with you on your foreign travels.
So how can you make sure your beloved dog can accompany you?
Let’s find out together.
What would I need to travel between Britain and the EU with your pet?
There are 5 things you need to do before you set out.
Check that your dog has been vaccinated against rabies. Remember that your pet must be 12 weeks old before they are eligible for the vaccine. You must also wait 21 days after the date of your dog’s first vaccination before you travel.
Ensure that your animal has been microchipped.
Make certain that your pet has been treated for tapeworm.
Get an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) for your companion. The AHC must be issued to your dog within ten days of the day you plan to travel.
You will need to check you’re using an approved route of travel before you set out.
A little later, we’ll look at approved routes in more detail. First though, let’s see how you can get an AHC for your furry friend.
How do I get an AHC for my pet?
You’ll need to get in touch with your vet and ask if they have someone there who is authorised by the Animal and Plant Health Agency to provide you with an AHC. Official veterinarians (OVs) can issue you with one. You’ll need to be over 16 to apply for a certificate.
When you’ve found an OV, you’ll need to book an appointment for you and your pet. You’ll also need to take proof your pet has been vaccinated ( a vaccination card). In addition, if you’re seeing someone who is not your usual vet, you should take your dog’s other medical records.
The AHC will typically include the following:
Your personal details (as the owner of your pet).
A physical description of your dog.
Details of vaccinations and treatments which your animal has had.
The name of the EU country you will be visiting. You will need to make sure you get two copies of the AHC. One must be in English, the other in the language of the country you want to visit.
An AHC will usually cost between £100 and £150 if you pet has been fully vaccinated and has already been microchipped. If the AHC is used to enter the EU within 10 days of issue, it’ll last for four months. For that period, it’ll be valid for travel to other EU countries and your return to Britain. You need to ensure you are back home before it expires.
You’ll need to get a new AHC for each new trip to the EU or Northern Ireland. You won’t need repeat vaccinations for each trip after being issued an AHC, provided your dog’s vaccination history is up to date.
You’ll need to ensure that your animal has been treated for tapeworm each time you travel directly to:
Norway
Finland
Northern Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Malta
Ensure that the treatment is given within five days before you arrive in any of the above countries. It’s always a good idea to ask your travel company if they have any extra rules that apply to you and your dog.
We’ll soon discover how may pets you can take with you. Now though, it’s past time we talked about approved routes of travel.
What are approved routes of travel?
Essentially, they’re government-approved routes by which to bring your pets into a country. There’re approved air, sea and rail routes.
You’ll have to check on the government website of the country you wish to visit for the relevant approved routes of travel to that country.
If you wish to bring your pet to Britain your will need to find out which companies you can use to bring your dog into the country, whist also checking that you’ll be using an approved route. You can find all the approved routes listed on the official government website. All the routes are approved by the Animal and Plant Health Agency.
You don’t have to make use of an approved route or carrier if you are traveling to Scotland, Wales or England from:
The Republic of Ireland
UK countries
The Isle of Man
The Channel Islands
Next, let’s discover how many pets you can take abroad with you.
Can I take more than one dog with me?
Yes. You can take up to 5 pets with you, if they are all more than six months of age and meet all the other requirements that’ll enable to you all to enter the country you’re headed for. Exceptions to this limit do exist if you can prove you intend to enter them in show or competition.
What do I need to do when I arrive?
If you are travelling to the EU, you’ll need to head for a Point of Entry and show proof of your pet’s AHC, vaccinations, treatment and microchip before being allowed to proceed.
What else should I consider?
It’s wise to check if there’re diseases your dog can contract in or on the way to your country of destination. Make sure you’re well up on all relevant travel laws to avoid hassle. You might also want to take advice from your vet on the risks posed by mosquitoes, ticks and the like. Perhaps most importantly of all, you’ll need to be alert to dangers you might not be so aware of. For example, the dangers of heat exposure, or those posed by exotic animals like snakes, which may be new to your dog. You will also need to be clued up on laws pertaining to dog ownership in different countries to avoid facing any unwelcome surprises.
Summary
We’ve covered what you need to do to get your paperwork in order so that you and your beloved pet can travel together safely and happily. I hope I’ve given you the confidence to go ahead and start planning the perfect trip with your pet today!
Further resources
If you seek more information or advice, you can email the government’s helpline at pettravel@apha.gov.uk
