TRAVEL

It is now possible for pets to travel abroad without the need for them to be quarantined on re-entry into the UK. In order to do this, your pet needs to have a pet passport issued by your veterinary surgeon which will confirm that you have taken the steps required by DEFRA in order to bring your dog safely back into the country.

These requirements include:

• An identichip which must be implanted into your dog before any rabies vaccinations or blood tests are carried out.
• A rabies vaccination (in addition to your dog’s normal annual vaccination) which is normally given as a single injection and will require a  booster every 1-3 years depending on the vaccine brand, and what country you are travelling to (some countries require the vaccine to be given annually regardless of the length of time it is licensed for). Further information can be obtained from your veterinary surgeon or from the DEFRA website www.defra.gov.uk.
• A blood test which needs to be carried out 30 days after the rabies vaccination to check that the vaccine has worked and that your dog has developed a sufficient immunity against the disease. It is worth being prepared for the fact that a very small number of pets do not show enough immunity at this stage and so will need to be re-vaccinated and a have another blood test a further 30 days later.  

Once your pet has received an acceptable blood test result, your veterinary surgeon will be able to supply you with a pet passport to enable your pet to re-enter the UK. Although your pet can leave the UK at any stage, it is important that you are aware that they can only re-enter the UK 6 months after the date of the blood test.  

On re-entry into the UK you will also need to provide certified evidence that your pet has had flea and tick treatment applied by a veterinary surgeon (you cannot administer it yourself). This means that you will need to find a vet in the country that you are visiting to administer the treatment between 24 and 48 hours before re-entering the UK. The timing of this is essential as you will not be allowed to re-enter the UK if the treatment was given outside of these times.  

It is important that your pet receives treatment for flea, tick and other parasite control including mosquitoes prior to and during your visit abroad as they will be exposed a number of parasites and their associated diseases that they would not normally be at risk of in this country. Your veterinary surgeon will be able to advise you on the most appropriate treatments and any other requirements for the country you are visiting at the time of issuing your pet’s passport.

Copyright ©2009 Ben Cornish. Site designed by JNF