From 1 January, pet owners travelling from Great Britain to a European country or Northern Ireland will have to follow new travel rules*.
Here are three important changes British travelers will need to be aware of before they fly with their pet.
Instead of a pet passport when traveling within the EU and Northern Ireland, British travelers will now need an animal health certificate (AHC) no more than 10 days before their departure.
An AHC can only be issued by an official veterinarian. To apply, take your pet along with their vaccination records for verification.
Remember: your pet will need a new animal health certificate for each trip.
Ensure you microchip your pet with a IOS 11784 compliant device and register your contact details with an official veterinarian prior to your travels. Your pet must be microchipped before or at the same time as their rabies vaccination, or your pet will need to be vaccinated again.
Important: make sure your vet puts your pets microchip number in their animal health certificate.
Your pet will need to be vaccinated against rabies 21 days before travelling and, in some instances, dogs must also be treated against tapeworm (ask your vet which EU countries require this).
Your vet will need proof that your pet is at least 12 weeks old before any vaccination can be administered. You will not need to get repeat vaccinations for repeat trips to the EU or Northern Ireland if your pet’s rabies vaccination is up to date.
The pet’s vaccination record in their animal health certificate must show:
Let VistaJet help you fly anywhere with your pet.
The VistaPet program supports you and your loyal companion with everything you need to know for global travel. Our team are on hand to advise you on the latest travel changes and will ensure that every journey is as seamless as possible.
Download the VistaPet travel guide
* All information has been sourced from the UK Government website and is relevant at the time of publication.
