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Travel with your pet
Travelling abroad with your pet is great, but does require essential processes and paperwork to allow you a smooth journey.
Please note that when we do this work we are acting as representatives of the UK government, and do not have any flexibility on the rules and regulations. The work must be carried out by an Official Vet (OV) who has had specific further training in this area. Most of our vets are OV accredited, but please do specify your appointment is for travel when booking.
The documents can be quite complex and require time, care, and accuracy to ensure everything is in order, along with time specific vaccines, blood tests and treatments. For this reason, our client care team is unable to advise on specific requirements over text or phone, as they have not received the specialised training needed for these certifications.
To ensure you receive the correct information tailored to your pet’s needs, we kindly ask that you book an appointment with one of our vets.
We know how important your pet’s journey is, and we want to help make the process as smooth as possible. Booking an appointment in advance ensures that everything is completed correctly—helping to prevent any issues that could result in your pet being denied entry or exit at a border.
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Animal Health Certificate (AHC)
For dogs, cats and ferrets travelling to most European countries** for non-commercial purposes (a commercial purpose includes e.g. change of ownership or sale) you will need an AHC. Once completed please send this form back to us hackney-care@hellovet.co.uk Please title the email “Your surname, pet/s name - Animal Health Certificate information for travel”
**For more information (included a full list of the specific EU countries in the scheme)
visit this website.
Requirements for an Animal Health Certificate:
Your pet must be at least 12 weeks old
Your pet needs to be microchipped (prior to/at the time of the initial rabies vaccine).
Your pet must have a valid rabies vaccine and then you must wait at least 21 days after it has been administered before you can travel******
If your pet is already vaccinated against Rabies, then check that they do not require a booster (you do not need to wait 21 days if there has been no break in the vaccine cover.)
Animal health certificates need to be issued by an OV (official vet) within 10 days of your date of entry. We recommend about 7 days to allow for any delays. This requires a visit to us with your pet (and the person travelling with them as a signature is required).
If you are travelling to Finland, Ireland, Malta, Northern Ireland or Norway your dog needs to be treated for tapeworm no less than 24hrs and no more than 120 hrs before you arrive and this must be recorded in your AHC. This can be done at the same time as the appointment when we issue the AHC.
The AHC's are dual language - printed in English and the language of the country through which your pet enters the EU (this may differ from your final destination country).
A declaration needs to be signed by the pet owner or person acting on behalf of the owner that they are travelling for non- commercial purposes. Legally, this means that the owner has to travel with the pet OR within 5 days of their pet if travelling separately.
Upon your return you must visit a vet in the EU for a tapeworm treatment to be given 24-120hrs before you come back into the UK (except travelling back from Finland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Malta or Norway).
The AHC is valid for 4 months for onward travel within the EU and allows return to Great Britain within that time period.
Up to 5 animals can be placed on 1 certificate
*****If your pet has a valid rabies vaccination given at a different vet clinic we are able to issue an AHC, however we will need to see your pet to check the microchip, and also receive a copy of the medical records directly from the clinic where the rabies vaccination was given in advance of being able to provide an AHC.
EU pet passport holders
If your pet has a valid and up to date EU passport then you do not require an AHC before you travel.
Please note you must ensure your rabies vaccination is up to date, and be aware that if your vaccine has expired you will need to get an AHC.
For EU pet passports the rabies vaccination must be administered and the passport completed in the EU. UK vets are not allowed to enter rabies vaccine details in EU pet passports.
Export health certificate (EHC)
An EHC is needed if you are travelling to a non-EU country with a dog or cat.
The EHC is the document that is completed by our Official Veterinarians to allow you to travel, however you will need to complete an application form via a government website prior to the EHC being sent to us
Please note that due to the requirements being different for each country and the variable complexity of each country’s rules our client care team are unable to advise you on what is required.
Please contact us and book an appointment with one of our official vets (OV) prior to making your application.
This is so that we can ensure you (and we) have the all correct and necessary details, have checked your pet’s microchip and can then advise you on the process, correct vaccines, treatments, blood tests (if needed) and timings.
During the application process you must nominate a specific official vet and clinic to whom the EHC will be sent.
Check the rules of the country you’re travelling to for any additional restrictions or requirements before you travel. Requirements for an EHC can vary widely and may include vaccinations, blood tests, import permits, and more. Some are simple, but others are very complex. We are very happy to facilitate, advise on and issue these documents; however ultimately it is the pet owner’s responsibility to find out what is required.
For very complex exports (e.g. Australia, New Zealand and Japan) that require strict timings for the multiple treatments and testing over several months then we recommend using a specific pet travel company to ensure this process is as smooth and stress free as possible for you. We can discuss this if required at your initial travel consultation.
If the requirements are not met exactly your pet may be denied entry or required to be quarantined upon arrival.
An EHC can be applied for online using the EHC Online service or by clicking here.
Returning to UK
The rules for returning with your pet into Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland) depend on what country you’re coming from, again our official government vets will be able to advise you further on this.
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