Pet travel advice & care

Taking your pet abroad can be a wonderful experience for you both, but it can take some organising. Our vets in Molesey can provide microchipping, health checks, tapeworm treatments and the rabies vaccination where required, and can recommend veterinary practices who offer Animal Health Certificates and other pet travel services.

Contact us for more information

Taking your cat, dog, or ferret overseas

You can find out the entry requirements for your destination here: www.gov.uk/taking-your-pet-abroad

Pet travel to an EU country

It’s advisable to start organising your pet’s travel arrangements at least 4-5 weeks before you are due to leave. Your pet will need:

• A health check to ensure they are ‘fit to travel’
• To be microchipped
• A valid rabies vaccination (a rabies vaccine and a blood test after 21 days to prove rabies protection)
• An Animal Health Certificate (or a pet passport issued in an EU country or Northern Ireland)
• Tapeworm treatment (dogs) if you’re travelling directly to Finland, Ireland, Norway or Malta, and for entry back into Great Britain (it must be given no less than 24 hours and no more than 120 hours (5 days) before you enter GB).

Please note:

1. You are no longer able to use a pet passport issued in Great Britain (England, Wales & Scotland) for pet travel to an EU country or Northern Ireland. Pet passports issued in an EU country or Northern Ireland are still permitted.
2. The above requirements also apply to assistance dogs.
3. You may need to produce your pet’s documents on arrival.

For advice on repeat trips and travelling with more than five pets, visit: www.gov.uk/taking-your-pet-abroad

Pet travel to Northern Ireland – New PTD Rules

From 4 June 2025, pet travel from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is easier. You no longer need an Animal Health Certificate (AHC). Instead, apply for a Pet Travel Document (PTD) free, valid for life, and only requires your pet to be microchipped.

• No rabies vaccination needed
• No tapeworm treatment required
• AHC still needed if travelling onward to Ireland or the EU

Northern Ireland residents don’t need a PTD to travel to GB.

How to apply for a PTD

Pet travel to a non-EU country / Rest of the World

If your pet will be travelling (or exported) to a destination outside of the EU, you should research the entry requirements well in advance of the ideal travel dates here – www.gov.uk/taking-your-pet-abroad. Some countries have strict requirements so you may need to start preparing for your pet’s trip eight months in advance.

For pet travel to a country outside of the EU, they will need an Export Health Certificate (EHC) and an Export Application form (EXA) if you are in England, Scotland or Wales. The EHC checks that your pet meets the health requirements of the country you are travelling to – you must nominate an officially recognised Vet who will be sent the EHC to complete during the required health check. The EHC and EXA forms for each country and pet will tell you how to apply.