Travelling with your pets – Passports, preparation and medical documentation
The Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) allows your pets to travel abroad with you, without going
into quarantine. The material passport itself comes in multiple forms. Sometimes it’s a
pink A4 sheet, sometimes a small blue booklet. Whatever the format, the passport will
contain the microchip or tattoo number of your pet, and the confirmation that the animal
has had all the required vaccinations. The passport also needs to be signed by an officially
approved veterinary surgeon. A new style passport with laminated strips and additional
security measures was introduced in the UK in December 2014, but old style passports
remain valid.
Sometimes a pet passport is confused with a much smaller folder (often purple), regularly
issued by vets, which holds the medical records the complete vaccination history of your
pet. Don’t make the mistake of thinking this is the passport! Your furry travel companion
must have travel documents and not just their medical history in order to leave or enter
the UK. You can apply for a pet passport at Gov.uk take pet abroad for any details or
specifics you may need.
Health and Well-Being Requirements
To apply for a passport, your pet must be at least three months old, microchipped and
vaccinated against rabies. These are the minimum requirements. Before travelling, always
check the specifics of country in which you’ll be arriving and make sure they don’t require
your pet to have additional documentation or vaccinations.
Before entering the UK, all pet dogs (including assistance dogs) must be treated for
tapeworm. The treatment must be administered by a vet 1-5 days before your scheduled
arrival date in the UK.
Tell your vet about your travel plans as soon as you can, because some countries require
blood tests before they allow your animals to enter the country. It’s also best to check
which medical forms the airline with which you’re travelling demands. Your vet will be
able to provide these.
Travel Options
It’s important to consider how your pet will travel. Only small dogs and cats are usually
permitted in the plane’s cabin and they must be stored in special containers that fit under
the seat in front. Travelling in this manner, the pet is your responsibility during your flight
and any layovers. If you’re checking your pet in as baggage or cargo, you must store them
in a container large enough to allow the animal to sit, stand and lie down in a
comfortable, natural position. The airline can deny you travel if these requirements are
not met, as the health of your pet may be at risk.
Pets checked as baggage or cargo will travel in a quiet and pressurised section of the
plane, which may be less stressful for the animal than riding in the busy cabin, depending
on their temperament. Depending on the airline, pet owners may have to use time during
layovers to care for pets checked as baggage, while pets traveling in cargo are often cared
for by airline staff or ground handlers. You know your pet better than anyone, so it’s up to
you to decide which method of travel will be best for your pet, but make sure that you
have all the necessary medical documentation and treatment history required to make
your travels go as smoothly as possible.