Brexit: How Can I Take My Pet On Holiday? 

Are you planning to take your pet with you abroad this year? Things may be looking a little hazy on the Brexit scene, but we feel that you should prepare and take whatever steps you need so that you and your pet can relax and enjoy your holiday. 

If you wish to travel to the EU with your pet after 29th March 2019, we recommend that you start planning your visit with the vet at least four months in advance of your date of travel.

We do not yet know if Brexit will affect pets travelling to Europe, but the government are recommending that owners prepare for a ‘no-deal’ Brexit.

As things are rapidly changing, for the most up to date information, please visit the government website and if you have any queries about the action you need to take, please give us a call and one of our vets will be more than happy to explain things to you. 

We recommend that owners follow the contingency plan to help prevent any difficulties with travel shortly after the 29th March:

1. You must get your dog, cat or ferret microchipped and then vaccinated against rabies before it can travel. Your pet must have a blood sample taken at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination. You’ll need to talk to your vet about whether you need a rabies vaccination or booster before this test.
2. Your vet must send the blood sample to an EU-approved blood testing laboratory. Results of the blood test must show that the vaccination was successful (Your pet must have a rabies antibody level of at least 0.5 IU/ml).
3. You must wait 3 months from the date the successful blood sample was taken before you travel.
4. You must take your pet to an Official Veterinarian (OV), no more than 10 days before travel to get a health certificate.

If there’s no deal, pet passports issued in the UK would NOT be valid for travel to the EU.
Please contact us to book a rabies serology blood test at least 4 months before you plan to travel to the EU.

We will do our best to update you with any additional knowledge which we receive. Please keep an eye out on our Facebook page or come back to our website for these updates. Alternatively, any owner is more than welcome to come into the practice or give us a call if you have any questions.