You will need an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) for your dog, cat or ferret if you are intending to travel with them from Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland) to an EU country or Northern Ireland.  An AHC will not be required if your pet has a valid EU or Northern Ireland Pet Passport containing a valid rabies vaccination.

You can add up to 5 pets to an AHC.

 

Basic requirements:

  • The AHC must be issued within the 10 days before you enter the EU
  • Your pet will require an up-to-date rabies vaccination (typically within the last three years)
  • If your pet needs a rabies vaccination, you must wait 21 days after the vaccination date before an AHC can be issued. Day 1 is the day after vaccination.
  • Your pet will need to have had a microchip implanted prior to or at the time of the rabies vaccination

Your pet’s AHC will be valid after the date of issue for:

  • 10 days for entry into the EU or Northern Ireland.  Day 1 is the day the AHC is signed.
  • 4 months for onward travel within the EU and re-entry to Great Britain

Your pet will need a new AHC for each trip to an EU country or Northern Ireland from Great Britain.

If you are not travelling at the same time as your pet, please inform us as soon as possible as there will be different requirements!

 

Tapeworm treatment:

Tapeworm treatment is required when travelling from Great Britain to EU-listed tapeworm free countries including Northern Ireland, Malta, Ireland, and Finland. These dogs must be treated for tapeworm by a vet not more than 120 hours and not less than 24 hours before time of entry into one of these countries and details of the treatment will be entered into the AHC or Pet Passport

 

Before returning to Great Britain dogs must be treated for tapeworm by a vet not less than 24 hours and not more than 120 hours before time of entry except for return from Northern Ireland, Finland, Ireland, or Malta. You must take your AHC with you for this treatment to a vet in the EU country you are in.

If you are leaving Great Britain on a short trip returning within 120 hours you need to have this treatment done before leaving.

 

Costs:

AHC: £165 (£200 for non registered clients)

Additional pets on the same AHC: £25

Rabies vaccination: £45

 

*correct at time of writing, cost are subject to change

 

Questions:

We can help book your appointment for your AHC, however you will need to have researched the specific requirements for the country you are travelling to prior to contacting us.

You can contact the pet travel helpline if you have any questions:

 

Pet Travel Scheme helpline

Email: pettravel@apha.gov.uk

Tel: 0370 241 1710

Open: Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm (closed on bank holidays)

 

You can also find a lot of information on the gov.uk website:

https://www.gov.uk/taking-your-pet-abroad

 

Here there will be plenty of information regarding travelling with your pet, once you have done your research we at Rutland Veterinary Centre can help you from there!