GENERAL INFORMATION
All countries require a veterinarian to examine all dogs and cat (and ferrets) before they visit and certify that their rabies inoculations are up to date. Some countries also require proof that rabies vaccination has produced protecting antibodies. Some countries require other blood tests for certain infectious diseases or treatment for external and internal parasites before travel.
Virtually all airlines and transport companies ask you for proof that your dog or cat is “Fit to Travel”.
Stephen, Jo, Bruce, Lana and Isabel are all Official Veterinarians. Official Veterinarians can, on behalf of the UK government’s Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA), legally sign and stamp health declaration documents demanded by other countries for visiting pets. We can also health-check pets and certify them as “FIT TO TRAVEL”.
We are not travel agents or pet travel brokers. Each country has its own import requirements for dogs and cats and these regularly change. Airlines, ferries, train companies and other carriers also have their own rules and regulations and these too often change. We are here to help complete your companion’s travel plans but, as your companion’s owner, you are who is legally responsible to contact the country you are travelling to, find out what that country’s import requirements are, then tell us what we can do for you.
TRAVEL TO THE EU AND ITS ASSOCIATED ‘LISTED’ COUNTRIES
Your companion needs an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) that conforms to EU regulations. Although the regulations are bureaucratic and time consuming, the requirements are simple. Your companion must be microchipped then vaccinated against rabies. The rabies inoculation must be valid for your journey.
The AHC must be issued within 10 days of your pet’s journey and is valid for four months. Once you return to the UK the AHC cannot be reused.
A new AHC is required for each subsequent visit to the EU or associated ‘listed’ country. To apply for an AHC for your companion(s) please click here. The fee for an AHC is £238.00. This covers reviewing the documentation, seeking further clarification, applying for the AHC, completing it and your pet’s visit to us, for its microchip and health check. There is a sliding fee depending on how soon your travel is.
The standard fee of £238 is for all applications received 10 or more days before travel. There is an urgency surcharge of 10 percent each day up to a 100 percent surcharge for an AHC completed the day before travel.
TRAVEL TO THE UNITED STATES, CANADA AND MEXICO
Travel from the UK to North America is relatively simple. Your companion must be healthy, microchipped and vaccinated against rabies with a vaccine that is still valid. Your airline will require a “Fit to Fly” certificate. Please apply at least 10 days before travel.
The fee for an official rabies vaccination certificate and fit to fly certificate to the United States is £116 . This includes the visit for the microchip and health check. To apply for an official rabies vaccination certificate click here and fit to fly to the US please click here. For applications less than 10 days before travel there is an urgency surcharge of 10 percent each day up to a 100 percent surcharge for documents completed the day before travel.
The UK’s Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA) recommends that pets travelling to Canada or Mexico also have an Export Health Certificate (EHC). We can assist with the completion of these documents. To apply for an EHC please click here. The fee for an EHC for Canada or Mexico is £350.00. This covers reviewing the documentation, seeking further clarification, applying for the EHC, completing it and your pet’s visit to us for its microchip and health check. For applications less than 10 days before travel there is an urgency surcharge of 10 percent each day up to a 100 percent surcharge for documents completed the day before travel.
TRAVEL TO THE REST OF THE WORLD
Animal import regulations vary enormously from country to country and are always changing. For example some countries require blood samples for possible infectious diseases. Others require two rabies inoculations or veterinary home visits or restrict entry to guard dogs only. For more information please click here.
Please apply at least 10 days before travel. The fee for an EHC for all other countries is a minimum of £350.00. This covers reviewing the documentation, seeking further clarification, applying for the EHC and completing it, and your pet’s visit to us, microchip and health check. For applications less than 10 days before travel there is an urgency surcharge of 10 percent each day up to a 100 percent surcharge for documents completed the day before travel.
