Travelling on your own is no fun. Travelling with children is definitely not fun. But how about going on an aeroplane with your dog?
So you are planning to visit the UK either on vacation or perhaps you are looking to relocate to the country. You may be sat wondering “Can I bring my dog to the UK?”
Yes, you can bring your dog into the UK!
But, there is a big BUT. It can be extremely tedious and stressful – but of course, your dog will be part of your family. You wouldn’t move to another country without your child, and we understand your dog will be like your human child, apart from not being able to speak, walk on two legs or not have a human face etc.. Anyway, on a serious note, there are a number of things that you will need to be aware of if you are looking to bring your dog to the UK.
Not complying with these rules can result in your dog being put into quarantine or even worse, sent back to where you had travelled from, which you definitely will want to avoid
Pet Passport
If you are returning or travelling to the UK from an EU country or one of the following countries, your dog will need to have a pet passport: Andorra, Azores and Madeira, Canary Island, French Guiana, Gibraltar, Greenland and the Faroe Islands, Guadeloupe, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Martinique, Monaco, Norway, Reunion, San Marino, Switzerland and Vatican City.
Third-country Official Veterinary Certificate
If your dog is travelling from non-EU countries, you will need to obtain Third-country Official Veterinary Certificate, instead of a pet passport, in order to travel to the EU & the UK. So if you are travelling from US, this is what you need. The best thing to do is consult with a USDA accredited vet in your area to fill out the form. Furthermore, your dog will need to arrive in the UK within 10 days of the certificate being issued and is valid for four months to travel within the UK and the EU.
Microchip
You will need to have your dog microchipped by a vet, with an ISO 11785 compliant microchip. If your dog was tattooed with an identification number before 3 July 2011, your dog will not be required to be microchipped.
Rabies Vaccination
Your dog will also need to be vaccinated for rabies for it to travel to the UK. An important thing to remember is that your dog will need to be microchipped beforehand or it can be done at the same time.
Tapeworm Treatment
The tapeworm treatment will need to be carried out by a vet between 24 and 120 hours before entering the UK, and what’s more, it needs to be recorded in your dog’s pet passport or third-country official veterinary certificate, unless you are travelling from Ireland, Finland, Malta or Norway.
Vaccination record
Your dog’s vaccination records must be shown in the pet passport of third-country official veterinary certificate including your dog’s birth date, vaccination date and the vet’s signature and contact details.
Travelling from an unlisted country
If you are travelling from an unlisted country, you will need to have your dog’s blood sample taken at least 3 months before entering the UK, in addition to all the requirements listed above. And of course, the blood test results must be successful.
Airlines you can use to travel your dog to the UK
You should always consult with your travel company or airline you have booked with. You can see an up to date list of airlines you can use on the UK Government website here. There are also companies that help to make travelling to the UK with your dog as simple as possible, by, for example, providing complete chauffeur services for pets, which might be beneficial for you and your dog.
Have you travelled to the UK or other countries in Europe with your dog, if so we would love to hear your experience? You can simply leave a comment below!
