New Rules for Pet Travel Post Brexit

The rules for pet travel have now changed as of 1st January 2021. You can no longer travel with your pet on their blue EU UK pet passport. An Animal Health Certificate (AHC) is now needed to travel with your pet into the EU, which is only to be used for one trip out into the EU and then back into the UK. The AHC appointment has to be done within 10 days before travel (leaving the UK), and is valid for 4 months onward travel within the EU for that one trip.

Information that is needed from you, the client, prior to your AHC appointment

Full name of owner travelling with pet(s).
Full address and phone number.
Point of entry into EU (Which EU member state you are entering into FIRST). Is it only EU member states that you are travelling to? Are you travelling to: Northern Ireland, Malta, Ireland, or Finland or Other EU member.
Species of pet (Dog, cat, ferret) and how many of each you are travelling with. (Maximum 5 pets on one AHC, dogs and cats have to be on separate AHC forms).
Species, sex, colour, breed, date of birth, name of each pet and microchip number.
Detail of last rabies vaccination.

NOTE-Before returning to UK dogs must be treated for tapeworm not less than 24 hours, not more than 120 hours before time of entry into UK (except for return from Northern Ireland, Malta, Ireland or Finland). If you do not have a previous pet passport, please find documentation showing proof of microchipping.

The named owner on the documentation and who will be travelling with the animal must be present at the AHC appointment where you will be asked to sign an owner’s declaration.

Pet Requirements

Your pet must be microchipped
Rabies vaccination – your pet must be at least 12 weeks old for the vaccination, which should be given at
least 21 days before travel).

General Information

An AHC will only be valid for one trip to the EU.

The cost of issuing this is £200 per AHC, with an extra pet (of the same species) on the same AHC being £75 extra per
pet. The fee is to cover the payment towards APHA for the certificates and also the amount of time that is being
spent on filling out this 10-16 page document by our Veterinary Surgeons, Louisa, Charlotte and Hannah.

If there are any late changes in details for travel required after you have submitted the initial documentation, ie.
Date of travel change, or owner details, there may be a £50 administration fee depending on how far in advance
this change is made.

If you are cancelling your AHC within 48 hours of the appointment then a £50 cancellation charge will be made, as
the documents need to be prepared in advance.

We are advising our clients that if you have an old EU UK blue pet passport that you still travel with this
documentation alongside your new AHC.

We are doing our very best in completing these AHC’s and we would ask that you please give us a minimum of 2
week’s notice as to when you are needing to book an appointment for the AHC, so that we can allocate the time in
order to get these completed, as lots of people are wanting to travel with their pets this summer if at all possible.

If you have any further questions please call us on 01442 863101.

Thank you

The Team at St John’s Veterinary Surgery

Questions?

Get in touch with our friendly & independent team today