Pet Travel Documents:
An Overview
Flying with a pet can seem overwhelming at first, with rules and regulations for every step of the journey. At TailWings, it is our job to take the hassle out of pet travel – we can handle your pet travel documents, giving you one less thing to worry about.
Find out more about which pet travel documents you will need here.
Animal Health Certificates
You will need an animal health certificate if you are travelling to an EU country or Northern Ireland. This has replaced the old Pet Passport and you can add up to 5 pets to the certificate.
To get an animal health certificate, you will need to take your pet to an Official Veterinarian who will need to sign the documents proving that your pet has had their rabies vaccine and their health records are accurate.
Your pet must have had a microchip implanted & then their rabies vaccination at least 21 days before you take them to the Official Veterinarian, and you must get an animal health certificate within 10 days before you travel. Once you have your certificate inspected at the destination’s Border Control Post (BCP), it is valid for up to 4 months. Dogs also need to be treated against tapeworm within 5 days prior to moving if travelling to Finland, Malta, Norway, Northern Ireland or Ireland.
Export Health Certificates
An export health certificate, or EHC, is a pet travel document that confirms your export meets the country’s requirements that you are travelling to.
You need an EHC if you are moving or exporting live animals from Great Britain, and if you are travelling through an EU country. You need an EHC if you are moving or exporting your pet to countries other than those in the European Union.
You will need an EHC for each type of animal you’re exporting.
Import Permits
If you are taking your pet to a country outside of Europe, you may also need an import permit. This is issued by the country that you are travelling to and can be applied for online in most cases.
Make sure you apply for your import permit as early as possible, as it can take time for it to be approved and issued. If your pet needs both an import permit and an EHC, make sure you get your import permit issued before the EHC, as you will need the details from your permit.
Proof of Vaccination
If you are travelling outside of Europe, it is highly likely that the country you are travelling to will have extra pet travel document requirements, for example to prove that your pet has been vaccinated & tested against diseases other than rabies, and how long ago they had the vaccine.
If you don’t have any documentation with your pet’s vaccine information listed, make sure to visit your vet and get a practice vaccination card issued.
The practice vaccination card must include:
– Your pet’s information e.g., age, breed, microchip details
– Your pet’s history of vaccination including the batch number and expiry date
As pet travel specialists, we are equipped to help you with any queries about pet travel documents. Please get in touch with the team who will be happy to help.
Get a free international pet travel quote today.
