Pet Travel

How many pets can I travel with?

You are permitted to travel with up to five pets per trip, please check the UK government website if you are intending to travel with more than five pets.

Is my pet’s current UK issued pet passport still valid for travel?

No. Your pet’s UK issued pet passport is only valid for entering into the UK from an EU country or Northern Ireland up to its expiry date. You can no longer use an existing UK passport to travel abroad.

My pet is from an EU country, is their pet passport issued in an EU country or Northern Ireland still valid for travel?

Providing your pet’s Rabies vaccination is kept up to date and all future Rabies vaccines are administered and entered in their pet passport whilst in an EU county and Northern Ireland, an EU or Northern Ireland issued pet passport is valid for travel from the UK to an EU country or Northern Ireland. Our Official Vets are not able to enter Rabies vaccinations into EU passports.

How long is my pet’s AHC valid for after the date of issue?

• 10 days for entry into an EU country and Northern Ireland
• 4 months for onward travel within the EU
• 4 months for re-entry to Great Britain

What happens if I wish to be away from the UK for longer than 4 months?

Your pet’s AHC will become invalid if they do not return the UK within 4 months of departing the UK. If 4 months’ elapses, your pet will require an EU or Northern Ireland issued pet passport to be able to return to the UK (or their old UK issued pet passport if still in date).

What is the current price of an AHC appointment?  

Please email contact@bathvetgroup.co.uk for the current price of an appointment with one of our Official Veterinarians to check your pet’s microchip and vaccination status, perform a health check and to issue an AHC for your pet. The AHC fee will need to be settled at the time of booking. Due to the preparation work involved for each AHC ahead of the appointment, 50% of this fee is non-refundable, should we receive less than 72 hours’ notice of a cancellation.

What are the Rabies vaccination requirements?

• Your pet needs to be at least 12 weeks of age to have a Rabies vaccination
• The Rabies vaccination cannot be given at the same time as other vaccinations
• Your pet will need regular Rabies booster vaccinations to keep your pet up to date for travel
• The Rabies vaccination we use at Bath Vets is licensed for a Rabies booster every three years

Does my pet require tapeworm treatment for travel to an EU country and Northern Ireland or to return to the UK?

• If you are travelling directly to Finland, Malta, Northern Ireland, Norway or the Republic of Ireland, your dog (including assistance dog) will require a tapeworm treatment to be administered by your vet and documented on the AHC under the Echinococcus treatment section
• The tapeworm treatment must be given no less than 24 hours and no more than 120 hours (5 days) before you arrive in the specific countries mentioned above
• Dogs returning to the UK (from any EU country other than Finland, Republic of Ireland, Malta, Norway or Northern Ireland) also require tapeworm treatment in the 24 -120 hours prior to re-entry
• Cats and ferrets do not require tapeworm treatment as a condition of entry to any UK or EU country

When should I start preparing my pets for pet travel to an EU country and Northern Ireland?

We advise you to start preparing at the earliest possible opportunity, with a minimum of 4 months notice. 

You will need to ensure that you/we can fit in appointments for the microchip & Rabies vaccination if necessary, an Official Vet appointment to check your pet’s eligibility at least 21 days after Rabies vaccination but within the 10 days travel window before exiting the country and time for the Official Vet to prepare and issue the AHC paperwork itself. 

Please note that NOT ALL VETS ARE ‘OFFICIAL VETS’ so it is vital these appointments are made with an appropriate member of our team and appointments may not be available at all surgeries and on all days. 

Please note that your AHC will not be issued at the same time as your pet health check consultation due to the amount of time the paperwork requires to complete and be checked and certified copies taken etc. It is important to take this into account at the time of making your appointment with Bath Vets. 

Where can I check for the most up-to-date information?

The government website is a good source of up-to-date information. Please click this link to visit the government website https://www.gov.uk/taking-your-pet-abroad

Please check the rules of the country you are travelling to for any additional restrictions or requirements before you travel.