Getting a European Passport for your Pet to travel to Europe? Not for everyone!

Ozzy at home after a long trip from London to Morgex in the Italian Alps. Getting an European Passport for your Pet to travel to Europe? Not for everyone!

Getting a European Passport for your Pet to travel to Europe? Not for everyone!

Would you get a European Passport for your pet to travel to Europe? I would. I know this is not for everyone, but after forking out £180 per trip in my last trips to the Alps, I’ve heard that there was a third way. Being Argentine, I like third ways…. So listen on…

For all of you having a second home in the continent, or having family there, you can register your dog in that address in Europe with the police. Then, you can get a passport. I am not sure in each country, but in Poland, it can be done directly by a veterinary. The same case is in France. For us, in Italy, we had to make an appointment with the USL.

Ozzy posing for Gemma, of A Girl and her dog in Courmayeur blog! Getting an European Passport for your Pet to travel to Europe? Not for everyone!

Once there, it was simple as chips. With the paperwork done, and the rabies vaccine given in Europe you can get a European Passport. It costs EUR 20, and as far as I can see, there is no expiration date!

So, this is a no brainer! Brexit has made it much more difficult going into Europe with things we used to be accustomed to before. But I like always when there is a third way!

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June 16, 2021

Travelling into Europe with your pet post-Brexit

How is it now travelling into Europe with your pet in a post-Brexit scenario? Before the end of last year, we were expecting it to be worst than it will finally be. It is still a bit more difficult than before, as you need to do an extra step. But don’t despair! Keep on reading on!

First things first- Travelling into Europe with your pet post-Brexit

You can no longer use your pet passport issued in Great Britain (be it England, Wales or Scotland) to get into the EU or NI. You will need a new document, called the Animal Health Certificate. That will be for each trip.

What do you need now to take your pet into Europe.

So now you need to think on the following

1) Get your dog microchipped, if he or she is not, as a first thing.

2) get your vet to apply a rabies vaccine, if your dog does not have one. Have your microchipped first, so then they can record the vaccine to the microchip!

3) Get an animal health certificate (AHC) from your vet up to ten days before your trip. This is a requirement for each trip you do. If your pet passport was issued in any country of the EU or Northern Ireland, then you can use that one instead. An official vet (OV) can issue this type of certificate, so check with yours, to see if he or she can do so. If not ask who could do it for you.

Travelling into Europe with your pet post-Brexit. Photo: Lauren Guardala. Unsplash.Travelling into Europe with your pet post-Brexit. Photo: Lauren Guardala. Unsplash.

Remember to do this up to ten days before your trip, so count at the time you are leaving and go backwards. When visiting your vet, you will need to take proof of your pet’s microchipping date and vaccination history.

This AHC will be valid after the date of issue for

a) up to ten days for entry in the EU or Northern Ireland

b) 4 months for onward travel within the EU

c) 4 months to re-entry in Great Britain.

So, as stated before, your pet will need a new ATC for each trip into the EU or Northern Ireland.

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September 15, 2020

EU Regulations for travelling with your dog if we have a ‘No Deal Brexit’.

September is when we have to plan ahead if we plan to travel with our pooches after 1st Jan 2021. The Withdrawal Agreement ends on 31st December. If there is not a special agreement done for travelling with your pets to the EU, then you need to think in advance. I mean, four months in advance! If at the last minute we have an agreement, then we could be lucky! But as of today, negotiations are not looking pretty. So better to prepare than being sorry later!

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If you want to take your pooch to the Continent, act now! Here Ozzy poses with his jacket and preferred ball. Photo: The-Ski-Guru. EU Regulations for travelling with your dog if we have a 'No Deal Brexit'. — If you want to take your pooch to the Continent, act now! Here Ozzy poses with his jacket and preferred ball. Photo: The-Ski-Guru. EU Regulations for travelling with your dog if we have a ‘No Deal Brexit’.

What steps to take to travel with your pet. EU Regulations for travelling with your dog if we have a ‘No Deal Brexit’.

So what you have to do? Well, for starters, your dog needs to have a rabies vaccine. If you regularly go to the continent, then you should have given your dog a rabies test to travel. The vet needs to put a microchip to your pet, but this is pretty common practice in the UK when you get a pet.

Your pet needs to be at least 12 weeks old to receive a vaccine.

Even if your pet received a vaccine, your vet, might suggest you to give another rabies vaccine. This is because you need to wait at least 30 days to take some blood samples from your pet to send to an EU-approved lab.

The UK government states that you need to wait 3 months from the date of the succesful blood sample to travel. The vet will need you to give you a copy of the test results and include the date the blood sample was taken. He/she will have to write this on an animal health certificate (AHC).

Then, if the blood result is not successful, you have to repeat the vaccination and blood test after 30 days… Imagine the pain…

Category: Travel with your Pet