Langford Vet Practice Travelling abroad with your Pet

Certifications

Travelling abroad with your pet 

In order for you to be able to travel with pet dogs, cats or ferrets outside of mainland Great Britain you will need some travel documentation. Travel to Northern Ireland or the EU requires an Animal Health Certificate (called an AHC). Travel to other countries will require an export certificate which is a more complex process. 

Up to date information can be found on the government website APHA.

Your pet will need to have a microchip and be vaccinated against rabies at least 21 days before travel. 
It is currently possible to travel with an existing EU pet passport as long as the rabies vaccine is still up to date. Please note that UK vets cannot add a rabies vaccine entry into an EU passport.  

A rabies vaccination cannot be given at the same time as your pets primary course or annual booster vaccination.

Please contact our team directly with any pet travel questions. 

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Animal Health Certificate 

This is the EU document that allows you to enter the EU. Only Official Veterinarians are authorised to complete export documents. Several of our vets have completed the required training to become Official Veterinarians, which allows us to help you with travelling with your pet. 

The AHC can ONLY be used for travelling with Dog, Cat or Ferret pets. The document cannot be used for commercial travel (for selling or transfer of ownership) or for other animals. A maximum of six pets can travel on an AHC. 

The AHC is only valid for a single use to travel into the EU and return to the UK. 

Once you contact the practice to request an AHC, we will send you a form to fill out and return to the practice by email. This will provide the vet with all of the information necessary to start work on the AHC. We will complete as much of the AHC as possible before you arrive for your appointment as it can take 30-60 mins depending on the complexity of arrangements. You will come in for a 20 minute appointment where we will double check the microchip(s) of the travelling pets and finalise the AHC. We must make a copy of the form for our records, and you are given the original AHC to allow you to travel. 

We charge a professional fee for completing the AHC to cover the time taken and the training required. The fee is payable when you book the AHC rather than when you collect the AHC, as we will start work on the document before your appointment. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What documents and preparations are required to travel abroad with my pet? 
How can I keep my pet safe and comfortable while travelling? 
What should I do to prepare my pet for international travel? 
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