Entering England with your pet
Expats with pets know that taking their loved pet with them is a viable option when moving to a new country. However, if your life involves constant travelling and expatriation projects, taking your pet with you must be a well-thought-out decision. Travelling with your pet to the UK is feasible, and depending on the type of pet you want to bring to the country, there are several options. Complying with all pet travel requirements can make the entire process more straightforward. You must complete the necessary paperwork and get the proper pet vaccination before travelling.
Bringing a pet dog, cat, or ferret
If you want to enter Great Britain (i.e., England, Scotland, and Wales) with your pet dog, cat, or ferret, your pet must meet the Pet Travel Scheme requirements. A vet must microchip your pet with a microchip that meets the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards. If the pet gets its microchip after being vaccinated against rabies (another requirement), you must repeat the vaccination. The rabies vaccination for pets must be done at least 21 days before the pet's scheduled travel date, and you must have a pet vaccination certificate as proof. If the country the pet arrives from doesn't issue a pet passport, you must have an official pet travel document. Suppose your pet travels from a non-EU country or a country not listed on the lists of Part 1 or Part 2 countries. In that case, a different procedure is followed, including a blood test sample that must be taken at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination and sent to an EU-approved laboratory for pet tests.
Attention:
If your pet arrives from a non-listed country, you must wait three months from the date the blood sample was taken before you travel. The blood test information and rabies vaccination must be recorded in the pet health certificate, its travel document.
Important:
A pet cannot be vaccinated against rabies if younger than 12 weeks.
Good to know:
The airline or travel company will also request the veterinary certificate proving that your pet is fit and safe to travel before they allow it to board.
Important:
If your pet arrives in the UK unaccompanied, it must arrive no more than five days before or after you. Additionally, if you do not follow the guidelines, your pet might have to be quarantined for up to four months.
Useful links:
Pets travelling to the UK from a non-listed country
Check the rules for pets arriving in Northern Ireland
Quarantine
If you own a cat, dog, ferret, or horse, your pet will not likely be quarantined. They only have to meet the Pet Travel Scheme requirements. Horses are also expected to follow the same or a similar travel scheme. There is no restriction for pets like rodents, rabbits, birds, invertebrates, reptiles, and amphibians from EU countries. However, rabbits and rodents from non-EU countries will be quarantined for at least four months and are expected to have a rabies import license. If your pet fails pet travel checks or is a rabbit or rodent travelling from outside the EU, it must be put into quarantine for up to four months. You will be responsible for paying your pet's quarantine costs.
Warning:
The restricted pet breeds in the UK are the Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro. You cannot bring more than five pets unless you attend or train for a competition, show, or sporting event.
Useful links:
Book a quarantine carrier and premise
On your arrival
Upon arrival in the United Kingdom, the crew of the airline company will first examine your pet's travel documents and the microchip. If the records do not comply with existing regulations or in a situation where your pet is not healthy, it may be quarantined or deported.
Once your pet has been quarantined for a defined period, an importation permit for pets will be issued to the quarantine centre. Afterward, they will arrange for your pet's pickup from the airport or port after transiting through customs. You will then obtain the green light for retrieving your pet from the quarantine centre.
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