Animal Health Certificates

Talking your pet dog, cat or ferret abroad

Travelling to an EU country

When travelling to an EU country yur pet needs:

• a microchip

• a valid rabies vaccination

• an animal health certificate, or a valid pet passport that’s accepted in the country you’re travelling to

• tapeworm treatment for dogs if you’re travelling directly to Finland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, 

Norway or Malta

These requirements also apply to assistance dogs.

Check the rules of the country you’re travelling to for any additional restrictions or requirements before you travel.

 Travelling to an EU country

When travelling to an EU country your pet needs:

• a microchip

• a valid rabies vaccination

• an animal health certificate, or a valid pet passport that’s accepted in the country you’re travelling to

• tapeworm treatment for dogs if you’re travelling directly to Finland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Norway or Malta

These requirements also apply to assistance dogs.

Check the rules of the country you’re travelling to for any additional restrictions or requirements before you travel.

If you have a pet passport

You cannot use a pet passport issued in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland).

You can only use a pet passport if the country you’re travelling to accepts passports for pets coming from Great Britain. The passport must have been issued in one of the following places:

• an EU country

• Andorra

• Faroe Islands

• Gibraltar

• Greenland

• Iceland

• Liechtenstein

• Monaco

• Northern Ireland

• Norway

• San Marino

• Switzerland

• Vatican City State

You should check if it’s accepted before you travel and find out if you need any other supporting documents.

If it is not accepted, you’ll need an animal health certificate instead.

Travelling from Great Britain to Northern Ireland

If you have a pet passport issued in Northern Ireland, contact your vet for advice before travelling.

Read the rules about taking pets to Northern Ireland on the NIDirect website before you travel.

Arriving in an EU country

You’ll need to go through a travellers’ point of entry when you arrive in an EU country.

You may need to show your pet’s animal health certificate or a valid pet passport, containing proof of their:

• microchip

• rabies vaccination

• tapeworm treatment (if required)

Repeat trips to an EU country

Your pet will need a new animal health certificate for each trip to an EU country.

Your pet will not need a repeat rabies vaccination so long as its rabies vaccinations are up to date.

Your dog will need tapeworm treatment for each trip if you’re travelling directly to Finland, Ireland, Malta, Northern Ireland or Norway.

Travelling with more than 5 pets

You cannot take more than 5 pets to an EU country or Northern Ireland unless you’re attending or training for a:

• competition

• show

• sporting event

You’ll need written evidence of registration for the event when you travel.

All your pets must:

• be attending the event or training

• be over 6 months old

• meet all the other requirements for pet travel to that country