Have passport, will travel
Don't leave it too late to get a Pet Passport.
The new Pet Travel Scheme means that you can now take your dog or cat to and from dozens of countries who are participating in the Scheme, without having to place it in 6 months quarantine.
To do this you will need to get a Pet Passport, which requires your pet to be micro chipped, vaccinated, and pass a blood test for rabies. Your local Village Vet can arrange the necessary procedures and certification.
It is very important to note that the Passport only comes into effect 6 months after the blood test has been taken.
Once your pet has a PETS passport, it can enter back into the UK providing that:
1) six months has passed from the date that the successful blood test was sampled.
2) your pet is up to date with rabies vaccination.
3) your pet has been treated for ticks and tapeworm 24-48 hours by a veterinary surgeon before they are checked in for their return journey back to the UK.
4) your pet has not been outside any of the PETS qualifying countries in the 6 months before it enters the UK.
5) your pet is travelling on an authorised route, with an approved travel company.
In addition to these regulations you should also consider protection for your pet against certain infectious diseases found in many warmer countries including:
1) tick-borne diseases such as babesiosis and ehrlichiosis
2) mosquito-borne diseases such as heartworm
3) sand fly-borne diseases such as leishmaniasis
Our advice will vary slightly depending on the country you are visiting but in general, to cover all of the above, we will prescribe for you:
• a spot-on treatment which is applied on the back of the neck - this needs applying every 2 or 4 weeks (depending on country being visited) and 24-48 hours before returning to the UK and
• de-worming tablets which need monthly administration and 24-48 hours before returning to the UK
For more information on dog passports please click here
For more information on cat passports please click here
• for countries where sand flies are a particular problem we may in addition recommend:
• a protective collar which needs replacing every 6 months
Please note that these products are only available through your veterinary surgery. Treatments that are required 24-48 hours before returning to the UK must be administered by a veterinary surgeon and this undertaking certified in the passport. To maximize protection you should start application of treatments prior to leaving the UK. Whilst abroad you should check your pet daily for ticks and remove any found. In warmer countries we would also recommend that you avoid walks at dusk and dawn when many of the mosquitos and sand flies are most active. For ease of mind we would recommend that you visit your vet prior to travel to check that your pet's microchip is functioning correctly.
Don't leave it too late - book an appointment at your local Village Vet.