| The Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) | |||
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Introduction (last Updated February 2009) Although the clinic is normally informed by DEFRA of any changes to PETS, we strongly recommend that you confirm all details with DEFRA before travelling with your pet. Contact details are supplied in the handout. If you wish to travel with a ferret, rabbit or rodent, please obtain information directly from DEFRA The Rules To travel from the UK to another EU country, a pet must be microchipped, vaccinated against rabies and issued with an EU pet passport Some EU countries have additional requirements (see later) To enter or re-enter the UK from other EU countries without quarantine, a pet must, in this order, be microchipped, vaccinated against rabies, blood tested, issued with an EU pet passport and treated against ticks and tapeworms The 6 month rule for entering the UK A pet may not re-enter the UK under PETS until 6 calendar months have passed from the date the rabies blood sample which gave a satisfactory result was taken Pets only require one satisfactory blood test and 6 month wait, provided the subsequent rabies booster vaccinations are given by the required date The rules are to protect human and animal health and to reduce the risk of importing rabies into the UK. An animal infected with rabies before vaccination would not be protected by the vaccine. Six months is the time needed for most infected animals to display any clinical signs of rabies. Animals not meeting all the rules are licensed into quarantine |
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The Procedures Microchip Your pet must be fitted with a microchip which meets ISO Standard 11784/11785The microchips which the clinic uses conform to these standards If your pet was fitted with a microchip which does not meet one of these standards, it may not be possible to read the microchip. You are then required to provide a microchip reader yourself, to enable it to be read. If a microchip cannot be read, we cannot proceed with the PETS scheme until the problem is resolved Rabies Vaccination Pets must be at least 3 months old before being vaccinated We use a vaccine made by Intervet UK called Nobivac Rabies If only one rabies vaccination is given, the chances of your pet failing the blood test are about 5%. If two rabies vaccinations are given (separated by 2 weeks), the chances of failure are reduced to about 0.1%. The clinic recommends two rabies vaccinations for young and older animals. With the Nobivac Rabies vaccine, a booster is required after three years in both dogs and cats If the booster date is missed, and for re-entry to the UK, your pet will have to be vaccinated and blood tested again, and the 6 month rule will apply from the date the new blood sample is taken Blood testing A blood test is only necessary if your pet is entering or re-entering the UKThe blood test is taken to make sure that the vaccine has worked The blood test is performed from 3 weeks after the last rabies vaccination The blood sample is sent to an EU-approved laboratory and the results take about two weeks. We will give you a call once the results are received at the clinic. A satisfactory blood test result will show that the rabies antibody titre was equal to or more than 0.5 IU/ml If your pet fails the blood test, it must be repeated after repeat vaccination. The 6-month rule still applies – i.e. re-entry to the UK can only happen 6 months after a blood test which shows a satisfactory result. No further blood tests are required following a satisfactory result, provided that your pet is re-vaccinated against rabies by the required date EU pet passport If you are not going to re-enter the UK, a pet passport can be issued after the microchip and rabies vaccination. For most EU countries, you have to wait 21 days after the final rabies vaccination before your pet can enter these countries.If you are going to re-enter the UK, a passport is issued after the results of a satisfactory blood test. Remember that the passport cannot be used to enter the UK under PETS until 6 calendar months after the date of a satisfactory blood test. The passport can continue to be used to re-enter the UK provided your pet is re-vaccinated against rabies by the ‘Valid Until’ date in Section IV of the passport. The passport can only be issued by a Local Veterinary Inspector (LVI). All the vets who work at the clinic are LVIs. Each time a rabies booster vaccination is given to your pet an LVI must sign and stamp section IV of the passport If a passport is lost, a new one can be issued on the basis of supporting evidence (vaccination record, blood test result, correct microchip number) The clinic takes the utmost care in filling out the details contained
in the passport. Our standard procedure is to double check, with
the owner, all the details contained within the passport when it
is issued. We ask you to ensure that the passport is correctly completed
and that your pet meets all the rules. If you do not, your pet may
not be able to enter the country or may have to be licensed into
quarantine on arrival in the UK. The treatment must be carried out not less than 24 hours and not more than 48 hours before the pet is checked-in to travel back into the UK The treatment must be done every time a pet enters the UK The product used for tapeworm treatment must contain praziquantel The product used for tick treatment must be licensed for use against ticks. Tick collars are not acceptable. The treatment is necessary to stop the tapeworm and certain ticks entering the UK. These parasites can carry diseases which can infect other animals and humans causing illness and sometimes death. Please see a later section for health advice and parasite treatment whilst your pet is in a foreign country. If your pet is leaving the UK on a day-trip the treatment must be given in the UK at an appropriate time to meet the requirement The treatment is recorded in the passport in sections VI and VII. The vet must record the date and time of treatment, the name of the product used and its manufacturer. The vet must also stamp and sign the passport. Make sure all these details are correctly recorded before you leave the vet. Taking your pet out of Great Britain To enter Sweden a pet must be treated for tapeworms with a product containing praziquantel no more than 10 days before entry The clinic strongly advises owners to contact their local Animal Health Divisional Officer or the authorities of the country they wish to enter to check the requirements There are no requirements for pets travelling directly between the UK and the Republic of Ireland For EU countries where more stringent requirements do not apply, the pet can enter the country 21 days from the date of the last rabies vaccination. Booster vaccinations are valid for entry from the date they are given, provided they are given on time. Non-EU listed countries To enter a non-EU listed country that does not accept an EU pet passport, your pet may need an export health certificate or an import permit Some countries may require your pet to have been vaccinated against rabies within a specified period before it arrives. Other treatments may also be necessary. The clinic is unable to give advice on such matters. You must contact the local Animal Health Divisional Office. Residence If your pet stays in another EU or non-EU listed country, it may become subject to that country’s rules on residence. For example, pets in France become resident after 3 months. The clinic is unable to give advice on such matters. You must contact the authorities of the country to check what the rules are and what implications this has for you and your pet. Health Issues Fitness to travel If your pet is being transported with an approved transport company you may be asked to provide a ‘Fitness to Travel Certificate’The clinic is able to provide such certificates. We would need to perform a clinical examination of your pet within a specified time period before issuing the certificate. Parasite prevention whilst abroad There are a number of parasitic diseases which the travelling pet is at risk fromThese diseases are rare in the UK and mainly seen in animals which have travelled abroad Heartworm is a parasitic disease seen in both cats and dogs in which a worm lives inside the heart and blood vessels. It is mainly spread by mosquitoes. The disease is common in Southern Europe, especially around the Mediterranean, Italy, southern France and Spain. We recommend the use of ‘Stronghold’ for all dogs and cats travelling to affected areas. There are a number of diseases (such as Babesiosis and Ehrlichiosis) which are spread by ticks. Also there is a disease called Leishmaniasis which is spread by sandflies and found particularly around the Mediterranean. Both the tick borne diseases and Leishmaniasis can be prevented by using a ‘Scalibor collar’ The collar can only be used in dogs, and helps to control infestations with ticks and sandflies. The clinic recommends the use of Scalibor collars for all dogs travelling to affected areas.
Phone: 0870 241 1710 (Monday to Friday 8.30am – 5pm) Fax: 01245 458749 Quarantine Website: www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/rabies/default.htmPhone: 01245 358383 Fax: 01245 458749 Local Animal Health Divisional Office Address: 105 Bell Street, Reigate, Surrey, RH2 7JBPhone: 01737 242 242 Fax: 01737 241 189 The Listed Countries UK-resident pets can travel to any of the countries listed below and return to the UK under PETS Pets coming into the UK from any of these countries can also enter the UK under PETS Animals must not have been outside any of these countries in the six calendar months before travelling to the UK All pets entering the UK under PETS must do so using an approved transport company and route Please note that this information is subject to change. For the latest information, the clinic advises you to see the PETS website or ring the PETS helpline. EU countries and territories
Please note: Pets prepared for PETS in, or returning under PETS to the UK from the Republic of Cyprus may enter or re-enter the UK without quarantine. However, as at February 2005, PETS compliant animals travelling from north Cyprus (the area north of the buffer zone) must be licensed into quarantine for 6 months on arrival in the UKGuadeloupe includes St Barthelemy and St Martin (French part of the island) There are no requirements for pets travelling directly between the UK and the Republic of Ireland Non-EU listed countries and territories
Please note: Jamaican law, as at February 2005, prevents their involvement in PETSThe Russian Federation consists of 88 subjects (regions). Please note that the following Republics are NOT part of the Russian Federation: Moldova, Georgia, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. The import into UK quarantine of dogs and cats from Malaysia (Peninsula) is prohibited unless health certification provided by Malaysian veterinary authorities is provided (contact DEFRA for full details) The United Arab Emirates consists of the following states: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Al Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain and Al Fujairah Pets travelling within the British Isles Pets resident in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Republic of Ireland, or who have entered the British Isles under PETS, can travel freely between these countries without the need for any documentation Owners of pets entering the Channel Islands or the Republic of Ireland from outside the British Isles should contact the appropriate authorities in those countries for advice on approved routes and any other requirements How to travel You must use an approved route and transport company to bring your pet into the UK under PETSIf there is no authorised route from your country you may travel to another EU country and enter on a listed route from there Pets travelling by ferry or rail must accompany passengers with a vehicle unless otherwise shown on the list. On most air routes, pets will travel as cargo. Routes may change and new ones may be added. For the latest information see the PETS website or ring the PETS Helpline. Remember that some routes are seasonal or irregular. If your pet enters the UK with an unapproved transport company or on an unauthorised route, you will need to arrange for it to be licensed into quarantine on arrival with a view to obtaining its early release Any pet entering the UK, which does not meet all the PETS rules, must be licensed into quarantine. It may be released from the date it can be shown to comply with the rules. You must meet the costs of quarantine.
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