Bringing a pet back to the UK from Europe: what you need

Coming back into Great Britain has its own rules, and they are not simply the outward ones in reverse. Most returns go smoothly; the ones that do not almost always trip on the same two things.

What your pet needs

• A microchip, fitted before the rabies vaccination
• A rabies vaccination that is still in date
• Either the Animal Health Certificate it travelled out on, used within four months of being issued, or an EU pet passport
• For dogs, a tapeworm treatment given by a vet between 24 and 120 hours before arriving in Great Britain

The tapeworm window

This is the one that catches people. The treatment has to be given by a vet, recorded on the certificate or passport, and fall between one and five days before arrival. Too early and it does not count; too late and there is no time left. Dogs coming directly from Ireland, Northern Ireland, Finland, Malta or Norway are exempt. Cats and ferrets do not need it.

When we drive a dog home we plan the journey around that window and book the vet near the collection address for you if you want us to.

The four-month certificate

An Animal Health Certificate issued in the UK covers the return journey for four months from the date it was issued. Stay longer than that, and your pet needs an EU pet passport issued where you now live, or a new certificate from a vet in the EU.

Approved routes

Pets have to enter Great Britain with an approved carrier on an approved route. LeShuttle through the Channel Tunnel is one; the checks happen at the terminal in Calais before boarding, with the animal staying in the car. That is the route we use.

Rules change from time to time. The government’s page on bringing a pet to Great Britain is the reference, and your vet can confirm the detail for your animal.