Moving abroad with pets: a checklist from three months out

Most problems with moving an animal abroad are problems of timing: an appointment booked too late, a certificate issued a day too early, a crate bought the week before. This is the order we suggest to everyone who moves with us.

Three months before

• Check the microchip number on your pet’s record and ask your vet to scan it
• Check that the chip was fitted before the rabies vaccination, by comparing the two dates
• If the rabies vaccination is out of date, or was never given, book it now
• Find out whether your practice has an Official Veterinarian, and on which days

Two months before

• Book the transport and the date, so the vet appointment can be fixed around it
• Buy the crate if you need one, and start leaving it open at home with a blanket in it
• If you are moving to a country with breed rules, such as Germany, confirm your dog is allowed in

Four weeks before

• Book the Animal Health Certificate appointment for within ten days of arrival in the EU
• Start short car journeys in the crate, a few minutes at a time
• Ask your vet about anything specific to your animal: medication, a nervous traveller, an old pet

The week before

• Collect the certificate and check every detail on it against the passport or vaccination record
• Pack a small bag: the documents, the food your pet is used to, a lead, any medication, something that smells of home
• Give us the name and number of whoever will receive your pet at the other end

On the day

Feed a light meal a few hours before collection rather than just before, keep the goodbye short and calm, and hand over the bag. Then watch for the first photo, which arrives when your pet is settled in the car.

Rules change from time to time, so confirm the paperwork with your vet. Our travel rules page, which you can download as a PDF, has the steps in order and what each country asks for.