UK Pet Owners Face New EU Travel Rules: Animal Health Certificates Replace Passports
From today, British pet owners can no longer use an EU pet passport to take their dog, cat, or ferret into Europe. The rules changed on April 22, and anyone who arrives at an EU border with the old passport-style document risks having their animal refused entry. This change affects everyone based in England, Scotland, and Wales, regardless of whether their pet passport was originally issued by an EU country or not.
New Requirement: Animal Health Certificate
The new requirement is an Animal Health Certificate. This is a document that a registered vet must issue within ten days of the planned departure date. It cannot be prepared weeks in advance and stored for later use. A fresh certificate is needed for every single trip to the EU without exception. Pet owners who holiday in Europe regularly will need to factor this into their planning each time they book travel.
Once issued, the certificate is valid for up to six months for onward travel within EU member states. It also covers the return journey back to Britain, provided the animal's rabies vaccination remains current throughout that period.
Guidance and Additional Requirements
The Animal and Plant Health Agency confirmed that holidays with pets remain possible under the new system but stressed that owners should check the GOV.UK guidance well before their departure date. Individual EU countries may also have their own additional entry requirements on top of the standard certificate. Therefore, owners should verify the rules for their specific destination rather than assuming the certificate alone will be sufficient.
Other Key Changes for British Pet Travellers
The new rules bring several other changes that British pet travellers need to know:
- EU Pet Passports: EU pet passports will now only be issued to people whose permanent residence is within the EU. British-based holiday home owners and seasonal visitors to Europe no longer qualify for them.
- Travel Authorization: If a pet is travelling with someone other than its registered owner, that person must carry written authorisation from the owner. The pet and the accompanying person must also travel together within five days of each other.
- Vehicle Limits: There is also a new limit on how many animals can travel in a single private vehicle. The maximum is now five pets per vehicle, although there may be exceptions for animals attending competitions or organised training events.
- Assistance Dogs: The GOV.UK website confirms the rules apply to assistance dogs as well as household pets, a detail that working dog owners will want to note carefully before any European travel.
The government said it is updating its guidance to reflect the new EU regulations and encourages owners to check for any further changes before booking their next trip abroad with an animal.
