16/05/2025
There are a MULTITUDE of pet passport errors that need amending on an almost weekly basis!
Below is a guide to what your pet needs to get into the UK, and what to look for when checking if all has been entered correctly, stamped, signed, dated and laminated!
It's not sexy, in fact it might be a great cure for insomnia (!), but... it might help you to help your busy vet get it right the first time, rather than have a drama at Calais as I see unfold practically every time I pass through!
Our vets are not well guided by the authorities, so much of this has been found through research, making my own initial mistakes, and asking lots of pain-in-the-arse questions to Inspectors, and civil servants here.
It started with an initial dabble on AI. It needed a lot more added, so here it is! My latest oeuvre to help owners sail through Spanish Pet Passport Prep to cross that 22 miles from the EU to the UK!
📣🐶🐾🐈💪🫶
EU Pet Passport Checklist for Entry into the UK
1. Microchip
o Ensure your pet is microchipped with an ISO 11784/11785 compliant 15-digit pet microchip. (A 10-digit chip, often used in the US, is absolutely fine and does not need to be changed for a 15-digit chip, nor does a second chip need to be added. Your pet can travel with that chip in its body and in its passport. Check that the check-in staff at the EU port has a chip reader that can also read a 10-digit chip (Eurotunnel Pet Reception at Calais does, for example). Consider purchasing your own chip reader to travel with your pet if it has a 10-digit chip, in case the check-in staff do not have one available.)
o Verify that the microchip is still readable (best during your last vet visit before departure), and the number matches the one recorded in the passport.
o The chip number can be the barcode from the original chip insertion date, or hand-written by your vet. The chip insertion OR reading date must be entered in the format DD/MM/YYYY, and the location of the chip must be entered. This entire page should then be laminated to be tamper-proof.
o Check who is the owner on the chip! If a pet has been bought from a breeder or adopted from a rescue centre, sometimes the change of chip has not been carried out straight away to allow for adaptation time. The chip might also still be in the name of the previous owner, or even your partner, or ex-partner. Remember, a family pet can only be in the name of a single person, and that person must travel with their pet, or within 5 days of their pet, as explained further down. In the case of the death of an owner, you should consult with the pet's vet if they need a copy of the death certificate to carry out a chip change into your name.
o The registered owner on the microchip should be the person traveling with the pet, OR they must travel in the 5 days before or the 5 days after the pet enters the UK (ten-day window). If your pet is traveling with a family member, friend, or courier while you fly, they MUST have from you as the owner:
(a) A print-out of your flight details showing the date, airline, route, time, and your name (can be a copy of your boarding pass or your flight confirmation email).
(b) A copy of your passport photo page which verifies your identity and your signature.
(c) A letter of authorisation signed and dated by you (date within 5 days of pet entering the UK) that authorises them to transport your pet for you, states that there is no sale or transfer of ownership happening, that you are travelling within 5 days of your pet entering the UK with them, and therefore that this should be considered a non-commercial movement. Remember to add your and their name and ID details!
2. Rabies Vaccination
o Confirm that your pet has been vaccinated against rabies at least a month before departure! The rabies vaccination must be done at least 21 days before travel to the UK if it is your pet's first rabies vaccination, or if the previous one expired. If the current rabies vaccination has not yet expired, you can get a new rabies vaccination done without having to wait the 21 days. They can travel straight away.
o There are three boxes on each line. One for the rabies sticker, or written vaccine information; the middle one is for three dates pertaining to date given, validity for travel (usually 21 days after the administration date above), and the expiry date which will be exactly 1 or 3 years after administration according to the validity in the manufacturer’s insert, or the national/regional laws which can be much less. And lastly the box to the right which the vet stamps, signs, and enters name, address and telephone number is they are not the vet who first issued the passport. This is important in case the check-in staff at the border need to contact them about an error.
o Ensure the vaccine is administered by an authorised veterinarian and that all vaccination details, including date and vaccine batch number, are recorded in the passport.
o When the sticker from the vaccine is entered on the rabies page, it should be covered with a laminate, as should the box with the three dates to avoid date tampering. If the vaccine information is entered by the vet in written form, copied from a full passport, a UK or other Animal Health Certificate that another vet administered, or in the case of a lost or damaged passport, then the vaccine information does not need a laminate over it. Only the date box.
o It is extremely important that the chip insertion or reading date is NOT after the rabies date. All vets must read the chip to identify the pet before giving a rabies vaccination, so the chip reading date can NEVER be after the rabies date. They must enter the same date as the rabies date, or it can be a date prior to the rabies date.
o If a new passport is issued after the rabies was given (as in the case of loss, full passport, or transfer of chip and rabies information from an Animal Health Certificate), the passport issue date can and should be after both the chip reading and rabies date. The vet can add a note at the back of the passport that they confirm reading the chip on the date of issuing the new passport, and have transferred the chip date and rabies date from that document number ###xx, that will always be dates prior to passport issue date.
o In Spain, every region can have a different rabies requirement. This can be 1 or 3 years. These are both acceptable for travel to the UK and within the EU. The check-in staff will accept whichever validity is entered by your vet. If your pet is going to be outside the EU for longer than the rabies validity, or with unknown circumstances, investigate with plenty of time if they will enter the usually three-year validity as per the manufacturer's insert. This can be allowed as the pet will not be resident in the region where the law might demand an annual rabies vaccination. However, your vet will need time to check with the Ministry of Agriculture if they are permitted to do this.
o Your pet will probably have other vaccinations also recorded in their passports, although none of these are a legal requirement to enter the UK. That said, some UK vet clinics are asking for proof of a brucellosis test before registering a pet at their clinic. This is an issue for pets from Eastern Europe, so therefore is somewhat misguided for pets arriving from Spain. At present, most Spanish vets will not have any system to provide the proof that UK clinics require, so another clinic might have to be found.
o There is no legal requirement for flea or tick treatment to enter the UK.
o Ensure the rabies vaccination will not expire while you are in the UK. If it does, you will need to get a UK rabies vaccination and purchase an expensive Animal Health Certificate to re-enter the EU. If there are only a few months left on your pet’s rabies, then consider getting a new vaccination done to give your pet the maximum amount of time possible before expiry.
o As mentioned above, if the vet administering the rabies vaccination is different from the vet who issued the passport, they must stamp and sign the third box, enter their College number, plus add their name, address, and contact number if not stated or visible on the stamped information (as per the small print at the bottom of the page).
o Young dogs or cats can only be vaccinated for the first time at 12 weeks of age, so by the time the 21 days validity has passed, they will have to be at least 15 weeks of age.
3. Owner's Information
o The owner's address, ID, and contact number must be written in the front of the passport by the vet, usually on page 5.
o The owner must sign this section. The passport is invalid without this completed.
4. Rabies Titre Test (if applicable)
o Your pet does NOT need a titre test to travel from the EU to the UK.
o If your pet is entering the UK from an unlisted country, a rabies titre test may be required.
o The test must be done at least 30 days after vaccination and at least 3 months before travel.
o Check that the test results are recorded in the passport.
5. Tapeworm Treatment (for dogs)
o Dogs must be treated for tapeworm (Echinococcus multilocularis) 1 to 5 days before entering the UK.
o This tablet must contain praziquantel to be accepted at the border. Hence, your vet must enter the brand name (e.g., Drontal, Milbemax) and the manufacturer name.
o Ensure the treatment details are recorded on the echinococcus page, NOT the parasite treatment page.
o The pet must enter the UK before the 120 hours (5 days) expires, or there will be a refusal of passage, and a 1-day delay in continuing travel whilst you get a new tapeworm treatment done at a local vet and then wait 24 hours until you can cross the border. Extra time and expense!
o If you are taking an extended time to return to the UK, do not worry. This tablet can be given and entered in your dog's passport in any other EU country on your route back to the UK. Just remember the 24-120 hour rule, and if possible, allow for some extra time in case of ferry or traffic delay.
6. Passport Validity
o Verify that all sections of the EU pet passport are filled out correctly, stamped and signed by a veterinarian.
o Ensure all dates are entered using the DD/MM/YYYY format.
o If there are any mistakes or if information on previous owners needs to be amended, do not allow the use of Tippex. Instead, draw a diagonal line through the old information and enter the correction next to it.
o Only a month or year is not sufficient for a date of birth entry. It must include the day, month, and year.
o Ensure that the vet who issues the passport enters all their information, and then signs on top of their stamp.
7. Travel Documentation
o Keep a copy of your pet's travel itinerary and any additional documents required by the transport company.
o Confirm the transport company’s requirements for pet travel.
o Check how long the transport company has been operating and how many pets they transport at a time.
o Verify if they are licensed as a T2 Pet Transporter in both the EU and the UK, and if they are insured as a Pet Taxi business.
o Ask how often there are comfort breaks, where the pets stay when the drivers take their rest breaks/overnight sleep.
o Inquire if they are okay administering basic meds if your pet has medication, and if they need a recent medical history, especially if your pet is senior.
o Find out where the pets stay during ferry crossings - in the vehicle with AC/heating, in kennels on deck or on the lorry deck, or if they visit a pet lounge with the driver.
o Ask if they will share photos or videos during the transport, plus their location or GPS tracking.
8. Health Check
o It is not a legal requirement for the Fit to Travel page to be stamped and signed by your vet pre-travel, and you also do not need a separate Health Certificate for Fit to Travel. This is only needed in the case of export/import.
o As long as you are traveling with your pet, or within 5 days of your pet if your pet is traveling with a friend, family member, or courier, this is a NON-commercial movement, NOT an Export!
o A commercial movement is when there is a sale or transfer of ownership planned at the destination, and therefore is considered an export which requires VAT to be paid, and with that, Export Health Certificates, Customs Agent fees on top, etc.
o A rescue cat or dog is also considered a commercial movement, despite the fact that there is usually no commercial profit, or money exchanged in bringing a rescue pet to the UK to its new home. It is the transfer of ownership that brings it into this category, so your transporter or a professional courier company should be consulted to prep the extra paperwork needed for rescue pets into the UK.
9. What happens if there is an error in my pet’s passport?
• Depending on the severity of the omission or incorrect information/date/ stamps or signatures, you will initially be issued with a Non-Compliance Report itemising the error. If it is mild, it is possible that they allow you to proceed, but with a black mark recorded against the passport number. This is often after a Health Certificate has been emailed from the vet who made the mistake, explaining the issue. Failure to get that rectified before your next entry, or a second different error, will result in a Refusal of Passage.
• A Refusal of Passage will happen if: -
There is no chip in the pet
The rabies has expired, or a new rabies vaccination was less than 21 days ago
The tapeworm 120 hours has been exceeded or not recorded correctly
The chip date is after the rabies date, or is not entered at all
The owner’s details and signature are not present
The vet has missed a date, stamp or signature in the correct places on the date of birth, chip, passport issue or rabies pages
The date of birth is missing a day, month or year
A UK rabies has been entered into an EU pet passport
• If my pet is issued a Refusal of Passage, can we continue into the UK?
You can but your pet’s journey stops there. You either have to return home with your pet to get a new rabies jab for example. Or you get them a new rabies jab locally, and wait 21 days to cross the border, or leave them at a local kennels until the new rabies has become valid to cross. They will not be taken away and/or put to sleep.
10. Summary
o In short, your pet needs:
(a) An EU pet passport, with all details in the above stated sections entered clearly and correctly; dates should be in dd/mm/yyyy; all stickers should have laminates on them, as should the entire chip page; all stamps should have the signature on top and not to the side of the stamp; the chip reading or insertion can only be before or the same day as the rabies date – NEVER AFTER!
(b) A microchip in your name. As the owner, you must travel within 5 days of your pet entering the UK for it to be considered a non-commercial movement.
(c) A valid rabies vaccination.
(d) In the case of dogs, they must receive a tapeworm treatment containing praziquantel from your vet, entered on the echinococcus page with the DATE & TIME. Once given, you have exactly 120 hours (5 days) to enter the UK.
By following this checklist, you can help ensure a smooth entry into the UK with your pet.
Remember to always have a muzzle for your dog, your PPP licence with you in the case of a “Dangerous Breed Dog”, and always check if your breed of dog is classified as Dangerous or Attack dog when crossing other EU countries to reach the UK (as in France).
Keep any UK Animal Health Certificates when travelling with your dog, even after the 4-month expiry date.
Safe travels!😘
