The UK government is in talks with the EU over pet travel rules, it has been reported.
Travelling to Europe with a pet could soon become easier as the UK could see some changes to the existing regulations. Post-Brexit, the process of taking dogs or cats into European Union (EU) countries has become somewhat complex.
However, the Government is now seeking to negotiate with the EU to reinstate a system akin to the pre-Brexit pet travel rules. Before 2021, it was relatively straightforward to travel with a pet within the EU.
Pets such as dogs, cats, and other animals were easily stamped in and out using a simple pet passport system. However, this changed when the UK exited the EU.
Current regulations
Currently, several criteria must be met to travel with your pet. All pets must be microchipped, and animals over 12 weeks old must have received a rabies vaccination, with a minimum of three weeks between the vaccination and travel.
Each trip also requires a new EU animal health certificate (AHC) confirming both microchipping and vaccination. In addition, dogs require tapeworm treatment one to five days prior to entering the EU or Northern Ireland.
A health certificate must be issued within 10 days of entry, typically costing around £200 from vets. Brits also need to ensure they enter EU countries at specific points where officials can validate and stamp their pet’s documents.
The same certifications used for departure are then required when returning to the UK. These certificates remain valid for up to four months at a time.
The regulations for travelling with dogs vary between EU countries. Direct trips to Ireland, Finland or Malta require dogs to be given a tapeworm treatment by a vet within a specific timeframe of 24 hours to five days prior to arrival.
These treatments have to be recorded in either the health certification or a legitimate pet passport. It’s crucial to remember that there are restrictions on transporting more than five pets to an EU nation unless it’s for:
- Participation or training for a competition
- Business-related exporting purposes.
Potential changes
In better news for animal lovers, these rules may be subject to change. As covered by Euronews, the UK government is looking to re-establish pet travel rules akin to those before Brexit.
The site said: “This would likely involve UK pet passports regaining a similar status to EU documents. While there’s a small health risk in facilitating more animal movement between countries, officials believe this is outweighed by both social benefits (allowing more people to travel with their pets) and economic advantages for the tourism industry.”
For further details, visit gov.uk/taking-your-pet-abroad.
