Pet Travel Scheme (PETS)

puppyPicTaking Cats and Dogs abroad is commonplace now
The Pet Travel Scheme (PETS for short) has been in operation for several years. Planning ahead is vital as the process of obtaining a pet passport is not quick, taking an average of 9 months. It requires the owner to chip their dog/cat.

The scheme already stipulates that all dogs and cats entering the UK must be micro chipped. The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has issued a statement that appropriately trained non-veterinarians are allowed to microchip dogs and cats.

Pet Travel Scheme helpline

Brexit info : https://www.gov.uk/brexit

Email: quarantine@animalhealth.gsi.gov.uk – Please enclose your postal address and a day time telephone number.

Telephone: +44 (0)870 241 1710 – Monday to Friday – 8am to 6pm UK time (closed Bank Holidays).

Calls can cost up to 7p per minute for BT users. Calls made using other service providers or mobiles may cost more. There is also a minicom/textphone number for the deaf and hard of hearing: 0845 300 1998

Fax: +44 (0) 1245 458749.

Postal address:

Specialist Service Centre for Imports
Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency
Government Offices
Beeches Road
Chelmsford
Essex
CM1 2RU

Below is the process you follow before passport is granted

Pet Travel


Pet travel scheme- microchipping of small animalsPet Passport Process

1. Microchip Fred using an ISO chip. Complete all the paper work and make sure it is submitted to the PetLog/Petrac register. Discuss the other requirements with the owner about the lengthy process to follow. Not all microchips are ISO compliant so may not be read using the ISO scanners at the ports and airports.
The Pet-Detect/Avid chips are ISO approved and are the most reliable and dependable on the market. Combined with its price and history of not migrating it is an act hard to beat!

2. Fred is vaccinated against rabies at the local veterinary practice - he must be at least 3 months old and depending on the vaccine used, Fred may need a second dose one month later

3. At least 30 days after the last vaccination Fred is blood sampled to check he has developed sufficient immunity. The results may take 3 weeks to be returned. Very few animals fail this test but if they do they must be re vaccinated and sampled again.

4. Once Fred has past the blood test he can now get his Pet Passport! But he cannot use it yet! Since the scheme operates across the whole of Europe , where rabies is endemic; a sixth month delay is enforced in the uk. In effect he has to spend a period of quarantine with his owner in the UK (as would a French or Spanish dog). In essence, you can take your animal out of the UK before this period has elapsed, but you cannot return until the 6 months have elapsed.