Fairwater & New Inn Veterinary Surgeries

The Pet Travel Scheme enables owners to travel abroad with their pets and return into the United Kingdom without the need to place their pets in quarantine.

Qualifying pets are issued with a pet passport document, which identifies the pet by its internationally recognised microchip number, and confirms that a Rabies vaccine has been given at the same time, or subsequent to the implanting of the microchip.

 The pet must be implanted with a microchip which conforms to the current international standard for compatibility. These can be implanted easily in a normal surgery appointment, and currently cost £19.50 Many pets already have such microchips implanted.

 The pet must be vaccinated with a rabies vaccine. This can be done at the same time as microchipping, if microchipping has not already been done. This practice uses “NOBIVAC” brand Rabies vaccine, which is licensed in the UK to give 3 years rabies protection to cats and dogs from a single vaccine dose. The current cost of a rabies vaccine is £39

 Following Rabies vaccination, a period of 3 weeks must be allowed for the pet’s immune system to react to the vaccine, and develop the necessary immune protection. A Pet Passport will only be valid to allow a pet to enter a foreign country, or return to its own country, 3 weeks after the Rabies vaccine has been given. Historically, animals returning to the UK from abroad needed a blood test to be performed, 3 weeks after Rabies vaccination. The blood test needed to prove that satisfactory levels of Rabies antibodies had been stimulated by the vaccine dose, and the passport was only valid for entry or re entry into the UK after 6 months had elapsed from the date of the blood test. The requirement for a satisfactory blood test result following Rabies vaccination will cease to be a requirement for a pet to enter the UK after 1st January 2012.

  Before re entry into the UK, an owner must self-certify a declaration stating that the pet has not travelled outside any of the countries taking part in the Pet Travel Scheme. These declarations are supplied by the airline, rail or ferry company with whom you are travelling.

It is important that Rabies booster vaccines are given just before their validity runs out. If so, the pet passport can be simply re validated for a further period. If the rabies booster is given after the validity period runs out, then a waiting period of 3 weeks following the Rabies booster must be allowed before the Pet passport will be valid for foreign travel.
 
Owners should be aware that their pets may be exposed to risks of disease, other than rabies, in foreign countries which they would not be exposed to in the UK. Therefore, it is wise to speak to the vet before taking your pet abroad, who may recommend further preventive treatments for other disease risks besides rabies.

Further information on the Pet Travel Scheme may be obtained from DEFRA on their website www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/pets/

They also have a telephone helpline on 0870 241 1710, where you can request a copy of their publication called “Travelling with Pets?”