Priory Veterinary Surgeons Advice on Travelling with Your Pet
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PRIORY VETERINARY SURGEONS ADVICE ON TRAVELLING WITH YOUR PET Taking your pet away with you on holiday has become, understandably, an increasingly frequent occurrence over the past few years. If you do decide to travel with your pet, there are various things that you need to know. The DEFRA website contains a wealth of information and we strongly recommend you visit this website well in advance of any travel plans (https://www.gov.uk/take-pet-abroad). The following advice covers travel for cats, dogs and ferrets to continental Europe under the EU Pet Travel Scheme; different rules apply for most other countries. Pet passports form part of the European Union (EU) Regulation on the movement of pet animals. Dogs, cats and ferrets from the UK are permitted to travel abroad and return home without a quarantine period provided that strict rules are adhered to. Pets travelling must fulfil various criteria; namely, have a microchip, a rabies vaccination, an EU issued passport and a tapeworm treatment (dogs). Pets must be accompanied either by their owner (as named in the passport) or by a person authorised in writing by the owner. The owner or authorised person can only be accompanied by a maximum of five pets. There is a necessity to make sure that firstly, your pet is microchipped (now a legal requirement for dogs in the UK anyway) – otherwise the rabies vaccination won’t be valid. A single rabies vaccination can be given to any animal greater than 12 weeks of age, however, you must then wait 21 days from the date of the rabies vaccination before you travel. As a third requirement, before returning back to the UK at the end of your trip, a dog must have a tapeworm treatment; given specifically, between 24 and 120 hours (one to five days) prior to your scheduled arrival time at home. There are a number of other potential problems in the form of "exotic diseases" to consider before taking your pet on holiday with you. Like malaria or yellow fever; diseases that exist in some tropical countries as a risk to human health, there are also similar, vector borne diseases that affect many animals on the continent. We recommend that you always consult us at Priory Vets for advice on the specific risks your pet may encounter, well ahead of your planned travel dates. Ahead of travelling you then have time to specifically discuss these risks and any additional preventative measures that are recommended. Such additional measures may include (but not be limited to), regular monthly spot on treatments, tick repellent collars and vaccination courses that may span a few weeks duration. You will also need to travel using an “authorised carrier and an approved route”. By sea, this includes most of the mainstream ferry companies. For air travel, it is worth checking the Defra listings online – search for gov.uk pets air routes. Low-cost carriers including easyJet and Ryanair do not allow live animals on their aircraft, although certain exceptions are made for guide dogs. Check also, if the company you’re travelling with needs any proof that your pet is fit and healthy to travel, for example a letter from a vet or certain information in your pet passport. It is also very important to remember that the PETS travel scheme exists, to get YOUR PET BACK INTO THE UK WITHOUT QUARANTINE. There are usually, different rules for ENTERING other countries from the UK with your pet. It is imperative (and your responsibility), to check the rules for the country you’re travelling into. Practically speaking, the RSPCA issues recommendations on maximising your pet’s wellbeing while travelling. Never leave your animal in a car on a warm or hot day, and always leave windows open; when it’s 72F (22C) outside, the temperature inside a car can reach 117F within 60 minutes. When travelling by train, check the rail company’s pet policy before you leave, and ensure on- board staff know that you have an animal with you. On ferries, bear in mind that your pet may have to stay in the car, or on a long trip go in a designated container area. On aircraft, animals other than registered guide dogs are not allowed in the cabin, so must travel in the hold. For more information on this, see the Defra website: gov.uk/pet-travel-information-for-pet- owners .