Pet travel

Pet travel advice

Taking your pet on an overseas holiday can be a wonderful experience, however, you must get well-prepared beforehand. It’s important to book your pet in for the necessary health checks at least 2 months before your travel dates so that an official Animal Health Certificate or Expert Health Certificate can be issued, and you can avoid problems when entering other countries and returning to Scotland.

Pet travel requirements

Animal Health Certificates for EU Countries

Currently this is a requirement if you wish to take your dog, cat or ferret to an EU country. The pet must be microchipped and have a Rabies vaccination at least 21 days prior to travelling to an EU country.

In order to issue an Animal Health Certificate, the pet must have its microchip checked by an Official Veterinarian at the surgery within ten days of travel. The Animal Health Certificate will be completed by the Official Veterinarian and issued to the client, usually within a few days of the microchip check. We currently have three Official Veterinarians working at The Avenues Vet Centre.

Export of Pets Overseas

Requirements differ widely between various countries to which pets are exported. This information can be found in the guidance notes for Export Health Certificate on the APHA website. We can assist with completion of the EHCs, vaccinations and laboratory tests as required.

Travelling to Northern Ireland

Apply for a pet travel document (PTD) to take your dog, cat or ferret from Great Britain to Northern Ireland by visiting the Gov.uk website.