PETS was first introduced by the European Parliament in 2000 to allow the UK, Ireland, Sweden, Finland and Malta to apply stricter travel controls than the rest of the EU, in order to protect against the importation of rabies, exotic ticks and Echinococcus multilocularis tapeworm. In 2012, after a lengthy campaign, PETS was updated in line with EU regulations.
The current pet travel regulations for (re)entry into the UK state that from an EU or ‘listed’ non-EU country your pets must:
- Be microchipped
- Be vaccinated against rabies at least 21 days before entry into the UK
- Have an EU Pet Passport or Official Veterinary Certificate
- (Dogs only) be treated for tapeworms by a vet with a product containing praziquantel (or equivalent) not less than 24 hours and not more than 120 hours (between 1 and 5 days) before its scheduled arrival time in the UK
- Travel with an approved transport company on an authorised route.
From an ‘unlisted’ non-EU country the same rules apply, with the addition that after the rabies vaccination your pet must complete a blood serology test followed by a 3 month wait before entering the UK.
Tick treatment is no longer mandatory but is still advised.
A ‘listed’ non-EU country is one which is considered to present no higher threat of spreading rabies than any countries within the EU (a list of ‘listed’ non-EU countries can be found at www.gov.uk/pet-travel-information-for-pet-owners). Some of these countries are permitted to issue EU Pet Passports. An ‘unlisted’ non-EU country is any country that is neither part of the EU or in the ‘listed’ category defined above. ‘Unlisted’ non-EU countries are considered high threat for pet travel due to either a greater risk of rabies incursion or unsuitable veterinary administrative systems.
Travel within Europe complies with largely the same set of rules except that no tapeworm treatment is required when travelling between countries. Exceptions to this rule, along with the UK, are Finland, Malta and the Republic of Ireland who are currently free from E. multilocularis and have the same dispensation as the UK for mandatory tapeworm treatment prior to entry from EU or ‘listed’ non-EU countries. Sweden used to be privy to these exceptions but E. multilocularis has now been discovered in the country.
Other exceptions to the rules are the islands within the British Isles. The UK does not include the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands or the Republic of Ireland — which are included only when referring to the British Isles. Legislation states that no travel regulations are required for pets travelling directly between the UK, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.
Pets travelling between the Republic of Ireland and the Channel Islands should be microchipped, vaccinated against rabies and accompanied by a Pet Passport. There is no need for pets to travel with an authorised carrier and dogs do not need to be treated for tapeworm.
Pets travelling between the Republic of Ireland and the UK should be microchipped, vaccinated against rabies and accompanied by a Pet Passport. There is no need for pets to travel with an authorised carrier and dogs do not need to be treated for tapeworm.
All pets travelling to the Isle of Man must use an authorised carrier and cannot enter by private boat or plane.
It is important to remember that the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man have their own regulations for pets travelling from outside of the UK, which includes UK-based pets entering from abroad. More information about travel requirements and approved routes can be found at:
- Guernsey, Herm, Sark and Alderney: www.gov.gg
- Jersey: www.gov.je
- Isle of Man: www.gov.im
- Republic of Ireland: www.agriculture.gov.ie
- UK: www.gov.uk
This article has referred to ‘pets’ as dogs, cats and ferrets, in line with PETS legislation. When other animals are travelling it is important to check the national rules for import and export. More information can be found at http://europa.eu/youreurope.