At this time of year, many of us start thinking about getting away for a bit of a break, and for lots of people, a holiday just isn’t complete without our pets. There is inevitably a lot of paperwork involved in taking our pets abroad, but this is something that we are very used to helping with, making sure to keep up to date with the rules and regulations. Many owners who travel with their pets on a regular basis are well practised in the requirements for pet travel.

However, recently an announcement from the UK government has taken UK vets and pet owners by surprise and resulted in concerns and uncertainty about what is required to travel to Europe with a pet.

Until the UK left the European Union in June 2016, we were part of the EU Pet Passport scheme. This meant that dogs, cats and ferrets in the UK could be issued with a Pet Passport by UK Official Veterinarians (OVs), or by authorised vets in any EU member state, as long as they were microchipped and vaccinated against rabies. An EU Pet Passport would then allow the pet to travel freely within Europe and would remain valid as long as the rabies vaccination was kept up to date and certified by an appropriately authorised vet in one of the member states.

Since Brexit, the UK has no longer been part of the EU Pet Passport scheme, which has meant that UK vets have no longer been able to issue Pet Passports or certify them to record microchip readings or rabies vaccinations. Therefore, we have had to issue Animal Health Certificates to allow pets to enter the EU from the UK. An Animal Health Certificate (AHC) is an official document certifying the eligibility of a pet to enter the EU, including their microchip number and reading, and rabies vaccination, and is also used to re-enter the UK on return.

A new Animal Health Certificate is required for each entry into the EU from the UK. It must be issued within 10 days of travel and, until now, has been valid for four months’ onward travel within Europe. This has meant a lot of expense and paperwork for pet owners who travel regularly, compared to the previous Pet Passport scheme. Meanwhile, some owners have been in the fortunate position of already having an EU Pet Passport, or having one issued while in the EU, and keeping it up to date with EU vets while travelling.

Recently, UK OVs received a communication from the UK Animal and Plant Health Agency advising that, from 22 April 2026, Pet Passports issued to GB residents would no longer be accepted as a valid document for pet travel into Europe. This came as a surprise, as there was very little notice of the change being implemented, and also because it had previously been announced, last June, that the UK was due to rejoin the Pet Passport scheme, with a date yet to be confirmed.

This announcement has resulted in confusion and uncertainty for both vets and owners, as it is unclear how this new rule will be implemented and what it will mean for UK owners with EU Pet Passports and travel plans already arranged. There has been no information as to how this new rule will be policed at borders or how GB residency will be defined. There are some suggestions that this rule only applies to the issuing of Pet Passports from 22 April onwards, while the UK Government pet travel website states clearly that any GB residents attempting to travel with a Pet Passport may be refused entry into the EU. Some travel companies are advising that they will still accept Pet Passports held by GB residents for pet travel, but there is no guarantee that EU border authorities will do so.

Based on the current information available, we can only advise that GB residents planning to travel with their pets to Europe arrange to obtain an Animal Health Certificate for their trip, even if they hold a current EU Pet Passport. An appointment to issue an AHC will need to be arranged with an OV at least 21 days after rabies vaccination and no more than 10 days before travelling. The good news is that, as part of these new rules, the AHC will be valid for six months of travel within Europe after entry and for re-entry into the UK.

We will, of course, continue to monitor advice from UK authorities as more information emerges and will update our clients as needed if the situation changes. We hope to have more information soon on when the UK will rejoin the Pet Passport scheme.

Travelling with your pet can be very enjoyable and allows you to enjoy your holidays together, but there is a lot to consider when planning and organising your trip. The best thing to do is to contact your vet in the first instance, with as much notice as possible, so they can advise you on what you will need to do and the relevant timeframes, depending on where, when and for how long you are travelling. Good planning will help ensure a smooth and as stress-free a trip as possible.

More information about the new rules can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-eu-rules-for-pet-travel-for-gb-residents

and about pet travel in general at:

https://www.gov.uk/taking-your-pet-abroad