Pet Travel
Planning to travel with your furry companion? At Shepton and Wells Vets, we’re here to help ensure a smooth and safe journey for your pet. Our Pet Travel advice and support helps you navigate the necessary steps and requirements for traveling with your dog, cat, or ferret to the EU or NI.
Pet Travel Services
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Expert Guidance: Several of our team are authorised Official Veterinarians, qualified to provide Animal Health Certificates for pet travel to the EU and Northern Ireland, as well as Export Health Certificates if needed. We can provide up-to-date information and guidance on the latest travel requirements and regulations.
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Hassle-Free Process: We offer a straightforward, streamlined process to obtain an Animal Health Certificate (AHC), which replace the previous pet passports, ensuring compliance with new rules.
What is an Animal Health Certificate?
- An Animal Health Certificate (AHC) is an official document enabling dogs, cats or ferrets to travel from the UK to the EU and must be issued and signed by an authorised Official Veterinarian.
- AHCs replaced Pet Passports after the pet travel regulations changed in 2021 and Pet Passports issued in the UK were no longer valid.
- In order to obtain an AHC your pet will need to be microchipped and vaccinated against rabies at least 21 days prior to travel.
- The AHC is issued within 10 days of travel and remains valid for up to 4 months for ongoing travel within the EU or return to the UK.
- A new AHC will be required for each trip from the UK.
- We are happy to help and advise on pet travel requirements but compliance with the regulations is the responsibility of the owner, so we encourage you to thoroughly research the rules. You can find more information at https://www.gov.uk/taking-your-pet-abroad
What you need to do
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Once you know you are planning to travel please contact us so that we can arrange your appointments as necessary.
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If your pet is not already microchipped we will arrange to do so.
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Your pet will require a rabies vaccination at least 21 days prior to travel, or we will need to ensure their existing rabies vaccination is up to date. – We will book you an appointment with an Official Veterinarian (OV) within 10 days of your travel date so that the AHC can be prepared, signed and provided to you in time for you to travel.
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If you are likely to travel frequently it is a good idea to ensure your pet is re-vaccinated against rabies at the correct time frame to avoid any delays in future.
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For travel outside of the EU, or outside of the requirements for an AHC, please contact us well in advance as it will be necessary to research the applicable regulations and there may be very specific time-sensitive requirements.
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PREPARE FOR PET TRAVEL PLANS
Our advice is simple. Firstly, there is no need to panic, as vets are on hand to advise on the best solution and plan in all circumstances. Secondly, owners who are considering travelling with their pet after March 2019 should contact their vet to discuss their requirements as soon as possible, and certainly before booking any travel.
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