Taking your pet dog, cat or ferret abroad
Rabies vaccinations and boosters
You must get your dog, cat or ferret vaccinated against rabies before it can travel to the EU. Your vet needs proof that your pet is at least 12 weeks old before vaccinating them.
If your pet has already been vaccinated, check if they need a booster vaccination.
The vaccine must be an inactivated vaccine or recombinant vaccine that鈥檚 approved in the country of use.
You must get your pet microchipped before, or at the same time as, their rabies vaccination. If you do not, they鈥檒l need to be vaccinated again.
When you can travel
Ask your vet how long you must wait before travelling - some rabies vaccinations take longer to work than others. You will have to wait at least 21 full days after the first rabies vaccination (or the last of the first course of rabies vaccinations) is given. Day 1 is the day after the rabies vaccination.
Example
A vet vaccinates your pet against rabies on 1 October using a vaccine which takes 30 days to work. This means you can travel from 1 November.
Booster vaccinations
You must get regular booster vaccinations for your pet. Check when the booster vaccination is due on your pet鈥檚 vaccination record. This can be found in either their:聽
If you do not have these documents, check with your vet when the booster vaccination is due.
You will not need to get repeat vaccinations for repeat trips to the EU if your pet鈥檚 rabies vaccination is up to date.
You do not need to wait to travel after a booster vaccination if there has been no break in the vaccine cover.
Vaccination record
Your pet鈥檚 vaccination must be recorded in either:
- an animal health certificate
- a valid pet passport
Your pet can be stopped from travelling if the details in their animal health certificate or pet passport are in the wrong place.
Your pet鈥檚 vaccination record must show:
- your pet鈥檚 date of birth
- the microchip number, date it was put in or read, and where it is on your pet鈥檚 body
- the vaccination date
- the vaccine manufacturer and product name
- the vaccine batch number
- the date the first vaccination is valid from (for pet passports issued from 29 December 2014 and all health certificates)
- the date the most recent vaccination is valid until
- the vet鈥檚 signature and contact details
If you have a pet passport
Your pet鈥檚 vaccination record must have been added by a vet in a country that can issue a valid pet passport.
If your pet passport does not have an up to date vaccination record, you鈥檒l need an animal health certificate instead.
Your pet can be stopped from travelling to the EU if the vaccination details were added to their passport by a vet in Great Britain after 31 December 2020.