The Passport Process - Listed Countries (inc most of the EU)

[Caramomo]

Here is how the PETS passport process works, I have tried to make it as easy to follow as possible as this can be a very confusing subject.

1. Your dog must be fitted with a microchip before anything else can be done. This identifies your dog permanently and confirms it is your dog that has had the correct treatment. The vet injects a very small chip under the skin of the neck between the shoulders. This can be done at any time and puppies often have them inserted during their first vaccinations. (It might hurt a little while it is being injected but the discomfort won’t last long and many puppies don’t even notice.)

2. After your dog has been micro-chipped, he must have a rabies vaccination, but first the vet must read your pet’s microchip number with the aid of a microchip reader and record it onto the vaccination record. There are several different vaccines available and each one is slightly different, some need two injections, others only one and some last three years before a booster whilst others only one or two.

3. Once your dog has received his rabies vaccination you will then be able to have the paperwork for the passport filled out. This must be done by a government approved vet called a Local Veterinary Inspector. Most vet practices will have an LVI on the team but if there is not one at your vet practice they should be able to tell you where the nearest is.

4. 21 days after the date of the final VACCINATION you may travel to any country listed in the first two links on this page or into the UK.

5. Provided that your dog is revaccinated against rabies by the ‘valid date’ as recorded on your EU passport you will not have to wait 21 days again. Even if you are just 24 hours late you will have to start again at step 2.

6. When you wish to come back in to the UK you must get your dog treated for worms by a vet. This must be done at least 24 hours before you check in and less than 120 hours before you check in (1-5 days). The wormer must contain Praziquantel as an active ingredient. The vet must sign, date and stamp the passport so don’t forget to take it to the vets!

Here is a typical example on timings;
The dog received their microchip as a puppy.
Go to the vets and ask them to start the PETS passport scheme. They scan the chip and check the number against their records and the microchip records. They administer one vaccination that day the 1st February.
They were able to leave the UK for most of the EU on February 21st and come back to the UK on the same day, 21 days after vaccination was complete.


Travelling out to the EU by ferry or Eurotunnel is easy, once you have booked the tickets for the dogs you just check in as normal, it is very rarely that anyone wishes to check the passport.
For a return journey with a ticket on the 10.30pm Friday ferry (for example) they must have the worm treatment after 10.30pm on Sunday and before 10.30pm on Thursday. The vet records the treatment given as well as the date and time of treatment and then signs and stamps the passport in the allotted spaces.
When you get to check-in you are often given the reader to swipe your dog’s microchip yourself, the check-in attendant then checks the dogs passport to ensure all dates and times are correct. If anything is not filled out or the timings are wrong your dog will not be allowed to travel. If travelling via Eurotunnel you turn right before you reach the check-in to the animal reception centre where they check the passports. The check-in desks will not allow you through until this has been done.

I know this all looks complicated but once you are getting the passport done you just focus on the next milestone and it suddenly seems a lot easier. Once you have done the worm treatment a couple of times it becomes easier too. If you ever have any questions please feel free to pm me and I’ll try and help you through them.

There are other rules for travelling to the rest of the world and these are covered in this thread.

[tosca]

I am just waiting for the blood test for rabies result, my vet hoped it would be here before xmas so I am expecting it any day now, then belle can leave but not return till 14th June, so if we go anywhere ..ie..Cyprus we have to stay till then, of course that would be such a pain in the . (moon) ...NOT (giggle) (giggle)

No sooner had I typed the above and the vet phoned to say her results were back and all ok and I am going in next Tues to get paperwork and passport...yipppeeeeeee.

[tosca]

Cara May I call you Elaine? and can you tell me what the system is for taking Belle on the Ferry, does she go in a crate and what is it like? thanks.

[Caramomo]

Yeah, I prefer Elaine to Cara!

I have only travelled Harwich to Hook of Holland with my two. When you book you must book a ticket for the dog, I think its now £15 each way (just gone up from £13). You get a choice of leaving them in the car or putting them in the ferry's kennel, price is exactly the same. As its a 6-7 hour crossing I always opt for kennel. On the Dover - Calais route I'd leave them in the car as they would be happier in their surroundings and its only 1.5-2 hours. On the way out you check in as normal, no checks are made on the dog. I board the ferry and take the dogs with a blanket and a bone to the reception desk in the guest areas. They then give me the code to get in the kennel and someone shows you the way there. In the kennel there are several built in kennels of different sizes, you settle the dogs and they have bowls and a fresh water supply. There is also normally a bin there for any waste. The ferries I use do not allow the dogs on the decks and you cannot let them toilet outside either so I exercise before and after the ferry. Because you have the access code you can check the dog as often as you like throughout the crossing. When you arrive you collect the dogs and their stuff and go down to the car decks ready to drive off. The kennel room is clean and secure (key code on door only crew and dog owners have and its changed regularly) but sparse, there is no bedding or toys and there are a few metal bowls for water. The crates are secure and of differing sizes, even the smallest is big enough for a mini.

When you return you get to the check in desk and hand all passports to the woman, she checks details and gives you the scanner to scan the dog in the car. You pass the scanner back, she confirms the dog matches the passport and ensures everything is in order before giving you a special mirroro hanger and letting you on your way. The hanger tells the ferry crew your car contains animals. You must leave it there until you disembark. On board the ferry is exactly the same as the way out.

[tosca]

Thanks for that, it all sounds quite straightforward and the fact that you can check your animal as often as you like is excellent, I worry about putting Belle in a kennel even for a few hours but if she sees me regularly she would probably be ok.

[Sianny]

Going to show this to Dave to encourage him along... do dogs have to have had annual jabs?

[tosca]

Yes for the rabies, they call it a booster jab but they don't need another blood test.

[Caramomo]

They don't need their annual vaccs as part of the PETS process. The rabies jab must be boostered to keep the passport. Depending on the make of vaccine it can be every one, two or three years. Cara and Mo's are a three yearly booster. It is written in the passport when the vacc runs out and you must booster by that date. Tosca is right, so long as it's done by the date in the passport they need no more blood tests (unless the country you're travelling to requires it for entry such as Sweden) but miss the deadline by even one day and you have to start over again.

[Sianny]

Cheers lovely!

[black beard]

Great post Elaine, very staright forward, thank you

[dannie_kl]

when doing my lost passports in the beginning we werent told we would need to know the exact date of the microchip implantation so that caused a kurfuffle so when i took the second lot of dogs i made sure i knew the date of chiping and tattooing so i was prepared!

[Mari Obi and Fingal]

Excellent posts, Elaine! Very clear and reassuring accounts on the pet passport and ferry travel

[murphygrowl]

please remember in spain the rabies booster is every year not 2/3 years in the u/k

[Snazy]

The same for France, the rabies should be done within 12 months of going to the country - same if you are just driving through to stay in another country.

Always best to check before travel what the rules are for each country you will be visiting as they are all different.

It is also worth checking what ticks and other diseases they have in those countries, several dogs have died in this country due to tick borne diseases they picked up while on holiday.

[dannie_kl]

good post Jo! i think sandfly in spain is one that we learnt about at grooming college.