You’ll need one of the following documents to enter Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland) with a pet:
- a pet passport, if you’re travelling from a ‘Part 1’ listed country, or if it was issued in Great Britain before 1 January 2021
- an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) issued in Great Britain – valid up to 4 months after it was issued
- a Great Britain pet health certificate, if you’re travelling from a ‘Part 2’ or ‘not listed’ country, or a ‘Part 1’ country that does not issue pet passports
You can check the country you’re travelling from to see if it’s Part 1, Part 2, or not listed.
Your pet will not need this documentation if it’s entering Great Britain from:
- Northern Ireland
- the Channel Islands
- the Isle of Man
You must bring originals of all your pet’s documents, not photocopies.
Getting a pet passport
Pet passports list the different treatments your pet has had.
You can get a pet passport from a vet authorised to issue them in Part 1 listed countries. If your vet does not issue pet passports, ask them for the nearest one that does or contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency.
When you get a pet passport you’ll need to take:
- your pet
- your pet’s identity and vaccination records
- rabies blood test results, if your pet needs them
The passport is only valid if you meet the entry requirements.
You should travel with previous pet passports in some cases, for example if your pet has had a blood test. Ask your vet if you think this applies to your pet.
Only vets in EU countries can enter rabies vaccination details into an EU pet passport. Any vet in any country can put tapeworm treatment details into a passport.
You’ll need to get a new pet passport when all the treatment spaces are full.
Before you travel
Check that the vet has filled in the following sections in the pet passport:
- details of ownership – you must sign section I if your pet passport was issued on or after 29 December 2014
- description of animal
- marking or identification of animal
- vaccination against rabies
- rabies blood test (if needed)
- details of the vet issuing the passport (for passports issued from 29 December 2014)
- your dog’s tapeworm treatment (if needed)
Getting a Great Britain pet health certificate
You can ask your vet to complete a Great Britain pet health certificate.
Your pet must arrive in Great Britain within 10 days of the pet health certificate being issued.
Cats from Australia
To bring a cat into Great Britain from Australia, you must have a certificate from the Australian Department of Agriculture confirming your cat has not been exposed to the Hendra virus in the 60 days before you left.
Dogs and cats from Peninsular Malaysia
You must have a certificate from the Malaysian government veterinary health services to bring your dog or cat into Great Britain from Peninsular Malaysia. The certificate must show your pet:
- has not had contact with pigs in the 60 days before you left
- has not been on a holding where Nipah disease has been found in the 60 days before you left
- has a negative blood test result for Nipah virus antibody – the test must be carried out by a laboratory approved for Nipah virus on a blood sample taken no more than 10 days before you leave
