Frequently Asked Questions

• Your dog, cat or ferret must be microchipped.
• Your dog, cat or ferret needs to be vaccinated against rabies (NB: your pet must be at least 12 weeks old before it can be vaccinated)
• You will need to wait 21 days after any primary vaccinations before you travel so bear this in mind when you are planning your travel and AHC appointment

You need an animal health certificate for your dog, cat or ferret if they’ll be travelling from the UK to an EU country including Northern Ireland. If your pet is travelling to a non-EU country then different rules will apply (for example additional documentation or blood samples). See www.gov.uk/take-pet-abroad for government guidelines on which countries this is applicable to. 

An AHC, along with any other official documentation, is a legal requirement in order to bring your pet into the UK or take it to a European Union country without quarantine. The primary purpose is to keep the UK free from rabies. 

The AHC is an official document to prove that the animal has been correctly vaccinated for rabies with an authorised product and is therefore able to travel. It does NOT ensure the animal is fit to travel. If you have any doubts on your pets fitness to travel then you should contact your own Vet. Your pet(s) will NOT receive an examination by a Vet at your AHC appointment as this is not a requirement for the provision of your documentation. 

Your AHC can only be issued by a Vet who has been authorised by the government (an Official Veterinarian aka OV).

The owner, as named in on the AHC must be aged over 16. Pets must be accompanied either by their owner.

An AHC costs £180. Any additional animals (up to a maximum of 5 per AHC) are charged at £30 per pet). We do NOT provide a vaccination service. We do NOT hold stock of worming products.

An AHC  can only be issued ten days prior to travel (i.e.: you will have 10 days to use it to leave the UK). Please bear in mind that travel to some countries require blood tests and additional treatments, and in these cases, travel certification can take significantly longer to prepare and issue. You should always contact us as soon as possible if you are planning to travel. NB: You must book your appointment with us for a minimum of 21 days after vaccination, documents cannot be signed earlier that this. The certificate is valid for 10 days after signing. 

AHC's can then be used for travel between EU countries for up to four months from the date your animal enters the EU at your designated entry point.

The EU Regulation requires pets to be at least 12 weeks old when vaccinated. Whilst some EU countries will allow young, unvaccinated pets to travel (subject to certain conditions) the UK does not permit this. This means no pet can enter the UK unless they are 15 weeks old (12 weeks and 21-day wait from the date of vaccination). 

The owner can only be accompanied by a maximum of five pets. You cannot take more than 5 pets to an EU country or NI unless you’re attending or training for a competition, show or sporting event. You’ll need written evidence of registration for the event when you travel. 

You can have dogs, cats and ferrets on the same AHC but ONLY a total of 5 animals. 

• At the date and time of your appointment, your pet(s) will be scanned for their identification and this will be double checked against the AHC to ensure it is correct. 
• We will examine your rabies vaccination documentation again to ensure the AHC is accurate. 
• We will require the person named on the certificate to sign the Non Commercial Movement declaration which states that you will not sell or transfer ownership of your animal(s) when you arrive in Europe). Please do not be alarmed by this, it is a standard form).
• We will take payment for the outstanding balance. 
• We will scan your AHC onto our system and email you a copy if you require. 
• You will be provided with your AHC and the contents of it will be explained. 
• You are set to go!

That depends! 

• If you have a PP issued in the UK then it is invalid and cannot be used. 
• If your PP was issued in the EU but you have had a rabies vaccination given in the UK then it is invalid. 
• If you have a European PP with an out of date rabies vaccination, a vaccination given in the UK would invalidate the passport and so it cannot be used. 
• If you have a European PP with an in date rabies vaccination given by a Vet outside of the UK then you MAY be able to use this. 

You should speak to your own Vet regarding the suitability of your passport. The Export Vet will NOT advise on whether or not your passport is suitable for travel as we will accept NO liability for issues related to travel when using a PP. We will NOT respond to queries related to the use of a pet passport as there are too many variables. 

We would hate to give you bad advice and be responsible for disruption to your travel!