Pet Travel to Europe – All You Need To Know

Thinking about taking your pet on holiday to Europe? Here is all you need to know.

Are you planning on a trip to mainland Europe or Ireland this summer and thinking about taking your pet(s) with you?  Many countries in the EU are very pet-friendly, with pet-friendly accommodation widely available and dogs allowed in many restaurants.  It is quite simple to do and may actually be cheaper than putting your dogs into kennels. It just requires a bit of forward planning.  Now is the time to start that planning process… 

The most common pets that clients take on holiday are dogs, but the following information actually applies to cats and ferrets, too, with slightly different requirements for small furries, such as rabbits.

Firstly, your pet needs to have their microchip read and recorded on our system (or have one implanted if necessary).  Then, a rabies vaccination can be given as long as your pet is over 12 weeks old.  You then need to wait at least 21 days before you are able to travel for the rabies vaccination to become valid.  Our rabies vaccines last for three years from the date they are given, and a booster must be given within that three-year period for the vaccine to remain valid.

Within 10 days of your travel date (but after the 21-day rabies vaccine wait), you need to attend one of our Travel Appointments, which are usually at our Deddington clinic, to have your Animal Health Certificate (AHC) issued.  Your pet will receive a health check to make sure they are fit for travel and the vet will talk you through the AHC.

There is a declaration for you to sign, and then the paperwork is ready for you to travel.  Please check details such as your name, address, and pet’s date of birth are correct, as it is the owner’s responsibility to make sure all export documents are correct.

The AHC will give you one entry into the EU, and you can travel within the EU for up to four months on that document.  It is also the document that you will need to re-enter the UK – so keep it safe.  Between 1-5 days before you re-enter the UK, dogs need to be given a tapeworm by a vet, and the AHC signed and stamped to say that this has been done, so make sure you make this appointment with a local EU vet.

If you are thinking of taking your dog with you on holiday, please email us at AHC@hooknortonvets.co.uk, and our travel coordinator will contact you to arrange the appropriate appointments.

We also help many clients export their pets to other non-EU countries, e.g. if they are moving abroad, so please get in touch with us if you need this service.  Export to non-EU countries is generally more complicated and it can take up to 6 months to prepare your pet if the importing country requires certain vaccines or blood tests to be done. Please give us as much notice as possible so we can help make the process as smooth as possible.

Travelling to Northern Ireland?

A new, free-of-charge Northern Ireland Pet Travel Scheme came into force on 4 June 2025. Owners need to apply via the link below for a Northern Ireland pet travel document (PTD) which is valid for the lifetime of the pet and can be used for repeat trips to Northern Ireland. Pets must be microchipped; the pet owner must be a resident of Great Britain and be over 16 years old to apply.