If you want to transport your pet to the United Kingdom (UK) or Ireland following your relocation, you are in the right place.
Bringing pets to the UK and Ireland requires some important considerations in terms of travel arrangements, vaccinations, documentation and more.
What is there to know?
Let’s start by saying that animals arriving here by plane cannot be brought on board with passengers; they must be manifested on board as cargo, and therefore travel in the hold dedicated to them.
There has been no quarantine on arrival for more than 15 years now. Be wary of fake news you find on the web!
What are the first steps?
Travel veterinary requirements are quite simple and require approximately 4 weeks of preparation.
Your dog or cat will first need a microchip, a rabies vaccination and at least 21 days waiting period after the rabies vaccination. These are the minimum requirements to start planning your trip.
The final steps will be defined when the departure date is confirmed.
We at AM Pet Movers advise those who need to move their dog or cat to the United Kingdom or Ireland to start taking the first steps at least 6 weeks before the desired departure date. This way we will have plenty of time to check the documentation you have and indicate any gaps that need to be filled.
Focus on the United Kingdom: Post-Brexit
No longer being a member country of the EU, the United Kingdom has effectively become a third country. This means that upon departure there will be export customs procedures, and upon arrival there will be import customs procedures.
So, has anything changed after Brexit?
Definitely yes. As the UK is now a third country, pet transportation now follows the 5-day rule. That is, if a dog or cat does not travel within 5 days before or after the owner’s trip, its move is classified as “commercial”. This involves changes to the UK entry requirements, and the timeline for obtaining them.
