Pet Relocation
WHAT PET OWNERS
NEED TO KNOW IN
PREPARATION OF BREXIT
P
et owners who are planning to travel
from or through the UK this year
should prepare in light of Brexit
discussions, advises the International Pet
and Animal Transportation Association, the
worldwide non-profi t association dedicated
to the care and welfare of pets and animals
during transport.
Th e United Kingdom is scheduled to leave
the European Union on March 29, 2019.
Th e UK Government is actively working
to solidify a deal with the EU. Discussions
are still progressing and what will happen
still remains uncertain. Even in a “no-deal
Brexit” situation, pets will continue to be
able to travel from the UK to the EU, but
the current requirements may change. Pet
owners therefore need to be aware that if
there is a no-deal Brexit, they will need to
make preparations four months in advance
if they wish to take their dog, cat or ferret
to the European Union (EU) from the UK.
Aft er March 29, 2019:
If there is a “no-deal” – meaning the UK
is not granted third country status – pet
owners going into the EU from the UK will
need to take the following steps to make
sure pets can travel aft er March 29:
• Begin
preparations
with
their
veterinarian at least four months in
advance of their travel date.
• Research the new instructions made
by the UK Government. Check this
website:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pet-
travel-to-europe-aft er-brexit
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You must get your dog, cat or ferret
microchipped and then vaccinated
against rabies before it can travel.
Your pet must have a blood sample
taken at least 30 days aft er the rabies
vaccination. You’ll need to talk to your
vet about whether you need a rabies
vaccination or booster before this test.
Your vet must send the blood sample
to an EU-approved blood testing
laboratory.
Th e results of the blood test must show
that the vaccination was successful
(Your pet must have a rabies antibody
level of at least 0.5 IU/ml).
You must then wait 3 months from the
date the successful blood sample was
taken before your pet can travel to the
EU from the UK.
You must take your pet to an Offi cial
Veterinarian (OV), no more than
10 days before travel to get a health
certifi cate.
Please note: If there’s no deal, EU pet
passports issued in the UK would not be
valid for travel to or from the EU.
Th e regulations for pets arriving into the
UK from anywhere, are not changing.
Currently depending upon the origin,
anyone traveling to the UK must have their
pet vaccinated for rabies and wait at least
21 days before traveling. Animals traveling
from some countries will also require the
rabies titer test and 3 months wait before
import into the UK. Dogs must be treated
for tapeworm between 24 and 120 hours
before arrival in the UK. Th e regulations for
exporting pets from the UK to anywhere
other than the EU, will not change, although
some of the documentation may change
slightly.
“Since the outcome is unknown at this
point, all regulations are subject to change,”
says Simon Jackson, IPATA President.
“Pet owners should continue to monitor
the situation and work with a professional
pet shipper, who can ensure the proper
precautions are taken amidst all of the
uncertainty.”
Pet owners can fi nd a professional pet
shipper at https://www.ipata.org/fi nd-ipata-
pet-shippers.
Th e International Pet and
Animal Transportation
Association (IPATA)
February - March 2019 • Vol. XII • Issue 2 • Noida
39
| Creature Companion