Pet Passport Scheme

These days your pet can come on holiday with you, but they will need their own passport.

This is a scheme whereby pets are allowed to visit designated countries and then return to the UK without the need to undergo six months quarantine. If you are thinking of taking your pet abroad please allow at least 7 months in order to complete all stages of the scheme. Please phone for further details, collect our advice pack from the surgery, or visit the following website www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/pets/index.htm.

Vale Vet, Rachel Mowbray has travelled all over the world with her Border Terrier, Nutmeg, who is a champion in agility. She has therefore developed a special interest in travelling abroad with pets and the PETS passport scheme.

Microchipping

It is also essential to have a microchip fitted if travelling abroad with your pet under the Pet Passport Scheme. We recommend microchipping for all pets, in any case, as it will help them to be returned to you quickly should they be lost or stolen.

By injecting a small microchip about the size of a grain of rice under the skin of your pet, they can be permanently identified and traced back to you wherever they may be found, using a microchip scanner which all vets and rescue centres will have. The microchip can be inserted without sedation or general anaesthetic during a normal consultation.