Animal health certificates (pet travel)
To take a dog, cat or ferret from Great Britain to an EU country or Northern Ireland, you need an animal health certificate (AHC). It has to be issued by an Official Veterinarian. Roxana is one, and can see your pet at home.
Who it is for
- Owners taking a dog, cat or ferret on holiday or moving to the EU or Northern Ireland
- Families who would rather not take a nervous pet to a clinic before a long journey
How it works
- 1Check the timing
GOV.UK says the AHC must be issued no more than 10 days before you arrive in the EU or Northern Ireland. Book it with your travel date in mind.
- 2Microchip and rabies vaccine
Your pet must be microchipped and vaccinated against rabies at least 21 days before travel. We check the records, or do both at home if they are missing.
- 3Visit and certificate
We see your pet at home, check the records and issue the AHC.
- 4Travel
Take the AHC with you. Dogs going to some countries also need a tapeworm treatment before arrival, which we can note for you.
Good to know
- The rules can change. The current ones are always on GOV.UK, linked below; we check them again for your trip.
The official rules
- Getting an animal health certificate (GOV.UK)
- Travelling to an EU country or Northern Ireland (GOV.UK)
Related: microchipping, vaccinations & parasite control and pet export certificates. We cover Sussex, Surrey and West London, from Brighton to Wembley.
Animal health certificates (pet travel): questions
How long before travel can the AHC be issued?
GOV.UK says no more than 10 days before you arrive in the EU or Northern Ireland.
My pet has no microchip. Can you still help?
Yes. We can microchip and vaccinate at home, but the rabies vaccine has to be given at least 21 days before travel, so plan ahead.
Do I need a new AHC for every trip?
GOV.UK explains when a certificate can be reused for re-entry and onward travel; we go through it for your dates.