If you’re a passionate pet lover, you might be thinking about ways to bring your pet along on your journey into in the European Union. But, to take your pet on a trip, you must to get the Animal Health Certificate.
Do I require an Animal Health Certificate? You must obtain the Animal Health Certificate for your pet when you travel between Great Britain to the EU. A Animal Health Certificate is required by law to ensure that ailments like rabies don’t propagate. In countries that are not part of the EU You will require the Export Health Certificate.
Learn the details about animal health certificates, such as the things you should do before the Animal Health Certificate appointment, and the time frame you must follow to renew your Animal Health Certificate.
What’s the definition of an Animal Health Certificate?
The Animal Health Certificate is a document you must have in the event that you want to transport your pet, cat, or ferret to another nation within the EU or Northern Ireland. This Animal Health Certificate must be signed and certified by a veterinarian who is approved by the APHA (Animal and Plant Health Agency) at least 10 days prior to departure out of Great Britain.
What is the reason an Animal Health Certificate Required?
In 2021, the law modified to Great Britain, detailing that Pet Passports issued in Great Britain are no longer valid documents for taking your pet ferret or cat abroad. Instead you will need an Animal Health Certificate is required to verify that your pet is properly vaccination-free. It is required when traveling to an EU country. Animal Health Certificate is required for travel in the EU country to ensure diseases like rabies are not spreading.
Do I require an AHC to travel in All Countries?
A Animal Health Certificate is required to travel with your pet ferret, cat, or dog between Great Britain to an EU Country or Northern Ireland. For countries that are not part of the EU the Animal Health Certificate is not valid, and instead, you’ll require the Export Health Certificate.
The Export Health Certificate is a form of proof used to verify whether your pet is in compliance with the requirements for health in the country you’re traveling to. It is crucial to remember that each country that is not part of the EU has a distinct Export Health Certificate application process and, consequently will require different details.
What is an AHC the same thing as an AHC the same as a Pet Passport?
This Animal Health Certificate is not identical to The Pet Passport. The primary distinction between them is the amount of duration they are valid for. Pet passports are valid while they are kept up to date and have the correct vaccinations. However the Animal Health Certificate is only valid for one journey to the EU and you will need to renew the certificate each whenever you fly. Although it is true that the Animal Health Certificate is valid for travel within the EU for 4 months, a fresh AHC will be required if you leave within the EU at any time in your journey.
What are the requirements to get the issuance of an Animal Health Certificate?
To be eligible to receive the Animal Health Certificate, you must meet a number of standards or you’ll not be allowed to take your pet or cat to any of the countries within the EU. Below , we’ve outlined the requirements in order to make the process simpler for you to meet them.
Mandatory Requirements
To make sure that your pet’s health is guaranteed by the Animal Health Certificate they need to satisfy the following conditions:
Your pet needs to be microchipped prior or as well in their rabies vaccine. The pet should also be vaccinated against rabies for at minimum 21 days prior to your Animal Health Certificate appointment, except if it’s an additional vaccine. Be aware that your pet has to at twelve weeks old or older to be eligible for this vaccine.
Additional Requirements
If you plan to travel to countries like Finland, Ireland, Malta, Northern Ireland, or Norway your veterinarian must examine your pet for tapeworms and verify this in the Animal Health Certificate. The treatment should be given not under 24 hours and not more than 120 hours prior to your leave for your trip.
The treatment has to be recognized by the country it is given and include Praziquantel or a similar drug that has been shown for its effectiveness against Echinococcus Multilocularis tapeworm.
What information do I need to provide prior to my AHC Appointment?
Before the Animal Health Certificate appointment it is crucial to fill in the pre-appointment form as quickly as you can. It will typically be sent to you by text or email, and will require you to complete the information of your pet and upload duplicates of the pet’s vaccine record as well as the rabies. We cannot complete the paperwork until this is completed. Incorrectly filling out the form can be a cause for the denial of the AHC.
The record of rabies vaccination can be provided in one of the following methods:
A valid GB as well as an EU Pet Passport
Rabies vaccination certificate/ vaccination card
Notes from previous veterinary clinical notes
The Rabies vaccination certificate is valid provided it contains the microchip number of your pet and the specifics of their history with rabies which includes the name of the date of administration, the brand, the date of administration and the batch number, and is verified by a competent vet.
What do I need to bring to my AHC Appointment?
The day you have the Animal Health Certificate appointment, you must remember to bring two items:
Your pet
Bring your pet with you to your appointment, in case other tests need to be conducted.
Their documents of proof of rabies
Like the rabies vaccination certificate or certificate that has the microchip number of your pet’s pet printed on the back, or even your older Europe/GB Pet Passport with the date of a valid rabies vaccine recorded on it.
How long is the Animal Health Certificate Valid For?
Animal health certificates can be used for entry into in the EU in the first 10 days from when they were issued. They are valid to travel within the EU and for your return journey to the UK for up to four months. When you decide to travel back across the border and leave of the EU the certificate will cease to be valid, and you’ll have to apply for an updated Animal Health Certificate.
How Often Do I Have to Apply for an AHC?
You must obtain an updated Animal Health Certificate each time you intend to travel to Europe. EU after leaving Great Britain. Animal Health Certificates are valid for one journey across the EU border, as well as when you returning to Great Britain. However, if you decide to leave the EU during your travels A new AHC will be required to be returned back to EU.
How Long Does It Take to get an AHC?
It is currently on a waitlist that can last up to four weeks to schedule your Animal Health Certificate appointment so make sure you book your appointment ahead., AHC paperwork is part-time completed before the appointment time, and the remaining completed at the 45-minute appointment. It is imperative that for the person to complete the appointment pre-formal AHC form is present for the appointment or else the document is not valid.
This is the reason it is crucial to get your pet organized with proper information and documentation that is submitted prior to your appointment. Once you have that done the procedure is simple and, in no time you will have your pet in a position to travel.
When do I travel? I need to obtain an AHC?
You must schedule the Animal Health Certificate appointment within 10 days of your travel date. You should allow for additional time to fill out the online form as well as for the paperwork of your pet to be completed. So, you can have enough time to ensure that any issues are addressed prior to your scheduled time to leave for your trip.
The average appointment time is 45 minutes to one hour, but you should be aware that we require a 50 percent non-refundable deposit upon scheduling. Make sure there are the proper dates and details prior to making an appointment.
How old must a pet Be in order to be eligible for an AHC?
To qualify to be eligible for the Animal Health Certificate and travel to the EU from Great Britain, your pet is required to be minimal of twelve weeks old. This is due to the fact that 12-weeks is the minimum age that your pet will get vaccinated against the rabies virus, which is a mandatory requirement for an Animal Health Certificate.
Additionally, you will need to wait for at minimum 21 days after your pet’s vaccination for rabies before you make your Animal Health Certificate appointment. Keep this in mind when you make an appointment.
Do Assistance Dogs need an AHC?
Assistance dogs still need to get the Animal Health Certificate when travelling beyond Great Britain into an EU country. The process may be more complicated for an assist dog, but if schedule an Animal Health Certificate appointment within acceptable time before you travel it shouldn’t be any problems obtaining the certificate on time.
What Should You Do If You’re with your pet
In certain situations, you might not be traveling with your pet, rather, they might be traveling with their friends or family, or even with an organization that hires pet transport. What to do in these circumstances:
Pet Travels All by Himself
If your pet is traveling on its own, without the assistance of an animal transport company You will need to supply the information of the company that is providing the transportation to your vet prior to when your Animal Health Certificate appointment takes place.
It is a obligation to be returned to your pet when they arrive at their destination within five days after their departure. The pet transport company should be able to provide documentation detailing how you plan to be reunited with your pet following the journey.
Pet is traveling with friends or family
If your pet travels with a named family member (or family member) it is required to present your vet with an official letter stating that you’re in agreement with you to allow the person who is named on your form to go with your pet. It is also mandatory that you return to your pet within five days of departure, and the person who was named traveling with your pet must be able to provide documentation that clarifies the details.
I’ve got I have a Pet Passport – Is It Still Valid?
From January 1st, 2020, Pet Passports are no anymore valid for travel with your pet in the EU except if it was issued in the EU country. Rarely, Pet Passports can still be used to travel, however only if the destination recognizes them.
If there is no proof the case, the Pet Passport doesn’t completely go to waste since it could be used to prove the fact that your pet is immunized against Rabies. This is a requirement for applying the for the Animal Health Certificate.
What is the time frame before re-entry into Britain? UK is Tapeworm Treatment required?
The rules for tapeworms generally only apply to dogs however it is important to know this facts to make sure that your pet is able to be allowed to return to the UK at the time you intend to do this. Every time you return the UK after a trip to the EU it is essential to make sure that treatment for tapeworms is administered within 24-120 hours from the time you intend to return to the UK by a licensed vet.
The vet surgeon must note the treatment for tapeworms in Section 2 on Your Animal Health Certificate in order to allow your pet return access to UK. This is not the case for those who plan to return directly via Northern Ireland, Ireland, Malta, Finland or Norway.
Tips for Travelling within Europe EU With Pets
Going abroad is stressful at worst of times, and even more so the need to plan transport for your pet, too. We’ve provided our top strategies for travelling across the EU with pets to ensure your trip is as effortless as you can.
Make Your Reservation For your Animal Health Certificate In Advance
Making an appointment to get the appointment for your Animal Health Certificate in advance is essential to ensure an enjoyable journey to EU along with your animal. Due to the processing time of paperwork it is crucial to leave plenty of space between the Animal Health Certificate appointment and the day you are scheduled to travel to ensure that you have enough the time to correct any changes you might have made in your application.
It is also suggested to leave some room in your travel schedule, and that you factor in delays to travel on your way to or from Great Britain.
Make sure you check the requirements for the country you are traveling to.
There are countries that may have additional rules for traveling with pets, which aren’t an all-inclusive rule across all countries.
For instance, The Faroe Islands only permits pets if you plan to stay longer than three months, whereas Iceland has a lengthy 30 day quarantine. However, in France there are several breeds of dogs that are classified as dangerous (which may require additional restrictions).
Check to see if your pet has been Vaccinated against Rabies
At the very minimum you must ensure that your pet is immunized against rabies for within 21 days prior you schedule your Animal Health Certificate appointment. Without the proper vaccines in place, the pet may not be able to travel within the EU and could result in a significant delay in the Animal Health Certificate process.
Find out if the Country is pet-friendly.
Certain EU countries are considered to be more pet-friendly than other countries. If you’re traveling to a vacation destination, as opposed to visiting relatives or friends it is worth looking into which countries are most dog-friendly. One of the last things you want would be for your dog to be trapped within the hotel for the entire duration.
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