Pet passport and PETS certificate

[Kitty]

I'm taking my labrador back to the UK for a couple of weeks.  He has his passport and his rabies jab is current.  I have booked him into a vets for the ticks' treatment (24-48 hours before checking in with a recognised courrier).

But I am confused.  I've been trawling through the posts in this Forum and FAQs and have been onto DEFRA website because I want to make sure my French vet does the paperwork properly.  DEFRA mention about the vet producing a PETS certicate and I've downloaded a sample.  Edit: I've now deleted this link as I've just come back from a French vet and the PETS certificate is no longer needed - DEFRA site is out of date!  I'm going to chase this up with them.

But what I can't make out is this certificate in addition to the passport (where sections VI and VII have to be filled in)?

Edit: I've now found out that what you need the passport, properly filled in (as Ian - called Deimos - says below in a very useful post).  The certificate on the DEFRA site is no longer issued by French vets.

 

[Renaud]

In September the vet in Mirambeau just stamped Rocco's dog passport after treating him. That was good enough to get him on the eurotunnel train.

Rocco however maintains that the vet has to do terrible and painful things to labradors specially if they are blond. This it seems is linked to their tennis ball fixation.

[Deimos]

Pet Passport (properly completed) is all you need.  Double and treble check what the vet has written, dates, etc. and that all required details are entered and it is stamped and signed (or whatever the Passport says is needed - mine always stamp and sign their entries).  When you get the tick and tapeworm treatment, make sure the vet scans the chip.  They are meant to but do not always bother.  They can move inside your pet so its worthwhile knowing where it is located.  Also, one of mine has hers in a different place to what is stated on her Passport and the other's chip has moved a few inches.

Although the Pet Passport is all you need, I also always take all the rabies vaccination history (certificates and vaccination booklet thing) back to the blood test and the blood test certificate.  It is never looked at but just in case there are any questions (or a local vet in needed).  If you have them it can do no harm having them just in case.  I'm probably over cautious.

Provided everything is correct it is very easy.  There is no tolerance of times on the tick and tapeworm treatment.  The check-in people cannot use common sense - it is strict rules.

The PETS scheme is the scheme that was used before the Pet Passport came into effect.  One of mine used it a couple of times, and their 1st trip with a Passport the French vet also did the French PETS certificates as well (and the systems were running in parallel and the Passport was very very recent).  The vets can not longer issue the old paperwork (or if they do it is of no use).

Every time I travel to the UK with the dogs they only ever look at the Pet Passports.

Note that the Pet Passports are now checked quite often on entering France (for me about 2 out of 3 entries into France) - so worth having them to have when you return as well.  Of course, no tick & worm treatment or anything.

Also, some carriers (all that I've been with but might not be every one) will give you a sticker to display in your car for the journey until out of customs at the UK side.  Don't lose it.  I lost mine once and sort of just ignored the fact that I was not displaying it and was stopped by UK customs.  Slightly embarrassing being asked if I had anything in the car "I was not meant to have" with this dog trying to lean out of the window and say hello to the customs officer.  Not a big deal but I do suspect they are watched for on entry to UK.

If this does not answer your question then do ask again or say what is of concern.

Ian

[Clair]

A couple of posts have been removed from this thread.

Please try to keep to the topic [:)]

Thank you

The moderators

[Sharkster]

Does anybody know the regulations for travelling with a dog to Spain.  He has a pet passport but not the 6 months clear period to qualify for the UK, but can he enter Spain?  If so, does he need tapeworm and tick treatment?

[cooperlola]

Your vet should know but I believe the 6 months and the flea and tick stuff is only for the UK.  All he needs is a passport afaik with proof of up to date rabies jabs. 

See THIS

[Kitty]

Deimos (Ian)

Thanks for the useful post. You are right - the certificate has been superceded by the passport.  I've edited my original post to ensure that no one goes to the certificate link. I'm e-mailing DEFRA about it as I'm sure that I won't be the only confused person.  It seems odd to leave an old certificate on their website.

Rabies

The vet that I saw today has said that in France, dogs should be vaccinated (by law) against rabies every year, whilst the UK passport requirement appears to be every 2 years.

Does anyone know if this means that a British dog living for a lot of the time in France should have annual rabies jabs?  (I have checked earlier posts but they don't cover regularly visiting dogs, only dogs permanently here.)

 

[Deimos]

Legally, if you dog is in France for more than 3 months he/she becomes a French dog and should be registered.  It is a good idea as well as the French and UK microchip databases are not "connected" so should your dog "go walkabout" then it is a good plan to have him on the French databases (no reason why he cannot also be left on the UK registration databases as well).  However, getting him registered can be interesting (depending on your vet).  My own vet spent a couple of years when every visit I would ask and he would try to come up with a different reason why it was not necessary (bit like the Monty Python Cheese Shop game).  In the end he decided to check up with the authorities and then ordered the forms.  However, by then I had sort of lost interest so one of mine is an "illegal".

As you say, in France it is a every year rabies vaccination and the certificate they (French vets) give you is important.  I have to produce mine several times a year (and they don't escape and run off - just routine checks).  For the Pet Passport it is the valid until date that the vet puts in the Passport against the vaccination that is important.  However, that is the theory and I'm unsure exactly what some thorough customs official might think.  Mine have their Passports checked quite often when entering France (at the French side).  Personally I think every year is too often and not great for the dogs. But I live in France and that is the regulation here so I have no choice.  Depending on your attitude to vaccination I would suggest that, to avoid and difficulty when travelling, every year might be a good plan, and if you spend much time in France, get it done in France so you get the pink certificate (blue 1st year, thereafter pink).  However, that is my opinion and others may think differently.

Ian

[Kitty]

Thank you Ian. Comprehensive and useful information.

 

[Robbie34]

I'd be unhappy having my dog vaccinated every year against rabies.  The drug companies know the efficacy of their products and the timescale for effective protection.  Indeed, the Nobivac vaccine protects for three years.

If you are resident in the UK then stick to the recommended timescale for that particular vaccine.  I'm sure the British authorities would have insisted on annual vaccinations it it were necessary. 

[andrew l]

    We are moving back from Spain to the UK in a few weeks and want to know if we have to have the rabies jab for six months to enter into France. The reason is that whilst we were here we saw the sweetest little Spaniel and my partner could not resist (neither could i if i am honest) but the 6 months wait time will not be ready by the time we leave and what we wanted to do was drive to Calais and then have him in quaranteen in Guildford for the rest of the time. Guildford is a lot closer to us than southern Spain.

Please please can someone help us as the regs in France seem a nightmare.

Andrew

[cooperlola]

You need the jab but not the six months blood test to get to France - that is only a UK regulation.

[Deimos]

[quote user="andrew l"]    We are moving back from Spain to the UK in a few weeks and want to know if we have to have the rabies jab for six months to enter into France. The reason is that whilst we were here we saw the sweetest little Spaniel and my partner could not resist (neither could i if i am honest) but the 6 months wait time will not be ready by the time we leave and what we wanted to do was drive to Calais and then have him in quaranteen in Guildford for the rest of the time. Guildford is a lot closer to us than southern Spain.

Please please can someone help us as the regs in France seem a nightmare.

Andrew

[/quote]

For entry into the UK from EU (and other Pet Passport countries) The 6 months wait time is from when the blood sample for the successful blood test was taken.  It is not since the rabies vaccination booster.  You need to have the pet rabies vaccinated then (after a month or so) have a blood sample taken and tested for rabies antibodies.  The 6 months runs from when the successfully tested blood sample was taken.  It is possible for some animals to fail to develop adequate immunity and a booster, delay and re-test (etc.) is required.  sometimes if time is not critical a vet might recommend a vaccination, then a booster a months later then a blood test as this improves the success rate on the blood test.  Vet must do all the procedures and arrange for the blood to be analysed and it can all be done in France or Spain, etc.)

Point is that to enter the UK you need more than just the rabies vaccination.

Also just before entry the pet needs to be tick and tapeworm treated by a vet but that is just a treatment.

To enter France you need a Pet Passport (for each pet) showing a rabies vaccination(s).  The rabies vaccination must be in date (i.e. not past its "valid until" date) and for the first vaccination must have been at least a month ago (or 21 days - unsure exactly) you cannot enter France immediately after the pet's first vaccination..  No 6 months for France.  France is much much easier than the UK.

Ian