Taking dog back to UK with pet passport issued in UK....

[Bones]

We came over here last august, at the time the Pet Passport law was changing so fast that the authorities didn't know quite what to tell us.

Anyhow, the upshot was that Lola was microchipped and had a rabies shot.

We'd like to go back to the UK for a couple of weeks soon - does anyone know if our dog will be covered by the Pet Passport for re-entry into the UK??

 

[Deimos]

For entry into France (and most other EEC countries) you need only a rabies vaccination and a Pet Passport (plus 1 month wait after the 1st rabies vaccination).

However, for the UK you need:

1. Microchip

2. Rabies vaccination (possibly two one month apart, 2nd just improves the “pass rate” on the blood test)

3. Blood test (approx 1 month after last rabies vaccination)

If blood test shows INADEQUATE rabies immunity (antibodies) FAIL, then re-vaccinate, re-blood test until adequate levels of antibody. Most dogs “pass” 1st time.

4. 6 months after successful blood sample was taken you are OK to enter UK.

Between 24 and 48 hours of check-in for departure to UK dog must be treated for tick and tapeworms by a vet.

Everything must be recorded in the Pet Passport by a vet (rabies vaccinations, blood test info, “tick & tapeworm” treatment). Make sure the time of day is included for the tick and tapeworm treatment not just the date as its between 24hrs and 48hrs (not just “a day or two”). Although blood test is a UK regulation, everything can be done in France (i.e. they are set-up to provide the rabies immunity test with indications for PASS or FAIL for entry to UK).

Pet Passport has entries under the rabies vaccination bit for “Valid until” and provided you do not miss and are not late with the rabies booster vaccinations (i.e. you keep the sequence running), then you do not need to re-blood test, etc. If miss or are late with a rabies vaccination then re-blood test, re-wait 6 months, etc.

Tick and tapeworm needs to be done on each entry to UK.

For French dogs tattooed, there are special regs. allowing him/her to be microchipped later in the “sequence”

Check all the paperwork the vet fills in as there is no flexibility in the case of errors.

Sounds a real hassle but its actually not (just when its written out). Travel back is very easy.

If you had the blood test done in the UK and have maintained the rabies vaccinations (each year) since then then a French vet can use those and the 6 months was from when the successful sample was taken in the UK (they are British regulations not French ones).

Full regs (easy to understand) at http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/index.htm sorry I not great at explaining it clearly – it really is not as difficult as it sounds. If you have further questions, do post them.

Ian

[Bones]

Wow - thanks for that!

Lola had her rabies shot last august and it doesn't run out until 2007. There's nothing on the passport to state that she needs a booster prior to 2007 but I'll check the links you mentioned in your post. Is the tick and tapeworm treatment just a case of frontline and a pill I wonder?

Thanks again.

[Deimos]

[quote]Wow - thanks for that! Lola had her rabies shot last august and it doesn't run out until 2007. There's nothing on the passport to state that she needs a booster prior to 2007 but I'll check the links...[/quote]

Don’t forget the blood test and 6 month wait – not needed to depart the UK but needed to get back in.

In France rabies vaccinations are each year. Despite what your Pet Passport may say, you may find it easier (though maybe not absolutely necessary) to get the rabies done each year (which is what the French expect). If your dog is in France for more than 3 months he/she becomes a French Resident and must be registered with the SCC (microchip/tattoo database). When you get your dog rabies vaccinated in France you get a certificate (blue one first year then red ones in subsequent years). One of my dogs is from the UK and when I went to get the paperwork for my last visit to the UK, the vet took 4 hours trying to get to grips with his UK vaccination record so he could trace it back to the blood test (despite the fact that he had always been vaccinated each year, already had a Pet Passport and UK PETS forms).

I was advised by the President of the dog club I’m a member of that I should carry my dog’s rabies vaccination certificate around with me when with the dog (not a requirement, just a good idea, though this was during the rabies incident last year). Apparently, if your dog is arrested (or goes off and is found or passed to the Police), having a French rabies vaccination certificate can be a great help (just what I’ve been told – no experience

[Deimos]

Tick and tapeworm treatment can probably be a range of different things (DEFRA specify the active ingredients required). In practice my vet uses Frontline for ticks and has on one occasion given an injection for worms and another time Drontal pills (as I used to use in the UK). Must be done by a vet who then completes the paperwork, signs, etc.

[Teamedup]

I don't think that it is  the french who expect the rabies jab to be done every year. I believe it to be the UK Ministry that say that dogs who are not resident in the UK must be vaccinated against rabies every year and the new jab must be done within that next year ie if my dog was vaccinated today 14/06/05 then she would have to be vaccinated before the 14th of June 2006, otherwise one has to start the whole process again.

 

I don't know what you are expected to do Bones. Is your animal a french resident or just visiting? There is a link through the british consulate re Pet Passports and the legal requirements. And you can contact them by e-mail or phone. I think you need to find out exactly what you need to do as you don't want to get to the port and be refused by the ferry company or get to the UK and have your dog quarantined.

 

[Deimos]

The Pet Passport scheme allows booster rabies vaccinations to be as stated in the “Valid To” date in the Pet Passport (i.e. as stated by DEFRA: http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/pets/procedures/support-info/vacci.htm). If the vet puts a longer date than one year I reckon that’s fine by DEFRA – see “Boosters” section on URL above). I may be wrong but I was not aware of any difference in the regulations for entry to UK for British and non-British resident dogs.

Although booster vaccinations in the UK tend to be treated as being valid for 2 years, in France booster vaccinations tend to be valid for only one year. At least that is my experience and understanding. My UK dog was vaccinated with the same vaccine in the UK and France (Rabisin) yet the UK said every two years but my French vet says every year. When my French vet filled in the Pet Passport “valid to” date, he gave it 1 year. Maybe other French vets give longer but my understanding is that they still rate it as only good for 1 year.

Ian