The Pets Travel Scheme

The Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) started in February 2000. You are now able to take your pet dog or cat to certain countries and bring them back into the UK without quarantine.

To do so, your pet must meet the rules of the scheme in this order:

1. Be fitted with a microchip
2. Be vaccinated against rabies
3. Be blood tested to show that the vaccine is protecting your pet against rabies
4. Be issued with an official PETS certificate
5. Be treated against ticks and tapeworms just before it comes back into the UK

To get ready for the scheme, ask your local vet for more information. Once your pet has been successfully blood tested, your vet can then issue you with an official PETS certificate. Only government-authorised vets (known as Local Veterinary Inspectors or LVIs) can do this. Most small animal veterinary practices in the UK have an LVI working there.

To get your pet back into the UK, you will need, in addition to the PETS certificate, a vet's certificate to show that it has been treated against ticks and tapeworms. Your animal must enter England from a PETS country travelling on approved route with an approved transport company.

You can get more information from the PETS website: http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pets/pets/travel or call the helpline 0870 241 1710