From January 2012, DEFRA have made travelling abroad with your pets a whole lot easier and a lot cheaper…
For pets travelling to Pet Passport member countries, pets now only need to be microchipped and vaccinated against rabies. They then wait 3 weeks before they can travel & return to the UK.
Previously a blood test was required 30 days after the rabies vaccination; with pets only being allowed back into the UK 6 months after the blood test was taken. This is no longer required.
Also, for pets coming from non-EU countries that aren’t part of the Pet Passport scheme, 6 months quarantine is no longer required, providing certain criteria are met.
There are a few details which are still to be announced so for a complete set of guidelines go to http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pets/pets/travel/
Furthermore, quarantine laws have also been reviewed, and as of January 2012 it appears that the ’6 month quarantine rule’ for pets coming into the UK from non-Pets Passport member countries may also be changed. Pets from certain countries will be able to be vaccinated & blood tested in their country of origin, and if clear will be allowed into the UK without quarantine. Watch this space about this as more details emerge
