For most of us our pets are our family and we can’t possibly imagine taking up the dream to relocate and leaving our beloved pets behind.
However, it doesn’t mean the process is a straight forward one. There are legal requirements, paperwork that needs to be completed, processes need to be thought through and then there’s the issue of the pets on the plane!
Fear not, we will discuss what you need to know here, help assist you with making the big move + making sure your pets are fully taken care of in that process.
The first thing you will need to ensure when looking to relocate your pets abroad is the legal requirements.
The legal requirements will vary depending on what country you want to take them to but for the purpose of this article we will focus on travel within Europe. If you relocating outside of Europe and want some advice on the process then pop New Chapter Removals a call who will be able to answer your questions in detail.
Four things you need to know before moving your pets abroad:
1) Microchip your pets
2) Obtain Pet Passport
3) Get rabies vaccination
4) Check with airline on carriage rules
1. Microchipping.
Firstly, your pets will need to be microchipped to be able to travel abroad. Microchip is a small electronic device planted under the skin usually between the shoulder blades. The chip can be read by specialist scanners which identifies your pet and its unique details.
From April 6 2016 all dogs need to be microchipped by law, if it hasn’t been done the process is simple. You can head into your nearest Companion Care Surgeries or Pets at Home stores where you can make an appointment to have your pet microchipped.
It is quick and painless procedure enabling the data to be stored on a secure database. When your pet is travelling the chip will enable them to be identified.
If your pet is already chipped, simply ensure the details are up to date.
This is relevant to that of domestic animals, for air travel this includes dogs, cats and ferrets.
2. Rabies vaccination
Your pet must have a rabies vaccination 30 days prior to travel. This can be done by making an appointment with your local vet. These details will be included in its Pet Passport which is essential for taking your pets abroad.
3. Pet Passport
Yes, this does exist! A Pet Passport is a document that officially records personal pet information. As part of the Pet Travel Scheme it allows your animals to travel easily between member countries without undergoing quarantine. As well as Europe, countries such as Canada, USA and Australia also adopt the Pet Passport Scheme.
The Pet Passport is a document that contains the details of the animal through its microchip and a certification that it has had a rabies vaccination. Essentially it is a collation of its travel requirements’ enabling simpler travel.
You can get your Pet Passport from certain vets in the UK. To get your passport you need to take your pet, its identity and vaccination records and any rabies blood tests results.
Airlines: How Will They Carry My Pet?
How your airline will carry your pet differs from one to another.
An easy way to find out how your airline operates is to take a look here. Airlines usually apply the same principles both ways when carrying. For example, arriving to France from the UK will apply the same carrying principles as arriving from France to the UK with the same airlines. It will be the legal requirements that change.
However, as we are looking at pets from the UK abroad, we will focus on that solely.
There are two ways in which your pets may be relocated with you abroad.
1) Held in cargo.
2) Held in cabin.
This will depend again, on your airline so that will be something you will have to check with them.
IMPORTANT:
You must check with the airline before you book your flights as your pet may not be accepted to travel.
It is usually a phonecall, simply asking how you will transport your pet or you can check it out on their website.
Most airlines are regulated by IATA Live Animal Regulations which ensures safe transport.
There you have it – everything you need to know about relocating your pets abroad! If you are about to move house, office whether locally or overseas and want to discuss your pet’s relocation, speak to an experienced Cardiff removal company over at New Chapter Removals.
***Air travel purposes only dogs, cats and ferrets are considered domestic pets. Any other animal (including rodents, reptiles and large insects) is considered “exotic” within the context of air travel.
The EU pet passport is only required for dogs, cats and ferrets. If you have other pets, such as rabbits or canaries, you should check relevant national rules on taking animals in or out of the country.
