With the introduction of the 1999 Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) our fluffy friends can now enjoy foreign travel without having to be penned in quarantine. Countries part of this scheme include:

Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Norway, Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and Spain.

Entering Spain with your Pooch

House pets are usually easy to import provided they are accompanied by their owners and have a valid health record which states their origin and that they are in good health. Please note that this certificate is only valid for ten days. All vaccinations must be up-to-date and the pet should have anti-rabies inoculation within the twelve months prior to travel.

Certificates can be obtained from your nearest Animal Health Division Office in England. See www.defra.gov.uk. It is always best to check with your local Spanish Consulate in case of changes in legalities particularly where exotic pets are concerned. Such animals will need a certificate proving that there has been no local outbreak of disease during the past 60 days that would affect the species.

Going Back with Bunny

All animals must have a microchip implanted to give permanent proof of identity. These microchips store the vaccination history and provide medical information for government officials, transport companies and foreign vets. Therefore, all vaccinations must be given after the microchip has been inserted. The rabies vaccine must be given to the animal and after thirty days a blood test must be done to ensure that the vaccine has taken affect.

All pets must be treated by a certified vet for tapeworm and ticks between 24 and 48 hours prior to returning to the UK.