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.
Written by
Susan Pedalino