The Pet Travel Scheme is the control measure to prevent rabies, certain tick-borne diseases 

and tapeworm from entering the country via the importation of pets.  

Before pets can enter the UK under the Scheme they must meet certain animal health requirements,  

such as being vaccinated against rabies, which are laid down in EU law (EC Regulation 998/2003). 

 

From 1 January 2012 the rules for pets entering the UK will change as the UK aligns its Pet 

Travel Scheme with the EU-wide pet movement system. Please find below some useful information  

from the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency -  

 

a) Pets travelling from other EU Member States and ‘listed’ Third countries (countries which 

the EU considers do not present a higher risk of rabies incursion compared to 

movements within the EU, for example USA, Australia and Japan) will no longer need to 

be blood tested after they have been vaccinated against rabies. 

 

b) Pets travelling from other EU Member States and listed Third countries will only have to 

wait 21 days following their rabies vaccination before they can enter the UK, rather than 

waiting six months as they do now. 

 

c) Pets travelling from ‘unlisted’ Third countries (countries which have not applied or been 

accepted for listed status, because of less robust veterinary or administrative systems or 

higher rabies incidence, for example China, India and South Africa) will no longer be 

required to undergo six months compulsory quarantine and will be able to enter the UK if 

they meet certain requirements (they are microchipped, vaccinated against rabies and 

have passed a blood test). They will not be allowed to enter the UK for four months after 

the date of the vaccination. 

 

d) Pet owners who need to travel to the UK at short notice will continue to have the option 

of voluntarily placing their pet in UK quarantine, where it will be required to undergo the 

necessary health treatments, such as being vaccinated and blood tested if required, 

before being released. 

 

e) There will be no mandatory tick treatment before pets enter the UK, although both the BVA  

and BSAVA strongly advise that you continue to do this to safeguard the health of your pet.  

 

f) Tapeworm treatment must be administered by a vet between 24 and 120 hours (1 - 5 days)  

before re-entering the UK. 

 

The proposed changes to the controls on rabies are proportionate to the disease risks 

involved and are scientifically justified. Since the UK Pet Travel Scheme was introduced, the 

likelihood of a human case of rabies in Europe has substantially reduced as a result of an 

effective and ongoing programme to reduce the disease in the domestic and wild animal 

populations of EU Member States, together with improvements in the accessibility to rabies 

vaccination and post-exposure treatment. There has not been one reported case of rabies in 

the EU associated with the legal movement of pets under the EU pet movement system 

since it was introduced, with many hundreds of thousands of pet movements having taken 

place during that time. 

 

This reduction in the level of rabies across the EU is reflected in the findings of our peer 

reviewed quantitative risk assessment, which concluded that the risk of a rabies case in the 

UK will remain very low following harmonisation with the EU pet movement rules. 

These revised rules will deliver substantial benefits to pet owners, making it easier and 

cheaper for the people who travel from the UK with their pets (around 100,000) each year. 

They will also provide UK citizens the same level of free movement with pet animals which 

other EU citizens are allowed. 

 

We will continue to ensure that the UK maintains a robust level of protection against rabies, 

and have robust plans in place to deal with any detected cases of the disease. As from the 1st  

January 2012 efforts will continue to be made to ensure that every pet arriving in the country  

is checked to ensure that it meets the EU requirements, regardless of where it arrives from, and  

we expect the private quarantine sector to retain a vital role in dealing with non-compliant animals.  

Stringent penalties remain in place for those that breach the law by smuggling animals into the  

country or by knowingly using false or misleading information/documentation. 

 

 

 

For a list of EU and listed third countries please see DEFRA website. Here you will also find a list of non listed third countries and the rule changes for these. http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pets/pets/travel/pets/