United Kingdom

Pet Entry Requirements for United Kingdom

Is Quarantine Required for Pets in United Kingdom?

What Additional Information Do I Need for United Kingdom?

• Special Imports:

  Pets can be imported to the United Kingdom from Ukraine, Poland, Belarus, or Romania with their owners; however, they must have a special license if they do not meet normal import requirements.

• More Information:

  Not specified

• Exporting Resident Pets:

  All dogs, cats and ferrets leaving the United Kingdom for another EU Member State must: Be microchipped.Be vaccinated for rabies (in that order) not sooner than 12 weeks of age and wait for 21 days after primary vaccination before leaving the United Kingdom.Have a licensed veterinarian issue an Animal Health Certificate and other required documentation (depending on destination country requirements). All dogs and cats leaving the United Kingdom for any other country must: Be microchipped.Be vaccinated for rabies (in that order) not sooner than 12 weeks of age.Be subjected to a wait time after rabies vaccination according to their destination country requirements.Have an Export Health Certificate issued in the United Kingdom for their destination country as well as all other permits, tests and treatments required by the destination country. If your pet will visit or enter an unlisted country, a veterinarian in the United Kingdom should administer a rabies titer test before leaving the United Kingdom if your pet will be returning. Even if your pet is not entering an unlisted country, traveling internationally with the results of this test will ensure a smoother customs clearance in your destination country.

• What is a Pet Passport?:

  We refer to a pet passport as a collection of documents that conform to the United Kingdom pet import requirements for dogs, cats, and ferrets entering this country from non-EU countries.This term is not to be confused with an official EU Pet Passport issued in the European Union for EU-resident pets. For the purpose of these instructions, the United Kingdom includes only England, Scotland, and Wales. Due to its shared border with the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland has remained under EU legislation for the movement of pets. Findpet import regulations for Northern Irelandif your pet will be imported to Northern Ireland. The United Kingdom is no longer a part of the European Union (EU); however, their regulations regarding the import of pets are similar to those of the European Union. Your pet’s passport to enter the United Kingdom will include proof of microchip, current rabies vaccination, rabies titer test (some countries), parasite treatment, and one of the following: An official EU or NI Pet Passport (resident EU or Northern Ireland pets) orA government-issued Pet Passport (part 1 listed third country – see UK COUNTRY CLASSIFICATIONS) orA GB Health Certificate orA pet passport issued in Great Britain before 1 January 2021 (EU imports only)

• Pets in the United Kingdom:

  The British have a long history of animal domestication and pet keeping, dating back to Victorian times when keeping pets became a symbol of middle-class status. A wide variety of animals kept as companions. Dogs are one of the most popular pets in the UK, with millions of households owning at least one dog. Cats are equally popular, known for their independent nature and suitability for both urban and rural living. The UK has a comprehensive network of veterinary clinics offering services from routine check-ups to advanced medical treatments and pet stores abound with special attention to all types of pets. The import of pets as well as veterinary care can be expensive in the United Kingdom. Commercial airlines require that all live animals arrive in the United Kingdom as air cargo which is more expensive than in-cabin or accompanied checked baggage. Pet owners should budget carefully to ensure proper care and transport of their pets.

• Find a Licensed Veterinarian:

  Before beginning any pet export procedure, make sure your veterinarian is approved by the governing veterinarian authority in your pet’s country of origin. Your veterinarian should work for or is licensed by the agency of the government that is responsible for the movement of live animals.

• Flying a Pet to the United Kingdom:

  All commercial airlines, private charters and ferries that offer services to live animals must be approved to import pets to the United Kingdom. All live animals arriving in the United Kingdom by air must do so as air cargo according toairline pet policies. The reason for this is clearance policies. Once your pet arrives in the UK, it is offloaded and taken to the Animal Reception Center which is located on airport grounds but not at the terminal. Flights to the United Kingdom should be direct or transit through a listed third country (step 1) or another EU Member State if possible*. If your pet transits through an unlisted country, then a Transit Declaration will be required. The declaration must state that your pet has had no contact with rabies-carrying animals and remained secured within the airplane or airport. *Note: If your pet has a layover in an EU Member State in its itinerary, then additional requirements will apply.

• Animals Eligible for These Regulations:

  These rules apply to the transport of domestic dogs, cats and ferrets including assistance and service animals. Unless 5th generation removed from the pedigree, wolf hybrids, Savannah and Bengal cats cannot be imported under these regulations. Owners of other types of pets (amphibia, reptiles, birds, rabbits, rodents) covered by these regulations should refer to IMPORTING OTHER PET ANIMALS TO THE UNITED KINGDOM below.

• Entering the United Kingdom with a Pet:

  Due to regulations set by commercial airlines approved to fly animals to the United Kingdom, pets must arrive asmanifest (air) cargoon an approved airline unless they are medically certified service dogs and your airline has a program that supports the transport of service or assistance dogs in the cabin. Unless traveling from Ireland, accompanied pets traveling non-commercially entering by air from outside the United Kingdom must do so on an approved airline at Border Inspection Posts of London Heathrow, London Gatwick, London Manchester, Edinburg or Glasgow. Pets traveling commercially must enter the United Kingdom at London Heathrow, Gatwick or Edinburgh Airports. Pets must fly to the United Kingdom as air cargo according toairline pet policies. Pets must travel in a crate in compliance with the International Air Transport Association. Related:Is your pet’s crate IATA-compliant? Pets traveling unaccompanied from outside the EU must custom clear at London Heathrow or Gatwick Airports. When traveling by private charter aircraft, pets can enter the United Kingdom at Biggin Hill, Farmborough, Stansted, Cambridge, Blackpool, Doncaster Sheffield, Gloucestershire, London Ashford or London Oxford if their charter is approved to transport live animals to these airports. You can only bring a pet into Great Britain by private boat if you’re travelling from Ireland or Northern Ireland. As there are no approved Border Inspection Posts in the Isle of Man, Channel Islands or Wales, pets traveling to these countries must clear customs at one of the airports listed above. Flights to the United Kingdom should be direct or transit through a listed third country or another EU Member State if possible*. If your pet transits through an unlisted country, then a Transit Declaration will be required. The declaration must state that your pet has had no contact with rabies-carrying animals and remained secured within the airplane or airport. *Note: If your pet has a layover in an EU Member State in its itinerary, then additional requirements will apply. All commercial transports, whether by air or land, must be preregistered in the IPAFFS database and the responsible transporter must be registered. Non-commercial transports by land must also be registered. All domestic dogs and cats must be free of evidence of disease communicable to humans when examined at the port of entry to the United Kingdom. If your dog or cat is not in apparent good health, further examination by a licensed veterinarian may be required at importer expense.

• United Kingdom Pet Import Requirements:

  All steps required to conform to regulations to import a dog, cat or ferret to the United Kingdom must be completed in the origination country. Steps 1-8 should be followed in the order given.

• Breeds Banned from Import to the United Kingdom:

  The following breeds or their mixes are not permitted to enter or transit the United Kingdom: Brazilian FilaDogo ArgentinoJapanese Tosa Inu orAmerican Staffordshire Pit Bull TerrierXL Bull Terrier. Also some kinds of American Bulldogs have been found to be classified as Pit Bulls. It is illegal to enter or transit the United Kingdom with any of these breeds or their mixes. Note: the ban also applies to dogs that spend time in the United Kingdom during transit to other countries. Dogs can only be considered for exemption from United Kingdom Dangerous Dog Laws through the courts. Pet owners cannot apply for exemption when importing their dogs. Only dogs who are returning to the United Kingdom after being placed on the exemption list can reenter the UK.

• Quarantine for Pets Entering the United Kingdom:

  There will be no quarantine imposed on your pet when entering the United Kingdom if pet import regulations detailed here are met. If your pet does not conform to the regulations as stated below, it will be subject to quarantine if facilities are available, returned to the origination country, or euthanized. The importer will be responsible all costs involved.

• Importing Other Pet Animals to the United Kingdom:

  Not specified

• Importing Puppies and Kittens to the United Kingdom:

  Puppies and kittens must not be vaccinated for rabies under 12 weeks of age. Unvaccinated pets are not permitted to enter the United Kingdom from any country until they are microchipped, fully vaccinated for rabies and conform to steps listed in these instructions. The minimum age for import to the United Kingdom from EU Member States and part 1 or 2 listed third countries is 15 weeks of age. The minimum age of import to the United Kingdom from an unlisted country is 7 months of age. Related: More information ontransporting a puppy.

• Importing Dogs and Cats to the United Kingdom from Malaysia and Australia:

  If your pet is entering United Kingdom from peninsular Malaysia, the following additional conditions must be met: Your pet has had no contact with pigs during at least the past 60 days prior to export.Your pet has not lived in a place where cases of Nipah disease have been confirmed during the past 60 days.Your pet has been tested with negative a result to an IgG capture ELISA test carried out in a laboratory approved for testing for Nipah disease viruses within ten days of export. Cats may only enter the United Kingdom from Australia under the condition that they have not lived in areas where cases of Hendra disease have been confirmed during the past 60 days.

• Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES):

  Importers should verify that their pet is not protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). This is important if your pet is not a dog or cat, and very important if it is a turtle or parrot. You will need to apply for additional permits if this is the case. Over 180 countries participate and enforce CITES regulations. Related:Search the CITES databaseorSearch the Species+ database Related:Learn more about CITES

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